From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Oct 1 06:04:41 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Fri Oct 1 09:51:37 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) "BELIEVING A LIE AND BEING DAMNED" Message-ID: <9b.4eee59fd.2e8e93c9@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is an outline that is from my ancient files. Use to the glory of God. "BELIEVING A LIE AND BEING DAMNED" Introduction: People were told that the Titanic was a ship that could not sink. But it did sink taking hund- reds to their death. I. Access to the truth is not a guarantee of salvation: (2 Thes. 2:9-12). Also note: 1 Kgs. chapters 12,13; especially: 12:27-29; 13:1,2,9,3-10-34. II. A lie does not become truth just because we conscientous- ly and sincerely believed it to be the truth. (Jer. 10:23; Gal. 1;6-10). III. One of the greatest lies that people believe is: "We've got plenty of time to obey the Lord." (Jas. 4:13-17; Eccl. 12: 13,14). A. J.P. Morgan, one of the richest men in the land, spent all of his time making his fortune. But he ran out of time before he obeyed the Lord. And thereby left all of his fortune to others. Conclusion: Have you been believing a lie and thereby have not obeyed your Lord? Remember, he who believes a lie and continues to believe a lie and live by it will be damned at the judgment. Jesus said: "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free" (Jno. 8:32). ------Adapted from an outline by Ken Leach. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041001/e0f91fbe/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Oct 1 06:04:38 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Fri Oct 1 09:51:37 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) WHAT IS THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY? (2) Message-ID: <128.4c11d571.2e8e93c6@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Friday morn- ing to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with an enjoyable and fruitful day. Here is the second part of this series on this subject by Philip A. Owens: WHAT IS THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY? (2) Introduction: (Mark Roberts, in his last issue of Abundant Life, tells of the baptism of his daughter Sara. He speaks of the joy that filled the hearts of himself, his wife Dena, whom I have known since she was a little girl, and no doubt many others, such as Sara's grandparents, Paul and Margarent Good, whom I have known and loved since back in the 60's. So it is with any parent that is able to baptize their own children into the Lord. He said that his daughter said that she "wanted to go to heaven" that was the reason she wanted to be baptized. Isn't that the main reason that any of us want to be baptized into Christ and live for Him? I would hope so. JWS) 2. Accountability Brings Sin Which Separates Us From God (Isa. 59:1,2; Ezk. 18:20). The word "accountable" is defined as "obliged to accourt for one's own acts, responsible." "Responsible" is defined as "able to distinguish between right and wrong and to think and act rationally, and hence accountable for one's behavior...readily assuming oblig- ations, duties, etc., dependable, reliable" (Webster). Note care- fully: Responsibility or accountability before God is the ability to distinguish between right and worng and to think and act rationally. It is not the discernment between right and wrong itself that consti- tutes accountability because some never make such distinctions. It is the capacity to do so which determines it. Hence, a fullgrown man of forty might not distinguish between something right or wrong, but he has the ability to do so. Sin is a transgression of the law (1 Jno. 3:4). However, while God's judgment against man is based on His word which defines sin (2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 2:16), His judgment is also based upon one's own accountability (Rom. 7:9; Deut. 1:30). Notice these two passages: "And I was alive apart from the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died" (Rom. 7:9). Therefore, at some time in Paul's life he was spiritually "alive." When he grew to understand the "commandment" and his obligat- ions to it, "sin revived, and" he "died." This passage clearly teach- es that for a while one is not accountable before God, but later grows into accountability and becomes a sinner. Speaking of God's refusal to allow some Israelites to enter the promised land while allowing others to do so, Moses wrote: "More- over your little ones, that ye said should be a prey, and your children, that this day have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it and they shall possess it" (Deut. 1:39). It is obvious that God did not hold Israel's little ones and children accountable for the sins of their parents while in the wilderness. Hence, they were not accou- ntable before God. One is not a sinner until he becomes accountable and trans- gresses God's law. One is then in need of grace which God pro- vides. This grace includes a redeemer (1 Pet. 1:18,19). To re- deem is to buy back, or recover. Infants and young children are not separated from God. One cannot buy back that which was never separated from the orighinal owner. Therefore, infants are not in need of redemption. Young men and women who are thinking about these matters need to realize an important fact: The reason to obey the gospel is not to be able to eat the Lord's Supper, take a leading part in public worship, or indicate one is now grown up, but rather because he or she is a sinner before God and needs to be saved! I have had some very young people tell me they wanted to be bap- tized and when asked why, they told me some of the above state- ments! They haven't yet understood that the reason to obey the gospel is to be forgiven of sins! (More will be posted on this sub- ject tomorrow the Lord willing. JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041001/2f56155b/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 2 05:44:07 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Sun Oct 3 13:26:37 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) WHAT IS THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY? (3) Message-ID: <15b.404f22da.2e8fe077@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Saturday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with a most rewarding day. Here is the third part of this series of studies on this particular subject: WHAT IS THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY? (3) III. Factors that do not necessarily determine the age of acc- ountability: A. If a young person simply says he wants to be baptized: 1. A five year-old asked to be baptized. He recognized one be- comes a child of God when he is baptized. He asked if he were a Christian. He understood those who are not Christians will be lost. When told he wasn't a Christian, he cried. Telling him he was one of God's special children (as per Matt. 18:1-4) didn't help much at the time. Should a five-year-old be bapt- ized? Absolutely not! What about when he is six, seven or eight? What about when he is nine or ten? (I remember hear- ing of two young children being baptized in a congregation. Shortly, they were having a gospel meeting with an elderly-no- nonsense preacher. He was told of the baptism of the two young children. He didn't say too much about it. But while he was up preaching, these two young children were sitting on the front row. Soon, they became bored with the preaching and got down on the floor in front of the pew and started crawling around and playing. The preacher saw the commot- ion and stopped his preaching. He said, "whenever brother John and sister Mary get back up in their seats we will con- tinue our meeting." This does not mean that some older Christians do not listen to the preaching as they ought. But at least they do not get down on the floor and play. This type of conduct on the part of younger children should indicate to us that they are still small, young children and cannot complet- ely comprehend the seriousness of the responsibilities of a Christian. JWS). I think it is good to commend children who are thinking about being baptized. We commend them when they voice their thoughts about long range goals, worthy vocations, etc., but it is best to tell them to wait in this matter if there is a question of understand- ing the seriousness of this move. When children want to do a num- ber of things for which they are not yet, physically, mentally, and spiritually ready, we never hesitate to tell them they need to wait. Parents have told me that in this area they are hesitant to deny their child his request, but they don't hesitate to deny their child's request in other areas wherein they understand their child's request is unreasonable or premature. It is inconsisten to think that a child's reasoning ability is immature (because of age and understanding) in some of the most inconsequential matters, yet (forgetting their age) in the matter of one of the greatest conse- quential actions that they will take in their lives. B. Thinking a young person may be discouraged from ever obey- ing the gospel if he is refused at an early age: Related to the first point, I have heard some say, "It may disco- urage a young person if you don't allow him to be baptized when he desires to be, then he won't in later years." I don't think the two are related. Commend the young person highly for thinking about doing what is right; tell him you hope he will be baptized later, when he becomes more mature concerning the seriousness of such action as baptism, but that he is not yet ready, if that be the case. From what I have heard, some seem to think baptism changes a child's attitude toward God. It does not. If you allow a child to be baptized most likely he will always be faithful, is the unspoken implication. "If you tell the child he shouldn't be baptized, he might never be baptized," some say. This doesn't follow. It is true that baptism changes our relationship or state before God, but not our attitudes (Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:12; 3:1-3). If a child truly loves God, desires to please Him, and continues to grow in understanding, he will obey. However, if you tell him he needs to wait, and he com- plies, this is evidence he is not mature enough to become a Christ- ian. (I have witnessed and been involved with many people that have been baptized when they were very young and later coming to the conclusion that they did not understand what they were doing and why when they were baptized in their very early child- hood. Therefore they desired to be baptized again or the second time. I am not saying that I was involved in their baptism as a very young child, but am saying that I have been involved in the second baptism. Therefore, being baptized in one's very early childhood many times brings about a question in a person's mind later whet- her he truly understood the seriousness and true purpose of bapt- ism, JWS). (More will be posted on this subject Monday the Lord willing. JWS) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041002/ba269f95/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 2 05:44:11 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Sun Oct 3 13:26:37 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) SOME STATISTICS CONCERNING SATAN Message-ID: <81.16c141c7.2e8fe07b@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here are some statistics that came my way recently over the internet. Thought you might like to see them: IS THERE A DEVIL? FIND OUT WHO SAYS SO Look to your left. Look to your right. Chances are both peo- ple you see believe in the devil and hell. (It seems that these thoughts and statistics are not looked upon in a serious way since they are listed under the heading of fun and games) We are a nation of believers. A Harris Poll surveyed 2,201 Ameri- can adults about their religious beliefs and found out some fascinat- ing information. Most Christians -- not surprisingly -- believe in God, the survival of the soul after death, miracles, heaven, the virgin birth, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But more than half of all adults also believe in ghosts. About a third believe in astrology. And more than a quarter believe they were reincarnat- ed from other people who walked on this earth generations ago. This is what your friends and neighbors believe in: God: 90 percent. Miracles: 80 percent. Survival of the soul after death: 84 percent. Resurrection of Christ: 80 percent. Virgine birth: 77 percent. Devil: 68 percent. Hell: 69 percent. Ghosts: 51 percent. Astrology: 31 percent. Reincarnation: 27 percent. Where will you go after you die? Those who expect to go: To heaven: 63 percent. To hell: 1 percent. To purgatory: 6 percent. Someplace else: 11 percent. Don't have a clue: 18 percent. Here are some fun facts from the Harris Poll: Women are more likely than men to hold both Christian and non-Christian beliefs. African-Americans are more likely than whites and Hispanics to hold Christian beliefs. Republicans are more likely to hold Christian beliefs than mem- bers of other political parties. The level of religious belief is generally highest among people without a college education and lowest among those with post- graduate degrees. Not all people who call themselves Christians actually hold con- ventional Christian beliefs. For example, 1 percent of Christ- ians do not believe in God and 8 percent do not believe in the survival of the soul after death. More than a quarter of those who say they are not Christian do believe in the resurrection of Jesus and the virgin birth. ----------Compiled by Cathryn Conroy. (These statistics are based upon what the world considers as Christianity. Not what the Bible says about it. The statistics would be greatly different if taken from among true Biblical Christians, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041002/806325e4/attachment-0001.htm From wmessenger at juno.com Fri Oct 1 15:46:32 2004 From: wmessenger at juno.com (William C. Sexton) Date: Sun Oct 3 13:26:39 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] B>A Christian's Voice 10-3-2004 Message-ID: <20041002.084422.-355841.3.wmessenger@juno.com> Skipped content of type multipart/alternative-------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/msword Size: 24033 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041001/5f1adb8f/attachment-0001.dot From wswalker310 at juno.com Fri Oct 1 16:21:49 2004 From: wswalker310 at juno.com (Wayne S Walker) Date: Sun Oct 3 13:26:39 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] hymn study, "Sing On, Ye Joyful Pilgrims" Message-ID: <20041002.095434.152.1.wswalker310@juno.com> Wayne Walker here with another weekly hymn study for your edification. "SING ON, YE JOYFUL PILGRIMS" "...My servants shall sing for joy..." (Isa. 65.14) INTRO.: A song which encourages God's servants to sing for joy is, "Sing On, Ye Joyful Pilgrims" (#389 in "Hymns for Worship Revised" and #12 in "Sacred Selections for the Church"). The text was written, under the penname of Carrie M. Wilson, by Frances Jane Crosby Van Alstyne, better known as Fanny J. Crosby (1829-1925). The tune (Sing On) was composed by John Robson Sweney (1837-1899). Most of our books have identified the author's name as Carrie M. Wilson, but Harold Holland of Pepperdine University identified Carrie M. Wilson as Fanny J. Crosby, who wrote under a number of pennames. "Sacred Selections" left the author's name blank in early editions, but when the type was reset it mistakenly filled in the blank with J. R. S. for John R. Sweney. The song was first published in the 1886 "Songs of Joy and Gladness" edited by Sweney. It has been included in practically every hymnbook published during the twentieth century by members of the Lord's church for use among churches of Christ. The song gives three reasons why we should sing on. I. According to stanza 1, we should sing on because of our faith "Sing on, ye joyful pilgrims, Nor think the moments long; My faith is heavenward rising With every tuneful song; Lo! on the mount of blessing, The glorious mount I stand; And looking over Jordan, I see the promised land." A. Our faith is heavenward rising because it is looking up to Him who is the author and finisher of our faith: Heb. 12.1 B. By faith, we, like Moses on Nebo, stand on the mount and look over the Jordan, which represents death: Deut. 34.1-4 C. And by faith, we see the promised land, which represents heaven, our place of rest: Heb. 4.1-10 II. According to stanza 2, we should sing on because of our love for Christ "Sing on, ye joyful pilgrims, While here on earth we stay; Let songs of home and Jesus Beguile each fleeing day; Sing on the grand old story of His redeeming love, The everlasting chorus That fills the realms above." A. We sing songs of Jesus because we are thankful that He is the one who died for our sins: Col. 3.16-17, 1 Pet. 3.18 B. He did this because of His redeeming love for us: 1 Jn. 3.16 C. Therefore, we join with the everlasting chorus above because of our love for Him: 1 Cor. 16.22 III. According to stanza 3, we should sing on because of our hope "Sing on, ye joyful pilgrims, The time will not be long Till in our Father's kingdom We swell a nobler song, Where those we love ("Sacred Selections" had to change this to "angels there") are waiting To greet us on the shore; We'll meet beyond the river Where surges roll no more." A. "The time will not be long Till in our Father's kingdom" does not necessarily refer to the second coming of Christ but to death when we our spirits shall return to God or we shall depart and be with Christ: Eccl. 12:7, Phil. 1:23 B. When this occurs, we shall swell a nobler song as we join with the redeemed of all ages: Rev. 5.8-13 C. Yet even then, our spirits will look forward to the time when the Lord shall return, the dead will be raised and the living changed, and we shall meet with the saints of all ages beyond the river where surges roll no more: 1 Thess. 4.16-17 CONCL.: The chorus continues the call to sing on: "Sing on, O blissful music! With every note you raise My heart is filled with rapture, My soul is lost in praise." As long as we live "here on earth" we shall face our share of trials and tribulations, sadness and sorrow, problems and pains. To help us persevere during those times, we need by faith to remember what God has done to make our redemption possible because of His great love for us, to look forward to the great reward that He has prepared for us, and "Sing On." Brotherly, Wayne S. Walker 9024 Amona Dr. Affton, MO 63123 home phone: (314) 638-4710 office phone: (314) 842-1612 e-mail: wswalker310@juno.com website: www.defenderoftruth.com From thomasc at msu.edu Sat Oct 2 11:45:12 2004 From: thomasc at msu.edu (Craig Thomas) Date: Sun Oct 3 13:26:39 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A>What Saith the Scriptures, Vol. 2, No. 37 Message-ID: <6.0.3.0.0.20041002124422.0249e9b0@mail.msu.edu> "What Saith the Scripture?" Vol. 2, No. 37 What the Bible Does Not Say Instead of going by what the Bible teaches, many seek heaven by following what the Bible does not say. They neglect or ignore the clear and plain appointments of God, but scrupulously attend to rites and rituals unknown to the Bible. What a shame! 1) Worship. Men ridicule us for breaking bread upon every first day of the week, just like the Bible says (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 10:16). Yet they are very careful not to miss their church's perverted form of what is called "holy communion". They meticulously keep their traditions unknown to the word of God, whether Easter, Christmas, or some other "holyday"; but they will not observe the simple worship the Lord revealed in the New Testament. They heap great scorn upon us for not using mechanical instruments of music in worship even though the "oracles of God" (1 Pet. 4:11) specify we are to "teach[ing] and admonish[ing] one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Col. 3:16). 2) Name. We are disparaged for pointing out that many wear names not found in Scripture. We are criticized for wearing the name of Him who purchased us "with His own blood" (Acts 20:28); for Him who promised to build His church (Mt. 16:18); for calling ourselves "the churches of Christ" even though that is exactly what God's inspired apostle called God's people in the first century (Rom. 16:16). Men serve man-made denominations and designate themselves with man-made names with utmost devotion though the Bible teaches there is only "one body", the church of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4). Even though the "oracles of God" (1 Pet. 4:11) are absolutely silent concerning the names and organizations they serve, they persist in empty devotion. 3) Teaching. They attend to their baby's baptism but take great offense if we point out that such is wholly unrelated to anything taught in the Bible. First, baptism is immersion, not sprinkling (Rom. 6:4). Second, baptism is for penitent believers, for "men and women," not for oblivious infants (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; 8:12). Despite these undeniable facts, they persist in their dedication to a ceremony not found in the Bible. They pray to dead men and women. They kneel and devote themselves before material objects, according to rites and rituals invented by men, but look with disdain and disgust upon those who contend for humble prayers offered as true priests of God to the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, to the "one mediator between God and men", Christ Jesus (Heb. 3:1; 4:14-16; 1 Tim. 2:5). How utterly sad. This is all done in a lame and vain attempt to serve God; expecting to go to heaven by doing what the Bible does not say. Truly, "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Mt. 15:8-9). "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58) ******************************************************************** MM MM III Craig V. Thomas M M M M I church of Christ M M M M I Building Location: 2556 Maple Street M M M M I Deckerville, MI 48427 M M M III Mailing address: 350 Pineridge Lane Sandusky, MI 48471-1295 Services: Bible Study-10AM Sunday & 7:00PM Wednesday Worship-11AM Sunday E-mail: churchcr@greatlakes.net WWW: www.greatlakes.net/~churchcr Call 810-648-5009 for more information ******************************************************************* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041002/53840fff/attachment-0001.htm From harperwest at yahoo.com Sat Oct 2 12:38:11 2004 From: harperwest at yahoo.com (Steven C Harper) Date: Sun Oct 3 13:26:39 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A> The Basis For Hearing Message-ID: <001a01c4a8a6$9b1a0df0$4f4e0945@SCHarperWork> From: TRUTH & REASON, a bulletin of the Glendale church of Christ, Glendale, AZ. Editor: Steven Harper October 3, 2004 The Basis For Hearing Several years ago, when my wife and I were meeting with a very small group of Christians, we had the unfortunate occasion of trying to convince one family to stay and work with us instead of going over to meet with a nearby church that was larger, but unsound in the faith. The sole reason given for going was that we were so small and the husband was called on to do quite a bit of the work because the only two other men were often away on weekends. We tried to convince them to do the right thing, unsuccessfully, and, after many repeated attempts to persuade them, were told, "When you get older, you'll understand." Well, I'm a lot older now and I still don't "understand" why they made the choice they did, but I do understand something else. We Need To Listen To Truth, No Matter What the Speaker's Age. (1 Tim. 4:12) One factor that hindered our ability to convince this other couple to do the right thing was that they saw us only as "younger" and inexperienced. The fact is that we were younger and, in all likelihood, less experienced in some matters, but the simple fact of being younger should have had nothing to do with whether or not they did the right thing. The basis for hearing should never be the age of the speaker. Several years after this incident and just a couple of years after I began preaching full-time, I was at a nearby congregation and listening to a much older and more experienced preacher. In his lesson, I heard him make what I believed to be an erroneous statement about John 1:12 that seemed to say we are guaranteed nothing will happen to us between initial belief and baptism. I wrote down notes about his comments and asked him later about what he had said, only to have him shrug it off and say, "You're young. I'm sure you just don't understand." The local preacher kind of jumped in and told me, "Just study it some more." Well, I did study some more just to make sure I wasn't imagining his misinterpretation, and I still believe he was wrong, but what bothered me about this was the fact that he shrugged off this criticism simply because he perceived me to be "young and inexperienced" [especially when compared to his own age and experience]. On the flip side, I remember sitting in a class of new converts once and hearing a young [14 years old] student make some comments about a particular text that I had never thought of before. I remember distinctly being somewhat surprised by her comments but, after further study, concluded that she was absolutely right. I listened to what was said and seriously considered it though she was less than half my age. I told her afterward about it and encouraged her for her perception. Just because someone is younger - a lot younger or just a little - does not mean we cannot listen to what they have to say. The basis for hearing someone is not the age of the person speaking! The basis for hearing is whether or not they are speaking truth! In this same line, neither should we hear someone just because they are older and more "experienced." Remember the defense some offered a few years back for a preacher who was teaching error on marriage and divorce? Some offered up, as a defense for the man, the simple fact that he had been preaching for 65 years. When I read [and heard] that, all I could say was, "So what?" Age does not determine whether or not one is acceptable in the sight of God! Remember the words of the Elihu when he chastised the "friends" of Job: "Great men are not always wise, nor do the aged always understand justice." (Job 32:9) We Need To Listen To Truth, No Matter What the Speaker's Name. (Acts 17:11) As you know, my last name is not Halbrook or Hall or Harrell or Hailey, Bowman or Tant or Willis or Wallace or Stevens - or Smith or Jones, for that matter. While I know of one or two preachers of past history who share my last name, I am sure I would not agree with some things they taught, so I cannot appeal to them for help in getting people to hear what I have to say. [And I do not have a desire to do so.] Many of the names above are well-known amongst our brethren and many times I read or hear someone quote one of these men or some other man who is said to be "well-respected among the brotherhood" as the sole defense for a position, rather than going to the Scriptures. It seems some want to appeal to name recognition rather than God's Word! I probably do not have to tell you that citing the quotes of brethren is not a wise strategy for either determining or defending truth. I have opposing quotes on certain topics in some of my older books - and they come from the same man! Uninspired men are not the source of truth, without a doubt! Yet, even as I write this, I recall several discussions within the last 20 years that have focused on this very strategy. When disputes arose over the deity of Jesus and certain issues regarding marriage, divorce and remarriage, it was inevitable that someone would turn to quoting other brethren as a defense for what they believed and taught, and ignored the Scriptures. Why is that? I could sit here and speculate about the reasons until my space runs out, but that is not the point of this article. Instead, let us simply consider the fact that "name recognition" does not necessarily mean truth is being preached. For example: How many of you recognize the names Graham or Lucado? Many people, especially in the denominational world, recognize these names but we hopefully are not going to start quoting them for what we believe and teach, are we? Hopefully, we will agree that name recognition is not the basis for hearing. A great illustration of this is found in the example of the Bereans. When Paul came to them from Thessalonica, they did not simply sit back and tell themselves that what he spoke must be true because "He's the apostle Paul!" No, we find that even the apostle Paul - chosen by Jesus and inspired by the Holy Spirit - was challenged by the Bereans in that they "searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." They did not trust in the name of Paul; they trusted in the name of God! So should we! We Need To Listen To Truth, No Matter What the Speaker's Education. (Acts 4:13) When the apostles were called before the Sanhedrin for the uproar in the city of Jerusalem, Peter gave a short but powerful statement about what had been done and amazed the religious leaders because they saw they were "uneducated and untrained men." What they did see was "that they had been with Jesus." Though these men were merely fishermen by trade and uneducated in the schools of the day, these religious leaders saw that they were no fools. Why is it that some today in the Lord's church believe a preacher of the gospel must be "educated" in the halls of human institutions and acquire a "degree in Bible" or even a degree in theology? Why are some men who desire to preach the gospel pursuing such degrees? It seems our desire has shifted from demanding "book, chapter, and verse" to accepting doctoral degrees and hallowing diplomas. Need we be reminded "the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God"? (1 Cor. 3:19) The basis for hearing is not education in the wisdom of men. By now, you may be asking, "What is the basis for hearing?" The answer: If - and only if - it is the pure word of God that is being spoken. Paul praised the Thessalonians for receiving the truth not as the words of men, but as it was, the word of God (1 Thess. 2:13). That should be our only desire and we should demand nothing less. The age, name, or education of the speaker is immaterial. -- Steven Harper Truth - is as old as God - His Twin identity And will endure as long as He A Co-Eternity -- Emily Dickinson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041002/524e106c/attachment-0001.htm From joe at bibleanswer.com Sat Oct 2 14:04:38 2004 From: joe at bibleanswer.com (Joe R. Price) Date: Sun Oct 3 13:26:39 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] B>The Spirit's Sword (VIII:14) - October 3, 2004 Message-ID: <415EFBC6.3040006@bibleanswer.com> THE SPIRIT'S SWORD (Volume VIII, Number 14 - October 3, 2004) "And take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17) Published by: The Mt. Baker church of Christ 1860 Mt. Baker HWY Bellingham, WA 98226 Visit our Web Sites: Mt. Baker church of Christ: http://mtbakercofc.org Bible Answers: http://www.bibleanswer.com The Spirit's Sword: http://www.bibleanswer.com/ssword.htm Editor: Joe R. Price In this issue: ____________________________________ -The Modus Operandi of False Teachers -History Says: Congregational Singing (Larry Ray Hafley) -Sermon Outlines --The Kingdom of God --Water Baptism: Its Purposes and Designs (# 4) ____________________________________ THE MODUS OPERANDI OF FALSE TEACHERS Joe R. Price False teachers do not carry about a banner proclaiming their occupation. The New Testament repeatedly warns us of the stealth by which false teachers gain access to the hearts and lives of the unsuspecting (Gal. 2:4; 2 Pet. 2:1; Jude 4). After first warning of the crafty nature by which false teachers gain a foothold among the saints, Jude describes them throughout much of the rest of his book (Jude 3-13). By what Jude wrote, the Holy Spirit assures us that God will punish those who teach error (Jude 14-16). It matters to God what we teach (1 Pet. 4:11). It ought to matter to us (1 Tim. 4:16; 2 Tim. 4:2-5). Jesus taught us to beware of false prophets, reminding us that we ?will know them by their fruits? (Matt. 7:15-20). God?s word equips us to recognize the purveyors of error so that we can turn away from them (2 Tim. 3:1-5; Rom. 16:17). Jude 11 names three men who epitomize the attitudes and conduct of those who abandon ?the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints? for doctrines that turn God?s grace into lewdness and deny Christ (Jude 3-4; Col. 1:5-6; Acts 20:32). Let us briefly consider Cain, who murdered his brother; Balaam, who counseled Israel to sin; and Korah, who rebelled against God?s leader. From Cain we learn to never be presumptuous before God. While Abel offered his sacrifice to God by faith, Cain presumed that his offering was sufficient (Heb. 11:4). False teachers offer to God what they have chosen to be acceptable instead of what God has commanded He will approve. In so doing, the false teacher acts arrogantly and presumptuously toward God?s word. Driven by presumption rather than humble and faithful obedience, ?the way of Cain? is also cluttered with the immoral debris of hatred, murder and lies (1 Jno. 3:11-12). The saints of God do not reject the authority of God?s word, but in faith, obey it (Jude 8). From Balaam we learn to avoid evil motives. Balaam ?loved the hire of wrong-doing? and successfully counseled Israel to commit idolatry (2 Pet. 2:15, ASV; Num. 31:16; 25:1-3). Not content with God blessing Israel, he sought and found a way to achieve his objective of self-profit to the detriment of God?s people (Num. 22-24). It continues to be so with false teachers. Selfish motives and self-serving interests have causes many to advocate error and foist it upon unsuspecting souls (Rom. 16:18; Phil. 3:18-19). From Korah we learn the danger of gainsaying. Korah led a rebel?lion against Moses and Aaron, but it was really against God Himself. He and his companions were not satisfied with the role God had given them in the service of the tabernacle (Num. 16:8-10). They wanted more. The priesthood and leadership over the people of God was their objective (Num. 16:10, 3). The definition of gainsay is to ?contradict, oppose, lit., say against? (Vine?s, 260). A gainsayer seeks to gain the advantage over people or over a situation through opposition. Gainsaying is rebellion against the Lord and His revealed will and purposes (Num. 16:8-11, 28). This reminds us of Diotrephes in 3 John 9-10. The gainsayer yearns for prominence and power. Humility is foreign to him. The gainsayer is not content with God?s ways. He presses for new and different arrangements of the divine order. In doing so, like Korah who perished, he ?despise(s) Jehovah? (Num. 16:30). None are immune from the temptations to which these three men succumbed. We must be vigilant against presumption toward God?s will. We must abandon greedy motives that satisfy self while destroying souls. And, we must always be content with God?s revealed way of doing things. ?If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds? (2 Jno. 10-11; cf. Gal. 1:6-10; 1 Cor. 4:6). ____________________ HISTORY SAYS: CONGREGATIONAL SINGING Larry Ray Hafley In the Old Path Guide of July, 1879 (exactly 125 years ago as I type this-LRH), Frank G. Allen, in an article entitled, ?The Church - Its Worship,? and under the heading, ?Singing,? wrote: Their singing was a real heart-service, and consisted of ?psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs? (Eph. 5:19, 20; Col. 3:16). In this delightful service, the whole congregation doubtless took part. ?The psalms of David were chiefly used in the ancient church.? It has been contended recently, that the singing of the first churches was not congregational, and therefore our congregational singing is as unauthorized as any musical performance in the worship. The facts of history are clearly against this statement. In his Ancient Christianity Exemplified, than which no work known to us contains more reliable information with reference to the primitive Church, Dr. Lyman Coleman says: The prevailing mode of singing during the first three centuries was congregational. The whole congregation united their voices in the sacred song of praise in strains suited to their ability....The most ancient and the most common mode of singing was confessedly for the whole assembly, men, women, and children, to blend their voices in their songs of praise in the great congregation. Such is the testimony of Hilary of Augustin and Chrysostom. ?Formerly all came together and united in their song, as is still our custom.? ?Men and women, the aged and the young, were distinguished only by their skill in singing, for the spirit which led the voice of each one, blended all in one harmonious melody.? Comments: Not history, not quotations from ancient authorities (no matter their esteemed integrity and reliability, nor the depth of their scholastic credibility), but the Scriptures are our authority (Col. 3:16, 17; 1 Pet. 4:11). Yet, it is refreshing to view again another testimony to the divine plan as announced and pronounced by the Spirit of God and followed by the saints throughout the sorrowing centuries. The echoes of the songs of Zion resound and reverberate down through the corridors of time. Their melody is picked up by the ear of faith and put to the lips of the faithful who sing anew the timeless songs of both antiquity and eternity. May it ever be so. Then, on the other side of the moon and stars, when we blend our voices with angelic armies and heavenly hosts and sing the song of Moses and the Lamb, it will indeed ever be so! ____________________ For the complete outline go to http://www.bibleanswer.com/kingdomofgod.htm Scripture Reading: Acts 28:23-31 THE KINGDOM OF GOD ??he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets?? (Acts 28:23); cf. Matt. 13:11 I. DEFINITION. ? Know the mysteries of the kingdom ? Eph. 1:9-11; Col. 1:24-27 ? Kingdom: Sovereign rule & reign of God in the lives of men & women (Matt. 6:33; Lk. 17:20-21) ? The church of Christ is the kingdom of Christ (Matt. 16:18-19; Col. 1:13; Psa. 110:3; 1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 1:6; 5:9-10) ? The salvation of God is obtained in the kingdom of God (Acts 28:23, 28) II. USAGE. ? The kingdom: Matt. 8:12 ? Kingdom of heaven: Matt. 8:11; 13:11 ? Kingdom of God: Mark 4:11; Eph. 5:5 ? Kingdom of Christ: Luke 1:33; 22:29-30; Jno. 18:36; Eph. 5:5; Col. 1:13 III. APPLICATIONS: ? ?Kingdom of heaven? and ?kingdom of God? are equivalent: Matt. 13:11; Mk. 4:11 ? Nature of kingdom ? Jno. 18:36; Lk.17:20-21 ? Kingdom exists ? Col. 1:13; Heb. 12:28; Rev. 1:9; et al. ? Kingdom never destroyed ? Dan. 2:44; Heb. 12:28; 1 Cor. 15:24-28; 2 Pet. 1:11 ? The everlasting kingdom of heaven is prepared for the faithful ? Matt. 25:34; 2 Pet. 1:11 Conclusion ? Heb. 12:28; Acts 8:12 ____________________ For the complete outline go to http://www.bibleanswer.com/baptism4.htm Scripture Reading: Romans 6:1-7 Part 4 WATER BAPTISM: Its Purposes and Designs I. BAPTISM?S DESIGN WITH REGARD TO SIN & SALVATION. A. Baptism is for (in order to) Remission of Sins ? Acts 2:38 (Mk. 16:16); 1 Jno. 3:4; Rom. 6:23 (Acts 8:12-13, 18-24) -Objection: eis means ?because of?, not ?in order to? ? But?.Matt. 26:28. B. Point of Turning from Sin to Salvation ? Acts 2:38; 3:19 (22:16); 9:35; 11:21; Jas. 2:18, 24; Acts 2:40; 1 Ths. 1:9 (Acts 17:4; 2:40-41). II. BAPTISM?S DESIGN WITH REGARD TO THE SINNER & CHRIST. A. Baptized into Christ, Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27. -In Christ is found all spir. blgs. (Eph. 1:3) B. Baptized into Death of Christ ? Rom. 6:3; 5:8-10. III. BAPTISM?S DESIGN WITH REGARD TO THE SINNER. A. Baptized into Death to Sin (one dies to sin) ? Rom. 6:4-7, 8-11 (Col. 2:11-12). B. Baptism is the Appeal of a Good Con?science toward God, 1 Pet. 3:21 (He10:19-22) IV. BAPTISM?S DESIGN WITH REGARD TO THE CHURCH. A. We have been Baptized into One Body, the Church ? 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Acts 2:41, 47. Conclusion God?s design for baptism: An action of faith that secures God?s forgiveness of sins through Christ ? Acts 22:16. ____________________ The Spirit's Sword is a free, weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA Send all questions, comments and subscriptions to the editor at: ssword@bibleanswer.com ********************************************** Joe R Price Email: joe@bibleanswer.com Web Sites: Bible Answers: http://www.bibleanswer.com Mt. Baker church of Christ: http://www.mtbakercofc.org Fax: 775.878.4823 ********************************************** From halhammons at msn.com Sat Oct 2 16:14:52 2004 From: halhammons at msn.com (Hal Hammons) Date: Sun Oct 3 13:26:39 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] tgn update Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041002/6fc52110/attachment-0001.htm From dmartin5 at concentric.net Sat Oct 2 19:08:11 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Sun Oct 3 13:26:40 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Question/answer Message-ID: <00f801c4a8dd$128d37a0$0a306a43@concentric.net> Don Martin with a question/answer: We just finished an excellent gospel meeting with Gailen Evans and we have opened the submit a question page to www.biblequestions.org (we close the questions page during a gospel meeting). The questions immediately started coming to us. I thought I would share the second question to be submitted today. The question and answer will probably seem simple and standard. However, you should be aware that there is a growing number among preachers in the church who are subscribing to the view of multiple causes for divorce. Mike Willis (editor of Truth magazine) is the main proponent of the multiple causes for divorce among us doctrine and is persuading more and more to believe his false teaching. Mike would say that the answer that we have provided for the following question is wrong. See if you think the answer is wrong: Hello Donna, Thank you so much for your question and for making use of Bible Questions. Please do so again. http://www.biblequestions.org Please check out Bible Truths http://www.bibletruths.net Go to the archives section of these sites for material and also go to the archives search page and type in any subject or word you wish to explore. New material is constantly being added to both sites. Any help you can give us in telling others of these sites will be greatly appreciated. If you are interested in really learning more about the Bible, there is an online Bible study course located in Bible Truths. While on the home page, scroll down and enter. While on the Map Site Page, click on "Online Bible Study Course" in the table. Click on http://www.bibletruths.net to go there. You asked: How can you go about saying that the only reason for divorce would be the fact of fornication or adultery? When in the case of immediate harm such as abuse and abuse to you children is a huge reason for divorce and I believe that God does not look down upon them for that. If they were to have stayed together then someone's life would be at risk or maybe even taken. Reply: According to the Bible, divorce is only allowed for the cause of fornication (Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9). All other divorces are sinful and usually led to sinful marriages to others, further compounding the matter (I Cor. 7: 2ff.). However, this is not to say that a mother whose children are being sexually abused by their father does not have recourse. For instance, they can appeal to civil law (Rom. 13: 1-7, cp. Acts 25: 11). However, divorce is not a recourse. If you have not read all the articles in www.bibletruths.net pertaining to marriage, divorce, and remarriage, please do so. Enter through the door on the home page, and click on "Archives and Index" in the table on the Site Map page. Then click on the letters "M," "D," and "R," respectively. Thanks again for your good question and for your interest in spiritual matters. I recommend that you print out this email for future reference (web addresses, etc.). You may print out any material you desire in both Bible Questions and Bible Truths (see the copyright provision at the bottom of the home page in Bible Truths). Cordially, Don Martin From dmartin5 at concentric.net Sat Oct 2 19:12:33 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Sun Oct 3 13:26:40 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Bible Truths and Bible Questions updates Message-ID: <019501c4a8dd$aec680e0$0a306a43@concentric.net> ***************************************************************** Don Martin bringing you news about our newest material: ***************************************************************** We are excited to tell you about the recent material published to Bible Truths and Bible Questions. The new Current Truth for www.bibletruths.net is, "Let The Church Be The Church!" - A Review." This material is a review of an article written by Ron Halbrook. It is of historic interest that with the annual Guardian of Truth Foundation lectureship, this human foundation openly became an entity through and in which Christians pool their resources to collectively preach the gospel. I shall insert an excerpt below. To read the material in full, when on the home page, click on "Current Truth" in the table on the Site Map page. "...The summer of 2004 marked a new open phase for Truth Magazine and the Guardian of Truth Foundation. The foundation became more overt in its religious intentions and efforts when it had its "First Annual Lectureship." This gospel meeting was conducted by the foundation in an effort to edify saints and teach the lost. While the foundation does not solicit or accept monies from churches, with the lectureship it clearly progressed from being an alleged secular foundation run by and comprised of brethren for the purpose of making money. It officially and overtly placed itself into a privately funded entity status that affords and encourages Christians to pool their resources in working through a human organization to teach and preach the gospel, an organization in addition to and separate from the local church, which God has appointed to afford such pooling and organization for Christians to collectively preach the gospel (I Tim. 3: 15, see addendum). It was apparent to all that have been following the emergence of the new Guardian of Truth Foundation that groundwork for the new and bold religious undertaking was prepared by board member Ron Halbrook. Ron began anterior to the lectureships by publishing an article titled, "Let The Church Be The Church!" One publication was in the Gospel Truths magazine (September 24, 2004 issue. J. T. Smith, the editor also published a rebuttal by Jere Frost in the same issue). I shall at this time attempt to succinctly review Ron's material....." The new Featured Question for www.biblequestions.org is, "How about Masonry?" (Below.) You may ask your own Bible question by going to Bible Questions and when on the home page, follow the directions. Question: How about Masonry? Answer: Our querist wants to know about Masonry. The particulars of the question pertain to the secrecy surrounding Masonry and if it is a good idea to become a Mason. Masonry is a religious institution. There are a number of recognized works which one can consult to ascertain the basic nature and tenets of Masonry (Freemasonry). Works such as Lightfoot's Manual of the Lodge, Morals and Dogma, the Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, and Duncan's Masonic Ritual and Monitor. To quote a Masonic work: "Masonry, then, is indeed, a religious institution." (Ency. Of Freemasonry, Albert Mackey, pg. 729). The Masonic lodge is a temple of religion (Morals and dogma, pgs. 213, 214). The Mason kneels at the altar (Ibid., pg. 327), meets for a sacred purpose (Lightfoot, pg. 2), and searches for light (Morals and Dogma, pg. 741). Masonry requires practices which are condemned in scripture. The god which Masons are taught to worship is designated as "G.A.O.T.U." (Great Architect of the Universe,'" Ency. Of Freemasonry, pgs. 290, 310). Masonry does not acknowledge Jesus Christ, as such (Ibid. pg. 619). Masonry requires oaths which violate the scriptures: ".binding myself under no less penalty than that of having my throat cut across, my tongue torn out by its roots," swears the entered apprentice regarding keeping the "secrets" of Masonry (Duncan's Ritual, pgs. 34, 35, cp. with James 5: 12). Kind reader, much of the "secrecy" of Masonry has be revealed (see foregoing reference works). The design of the temple, various rites and degrees, and the goals have been disclosed. Notwithstanding, the oath of secrecy is unthinkable (I Pet. 3:15, I Thes. 5: 21). In short, Christianity and Masonry are incompatible. Cordially, Don Martin From dmartin5 at concentric.net Sun Oct 3 09:05:00 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Sun Oct 3 13:26:40 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Question/answer (qualification) Message-ID: <004101c4a951$f95ec800$6d306a43@concentric.net> Don Martin here: In answering "Donna's" question (below), the comment became intermingled and somewhat confused. "Donna" did not mention fornication in the question but only physical abuse to mother and child. Hence, divorce is not a recourse. If in the case of actual sexual abuse of a child (fornication), then divorce may be effected per Matthew 19: 9. In such a case, divorce is a "recourse." The answer did not make this plain. The confusion was in the matter of immediate help and, yes, the woman can seek immediate help from "the powers that be" in either physical abuse or sexual abuse. I appreciate one list member who privately pointed out this lack of clarity in the answer. I have also sent this qualification to "Donna." Hello Donna, Thank you so much for your question and for making use of Bible Questions. Please do so again. http://www.biblequestions.org Please check out Bible Truths http://www.bibletruths.net Go to the archives section of these sites for material and also go to the archives search page and type in any subject or word you wish to explore. New material is constantly being added to both sites. Any help you can give us in telling others of these sites will be greatly appreciated. If you are interested in really learning more about the Bible, there is an online Bible study course located in Bible Truths. While on the home page, scroll down and enter. While on the Map Site Page, click on "Online Bible Study Course" in the table. Click on http://www.bibletruths.net to go there. You asked: How can you go about saying that the only reason for divorce would be the fact of fornication or adultery? When in the case of immediate harm such as abuse and abuse to you children is a huge reason for divorce and I believe that God does not look down upon them for that. If they were to have stayed together then someone's life would be at risk or maybe even taken. Reply: According to the Bible, divorce is only allowed for the cause of fornication (Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9). All other divorces are sinful and usually led to sinful marriages to others, further compounding the matter (I Cor. 7: 2ff.). However, this is not to say that a mother whose children are being sexually abused by their father does not have recourse. For instance, they can appeal to civil law (Rom. 13: 1-7, cp. Acts 25: 11). However, divorce is not a recourse. If you have not read all the articles in www.bibletruths.net pertaining to marriage, divorce, and remarriage, please do so. Enter through the door on the home page, and click on "Archives and Index" in the table on the Site Map page. Then click on the letters "M," "D," and "R," respectively. Thanks again for your good question and for your interest in spiritual matters. I recommend that you print out this email for future reference (web addresses, etc.). You may print out any material you desire in both Bible Questions and Bible Truths (see the copyright provision at the bottom of the home page in Bible Truths). Cordially, Don Martin From Mikejohnson104 at aol.com Sun Oct 3 17:23:59 2004 From: Mikejohnson104 at aol.com (Mikejohnson104@aol.com) Date: Sun Oct 3 21:10:15 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S>Jesus Christ: the Perfect Example Message-ID: <1ec.2b55a342.2e91d5ff@aol.com> Jesus Christ: the Perfect Example Mike Johnson 1. "You Be Jesus!" (From article by Glen Young) a. A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin (age 5) and Ryan (age 3). b. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. c. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. d. She said: "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, 'Let my brother have the first pancake. I can wait.' e. Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!" 2. The Bible teaches that Christ is to be our example. a. I Peter 2:21 says "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:" i. Here we learn two important principles: we learn the Christ suffered for us (which is very important) and we also learn that he is our example and we are to follow his steps (1) Jesus is our example in how he dealt with suffering, i.e., the patience that he had. (2) Also, in every way, He is to be our example. b. It should be obvious to all that the GRAND OBJECTIVE in Christian growth, and the ULTIMATE AMBITION of every child of God should be to be like Christ; we are to "walk as he walked" and we should have a conscientious and concerted effort to imitate him. 3. One of man's basic psychological needs is to have leaders, examples, heroes, etc., that one can follow. a. From their earliest childhood, people are either consciously or un consciously imitators of others. b. People sometimes express that we are a nation without great leaders or heroes. i. Politics People are disenchanted with political leaders and have seen much corruption. ii. Athletic heroes The commercialization of sports; the attitudes or sports figures have dimmed their appeal. iii. Entertainment world There is so much filth there that there is little to be admired. 4. Jesus is very different from every other leader/example: a. He is the divine son of God. b. We can always follow His steps. c. No leader has ever demanded and received greater loyalty, devotion and service than Him. d. No leader has ever had the impact upon the world and has exerted the influence that He has. 5. Lesson: Jesus Christ, the Perfect Example a. We will discuss various passages, principles, and concepts about Jesus as our perfect example. b. Also, we will discuss various characteristics of Jesus which we need to imitate as Christians. c. Will note that all of us have a little bit of "Kevin" in us. I. VARIOUS PRINCIPLES A. I Peter 2:21 "example" 1. The meaning of the word. a. "Lit. An underwriting (from hupographo, to write under, to trace letters for copying by scholars); hence a writing- copy, an example ...." (Vines Vol. II page 55) b. The Word has its background in Greek primary education and describes the way that Greek boys were taught to write. (1) Common writing material during New Testament times was papyrus which was a kind of paper made from bulrush which grew mainly on the banks of the Nile. (2) It became too expensive for boys to practice writing on. (3) They would instead practice writing with a frame or box filled with soft wax. (4) Writing was done with a stylus which was pointed on one end (used for writing) and was flat on the other end (used as an eraser). c. The writing master would first draw the line with a stylus and then the young learner would copy the line that had been drawn. d. The line drawn by the writing-master is the word found in verse 21 which is translated "example" so it was the example which the young student had to follow. 2. Consider Peter seems to be saying, "Just as a school boy learns to write by copying the pattern given him by his writing-master, so we must learn how to live (attitude, actions, character) by copying the pattern of Jesus' life." B. Jesus is the perfect example. 1. Lesson is called Jesus Christ, the PERFECT Example Jesus is not just an example, but he is our perfect example. 2. Often we use patterns or examples in our lives. a. A builder, for example, uses blueprints to build a house, a woman may use a pattern to make a dress, we follow instructions with steps to follow to put things together. b. The pattern, or example, must be accurate. c. In a schoolroom, often the teacher will have the alphabet above the board with all of the letters perfectly made as a pattern for the students. (1) These would not have, for example "k" made incorrectly or "m." 3. Jesus lived a sinless life. a. In our text, "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth" b. Note Hebrews 7:26-27---- Jesus, our high priest, is described. c. Only He can be followed without reservations because He is our PERFECT example. 4. Other people can be our examples. a. Christians must be examples to other people. (1) Mt. 5:16 Jesus said that we are to be the light of the world. (2) Paul told Timothy to let no man despise his youth and then said, "...be thou an example of believers . . . . " (I Tim. 4:12) b. Many in the Bible serve as our examples today (Jas. 5:7-12 the prophets and Job) c. You can pick out the most righteous, devoted, sincere Christian that you know of; they can only be our example in a qualified way; as they follow Christ no one else is perfect. d. In the sense of what Paul said we follow other people Be ye followers of me EVEN AS I ALSO AM OF CHRIST e. No human being is a perfect example as Christ is, since this is true we must keep this issue in mind when we follow the example of others only as they follow Christ. (1) We should not get discouraged when someone we admire falters they are not Christ. C. Christ is to live in us. 1. Real conversion and growth enables one to say as Paul said in Galatians 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I but CHRIST LIVETH IN ME . . . ." 2. Consider what he said in another place "...he died for all that they which live SHOULD NOT HENCEFORTH LIVE UNTO THEMSELVES, but unto him WHICH DIED FOR THEM, and ROSE AGAIN." (II Cor. 5:15). 3. Consider Paul - do you believe that those whom he came in contact with, i.e., those he tried to teach, the Christians that he worked with, could see Christ living in him? a. No doubt his zeal, his humility, his unselfish devotion, his complete commitment to the cause of Christ was OBVIOUS to all who knew him. b. Another question-- Can people see Christ living in us? (1) It is obvious to those whom we associate with whether Christ lives in us or not. c. A Christian may associate, such as in work, with another for years and yet that person never know that he is a Christian. (1) It would seem strange and perhaps obvious that Christ does not live in that person (2) Many people have a "church building" religion which is a religion that is only practiced within the walls of a church building. d. Slogan-- "If you were arrested for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you" OR "A person who is not a Christian everywhere is not a Christian anywhere." D. To follow the example about Jesus we must know about Him 1. There is probably not enough preaching, teaching, and studying done about Jesus. a. The average member of the church probably knows more about the life of Paul and his journeys than they know about the life of Christ and his journeys. b. I am NOT saying the view that we ought to "preach the man not the plan." c. We do need to teach and know about doctrinal things, we do need to have a good knowledge about the church, the plan of salvation, etc. d. We don't want to ignore the character of Christ, however. 2. A test for ourselves. a. Take a Bible that we have had for a long time and close tightly and put our finger at the place where a dark worn area begins; most cases, it will be within a page or two of the Acts 1. b. Another way is to look through a Bible and see where it starts being worn and marked. 3. We shouldn't confine our study of Christ's life to children's classes. Remember, Jesus is OUR example, we are to follow HIS steps, and we can't do this if we do not we His steps are (Jn. 20:30-31 - produces faith). E. We follow Christ, others follow us 1. When we imitate Christ, people can see our good example; we can be a good influence or patter then (as Paul said in I Cor. 11:1). 2. Many won't come to a place to hear preaching; they won't study their Bible so we, as the song goes, are the only Bible the world will see "We are the only Bible, the careless world will read, we are the sinners gospel, we are the scoffers creed; we are the Lord's last message, given in deed or word, what if the type is crooked? What if the print is blurred?" 3. Illustration Rusty Nail example a. Strong horseshoe magnet may be held over an old rust-eaten, shapeless nail without getting a response. b. A bright, shiny nail will leap to the magnet and attract another nail which can then draw another to it. c. Really genuine Christians are to be active and shining; they have a tremendous attraction to Christ; they are magnetized with Christ's love and purity and through that Christian, Christ can draw others to share the same power and attraction. d. We must make sure that we are not that rusty nail. II. ATTRIBUTES OF CHRIST A. His humility 1. Consider a. When we think of his traits, humility might be the first of his traits to come to mind. b. Christ was the greatest example of humility. 2. Various incidents/statements show that. a. Note the case in John 13 were Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. b. Luke 18:14-- "for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." 3. Consider Philippians 2:5-11 a. The mind of Christ is to be in us (v. 5), earlier he had spoken of humility. b. Christ is brought up as a perfect example of humility. c. Vs. 6-- His state before he came to earth; Jesus had glory of heaven, was the divine son of God; gave up glories of heaven to come to the earth. d. Vs. 7-8-- Note the various descriptions which show his humility. (1) Made himself of no reputation-- words in the original mean that He emptied Himself. (2) He could have avoided death as the divine son of God, but he became obedient unto death-- he willingly submitted to it, and even more, the cruel death on the cross. e. Vs. 9-11 he was exalted again 4. Christians are to follow example (and teaching) of Jesus and possess humility. a. Peter said that we are to be "clothed with humility" (I Peter 5:5). b. Jesus taught in the beatitudes "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Mt. 5:6). (1) He is not speaking of those materially poor, or those who are lifeless in the sense that we say that a person have no spirit. (2) Instead: one who is not proud, haughty, and arrogant. 5. What is humility? a. It is not a denial of abilities (some use to get out of doing things) or one who has low self-esteem. b. Instead, it involves lowliness of mind and causes a person to recognize his frailties and weaknesses as fallible human beings and he is aware of his spiritual need and thus has an utter dependence on God. c. The humble person is willing to submit to God; he is able to get along with others much better (Phil. 2:2-4). 6. Don't be like the frog a. On a certain pond on a farm lived two ducks and a frog who were great friends; they played together all day long. b. With hot summer days, the pond began to dry up and they realized that they would have to move to another pond. c. The ducks could fly to another pond, but what about the frog? d. It was decided they the ducks would place a stick in the bill of each and then the frog would hang on to the stick with is mouth and the ducks would fly him to another pond. e. As they were flying, a farmer out in his field looked up and saw them and said, "Isn't that a clever idea! I wonder who thought of it." f. The frog said, "I did . . . . " and that was the end of the frog. g. Like the frog, our lack of humility can get us into trouble but it will also keep us out of heaven. B. Forgiveness 1. Jesus on the cross a. While Jesus was suffering on the cross, we see the ultimate case of forgiveness. b. They were killing him, he did not curse them or have hate for them. c. Instead, he said, Luke 23:34-- " . . . Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do . . . ." d. Later, Stephen followed example of Jesus as he was being stoned to death, "And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge, and when he had said this, he fell asleep." (Acts 7:60) 2. Jesus taught the importance of forgiving others, and if we don't forgive others, we cannot be forgiven ourselves. a. In the prayer that He taught his disciples and said, "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (Mt. 6:12) b. Note also Mt. 5:7, Mt. 6:14-15-- a person who refuses to forgive had better not ever sin himself because if he does he can't be forgiven. 3. Matthew 18:20-21 not saying 490 times but an unlimited number of times 4. Some claim to forgive others but they really don't. a. They hold it against them, bring up the past offense whenever it serves their purpose. b. Some say they bury the hatchet, but actually leave the handle sticking out. (They say, Ryan, you be Jesus) 5. Even if a person does not repent (Lk. 17:3) who has sinned against us, we e are not to do evil toward him. a. Romans 12:17-21-- we are to overcome evil with good. b. Vs. 20 - so doing shalt heap coals of fire on his head (1) lady was having marriage problems; husband was not treating her very well (2) preacher read this passage and asked her if she had tried heaping coals of fire on his head (3) She said "NO" but she had poured boiling water on his head once. c. Meaning- Do this by good, in spite of the person's evil it will hurt his conscience, make him feel bad C. Temptation 1. Matthew 4 temptation in the wilderness by Satan (vs. 1-2) a. Matthew's account make is sound like there were no temptations during the forty days, while Mark and Luke say he was tempted during the forty days (Lk. 4:1-2). b. Apparently there were more than just the three temptations which Matthew speaks of, but Matthew focuses only on the supreme effort by Satan at the end of forty days. c. Each case, how did Jesus meet the temptation? V. 4, 6, 7, 10 - he quoted Scriptures "It is written..." 2. Today, we must meet temptations successfully-- to do so, we must use God's Word. 3. Jesus KNEW what was righteousness-- today, we must know what the Bible teaches to know what sin is. a. When faced with a situation, if we do not know if right or wrong as we don't have the knowledge of God's Word. b. Said, if we basically want to do right, but instead, we sin because we have not spent enough time in Bible study to know what is right. 4. Jesus was willing to practice what he knew. a. Most Christians who sin know that they are wrong, yet they do it anyway. b. It is not usually a matter of knowing what to practice but practicing what we know. c. James 1:22 says, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own self." 5. Observations about Christ's temptations a. Luke 4:13 departed from him "for a season;" not just these three and no more temptations; because we have successfully faced temptations one time, does not mean we will never be tempted again. b. The temptations came right after his baptism which would have been a high point. (1) God had vocally acknowledged him as His son (Mt. 3:13-17) (2) Today, we can be tempted when spiritually high or low; must always be careful (I Cor. 10:12). D. Attitude toward sin 1. Some say "we need to have a "Christlike" spirit toward sin. a. This is true; we need to have the mind of Christ. b. Some who say this are talking about compromising and having a lack of conviction; they mean to be tolerant of everything and stand for nothing. c. People oppose sin are called "fanatics," "bigots," and "narrow-minded." 2. Jesus did not have that attitude toward sin. a. In Jerusalem, he say the moneychangers and the merchants who made his father's house "a house of merchandise" and drove them out with a "whip of cords" (NKJV). b. Consider his severe rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees (Mt. 23:25-34). c. He constantly faced criticism, yet throughout his ministry, he strongly rebuked sin and error and people who taught it (note also Mt. 16:6, 121, 22,23). d. Inspiration says, "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." (Eph. 5:11) 3. Today: II Tim. 4:2, Gal. 6:1 (must have love, meekness) 4. To be "Christlike" means to stand for something and to be against something; to stand for truth and to be against sin and error. E. Various traits 1. Prayer a. A casual survey of the life of Christ would show that he prayed much (1) After baptism (Lk. 3:21), after a busy day of teaching and healing (Mk. 1:35); after choosing of the apostles (Lk. 6:12), after feeding more than 5000 (Mt. 14:23), on the night of his betrayal he prayed for unity (Jn. 17); also in Gethsemane (Mt. 26) b. No doubt prayer encouraged and strengthened Jesus. c. Today-- How can we be a follower of him who prayed so much when we often pray so little (I Thess. 5:17). 2. Government a. Rome was a very corrupt government. b. Note Luke 20:20-26-- we are to render to Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things which are Gods. c. Today-- our main mission is spiritual; we are to submit to government. 3. Wealth a. Rich young ruler Lk. 19:16-22 b. This life is not the main thing for the Christian (Mt. 6:19-20) Conclusion 1. Consider a. Do we follow Jesus? Or b. Do we possibly just expect everyone else to follow Him and exclude ourselves? c. Are we guilty of saying, "Ryan you be Jesus" when it is hard to be like Him. (Perhaps we all have a little bit of Kevin in us) 2. Note POEM: WHAT WILL HE SEE? When Jesus looks upon my life, what picture does He see? Does He see His own reflection, or does He just see me? Does He see His likeness, the product of His hand, Or just another Christian, who never took a stand? Does He see a child of God, a child that He set free? Living life to honor Him, or does He just see me? What about the other folks, I meet along the way, Do I show them Jesus, to brighten up their day? When someone looks into my eyes, can they truly see, That calm and gentle peace of God, that dwells inside of me? When I reach out and shake a hand, is He right there in my grip? Can they feel that strength from God, that steadies when I slip? When folks are in my presence, do they know His Spirit's there, Can they see that He's the one, who guides me every- where? When other people think of me, what is on their mind? Do they think of Jesus Christ, so gentle and so kind? Other folks should see the joy, that Christ has given me, They should want to have it too, especially since it's free. They should begin to ask me, what is it they must do, Just how it is they go about, getting Jesus too. Then I get to tell them, this wondrous gift is free, It only takes a humble heart, willing to obey and be. Someday when I'm face to face, with the Lord who set me free, Will He see His own reflection, or will He just see me? ----------Teresa Piercey-Gates via Family Report. (Via Bible Matters) Mike Johnson Huntsville, AL -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041003/7e40d8eb/attachment-0001.htm From thomasc at msu.edu Sun Oct 3 19:20:43 2004 From: thomasc at msu.edu (Craig Thomas) Date: Sun Oct 3 21:10:15 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A>What Saith the Scriptures, Vol. 2, No. 38 Message-ID: <6.0.3.0.0.20041003201905.0249e9b0@mail.msu.edu> "What Saith the Scripture?" Vol. 2, No. 38 Casting the First Stone Jesus said, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." (Jn. 8:7). A recent guest editorial in the Sanilac County News used this passage attempting to justify homosexuality which the Bible condemns (Lev. 20:13; 1 Cor. 6:9-10). Many use Jesus' statement in a similar vein saying no one can charge another with sin. Is that what Jesus meant in John 8:7? 1) Self condemnation. Those using John 8:7 to condemn others for pointing out sin are guilty of the very thing they condemn. They use the passage to "cast" stones at those who "cast" stones. If they applied Jesus' words consistently with their interpretation they should not condemn anyone for anything. They should campaign for the closing of our courts and prisons for they could never condemn any wrongdoing. Absurd!! 2) What John 8:7 does not mean. God's word is truth (Jn. 17:17). An intrinsic quality of truth is that it never contradicts itself. Therefore, those that teach that because of Jesus' statement we can never point out other's sins will find their interpretation quickly contradicting many truths in God's word. For example, Peter pointed out that the Jews "by lawless hands" had "crucified, and put to death" Jesus (Acts 2:23). Peter points out the same sin three more times (Acts 4:10; 5:30; 10:39), Stephen does so in Acts 7:52 and Paul in Acts 13:28. Will we accuse them of violating John 8:7? Paul taught: "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." (2 Tim. 4:2), "rebuke" some "sharply" (Titus 1:13), "rebuke with all authority" (Titus 2:15) and "Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear." (1 Tim. 5:20). Such an ignorant or perverted view of John 8:7 would make a mockery of this inspired teaching! Confronting sin is never pleasant, but a true child of God cannot shirk this duty. "When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul." (Ezek. 33:8-9) Let us "warn" the "unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all." (1 Thess. 5:14-15) 3) What John 8:7 does mean. To understand Jesus' statement the entire circumstance must be considered. First, those bringing the "woman caught in adultery" (8:2) did so in an effort to discredit Jesus (8:6). Second, the entire situation "smells" of a "set up". Where was the man? Doesn't it take two to commit adultery? Third, how were the Pharisees able to catch her "in the very act"? (8:4) Adultery is something done on the sly, in secret. Were they "tipped off"? God's law dictated that adulterers (woman and the man!) be stoned (Deut. 22:22) on the testimony of more than one reliable eyewitness (Deut. 17:6-7). Such was not the case in John 8. "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58) ******************************************************************** MM MM III Craig V. Thomas M M M M I church of Christ M M M M I Building Location: 2556 Maple Street M M M M I Deckerville, MI 48427 M M M III Mailing address: 350 Pineridge Lane Sandusky, MI 48471-1295 Services: Bible Study-10AM Sunday & 7:00PM Wednesday Worship-11AM Sunday E-mail: churchcr@greatlakes.net WWW: www.greatlakes.net/~churchcr Call 810-648-5009 for more information ******************************************************************* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041003/52a4a2bf/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Oct 4 07:24:08 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Mon Oct 4 09:27:21 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) WHAT IS THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY? (4) Message-ID: <1da.2c6e324b.2e929ae8@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Monday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with a very lovely day. This is the fourth part of the series on this particular subject. WHAT IS THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY? (4) I. Some Factors Determining The Age Of Accountability: A. The Bible indicates relative ages of converts: Whenever the Book of Acts speaks of the sexes being baptized it is always "men and women," not boys and girls. Notice the follo- wing: "And the number of MEN came to be about five thous- and" (Acts 4:4); "And believers were more added to the Lord, multitudes both of MEN and WOMEN" (Acts 5:14); "But Saul laid waste the church, entering into every house, and drag- ing MEN and WOMEN committed them to prison" (Acts 8:3); "But when they believed Philip preaching good tidings con- cerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both MEN and WOMEN" (Acts 8:12); "And asked of him letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of the Way, whether MEN or WOM- EN, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem" (Acts 9:2); "Many of them therefore believed; also of the Greek WOMEN of honorable estate, and of MEN, not a few" (Acts 17:12). Five times the term, "men and women" is mentioned, and once the word "men" is used to describe the sexes involved. The point is that mature people were converted; no boys or girls are mentioned I have heard some gospel preachers say in their invitation: "if you are a man or woman, boy or girl,..." No boys or girls were ment- ioned as being members of the New Testament church. However, the New Testament also speaks of young men being Christians which would include young women age-wise. "Young men shall see visions" (Acts 2:17). "Young men carried Ananias out and buried him" (Acts 5:6). But how old were these young men? We can't specifically say. However, there is a difference there is a difference between children and young men. One migth say, "What about the "children" mentioned in 1 Jno. 2:1?" John did write, "My little children, these things write I unto you..." However, John's "children" to whom he wrote were in the same relation to him as Timothy was to Paul, being his "beloved child" (2 Tim. 1:2), (most versions say "beloved son" at this place); yet he was a grown man, spreading the word of God when Paul first met him. Actually, they were the spiritual children of John and Paul. Both John and Paul were "fathers" to them from a spiritual standpoint, they having taught them, being older than those who were taught. Further, 1 Jno. 2:12,13 ment- ions "fathers, young men, and little children. It is obvious from the text that such specific designations indicated relative time they had been Christians. "Children" were recent converts, "young men" were more mature Christians, who were strong, and "fathers" were those who had been Christians the longest time. Therefore, physical "children" are not mentioned as being members of the New Testament church. If men and young men but no children are mentioned as being Christians, this should be a narrowing factor as to one's accountability before the Lord. Don't you think so? People either eighteen or twenty-one years of age (depending on the states) are recognized legally and men and women. Obviou-sly "young men" are looked upon as being older than "children" in a physical and mental capacity, but younger than "men" in the more mature sense of the word. It is interesting to recall that those "men" able to go to war in Israel were twenty years old and older (Num. 1:46). Our country's "legal" ages therefore corres- pond favorably to Israel's. The "young men" of New Testament times likely referred to those around twenty, but whose ages could have dipped into the latter teens. When one considers the duties of a Christian, it is easy to see why children as such chronologically, are not responsible before God and are not ready candidates of Bible baptism. While the phrases"men and women" and "young men" do not specify an ex- act age, they do indicate that such people were mature enough to fulfill certain responsibilities, such as picking up a man and carrying him and burying him. Smaller children are not capable of being responsible for such a task. Neither are they mentally capable of understanding the full responsibilities that go with being a Christian at such a tender age. But someone will ask: "What about Jesus when He was twelve years old sitting in the temple among the teachers, 'both hearing them, ans asking them questions'" (Lk. 2:41-51)? (Are we in a position to know the mental and spiritual capacities of Jesus at this time and use such as a gauge for our own children? If we read the whole text, we see that his mental abilities amazed even the teachers in the temple. Do we read of other children of twelve being able to amaze the teachers of the Mosaic Law. Or children of twelve in the New Testament times being able to amaze the apostles with their abilities concerning the law of Christ. I think that we will have to admit that Jesus, even as a lad of twelve, was in a class of His own, even His mother and earthly father, having lived with Him twelve years, were amazed at His mental abilities and did not understand what He was talking about when He said to them: "Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" He was not talking about Joseph when he made this statement. I don't believe that we can use Jesus as an age guage for baptizing our children. JWS). We realize that at the age of twelve a Jewish boy became and still becomes, especially with the orthodox Jews of our day, a "son of the law" (He is "Bar Mizvahed") and thereby personally obligat- ed to observe the ordinances of the law. But this is according to Jewish tradition. (We should remember that Jesus rebuked the Jews about their traditions making void the law of God, Mk. 7:1-9 JWS). The Mosaic Law did not specify an exact age when a child became accountable before God. However, around the age of twelve, beginning of adolesnce, an age between puberty and adulthood, one begins to reason ab- stractly and can be expected to shoulder more responsibility, all of which is necessary in becoming a Christian. It would seem that during this time one grows into accountability. Before this time I cannot see how one could be responsible before God. If that is not the case, how can anyone determine anything about accountability age-wise? Again, if these things are not true, what standard would one use to prevent a six-year-old from being baptized? From these considerations, it would seem adolescence usually aroung the teenage years is when one becomes accounta- ble. (More will be posted on this subject tomorrow, the Lord will- ing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041004/11b3c9fb/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Oct 4 07:24:12 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Mon Oct 4 09:27:21 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) PRAYING IN TOUGH TIMES (1) Message-ID: <8a.16624af7.2e929aec@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the first part of a sudy that recently came my way. Use to the glory of God. PRAYING IN TOUGHT TIMES (1) When the apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians he was sitting in a Roman prison. He had some freedoms, such as sending and receiving mail, but he was under arrest and would remain under arrest until the Emperor heard his case. He writes to the church in Ephesus because he wanted them to remain faith- ful to God, not only in doctrine, but also in their actions. "There- fore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a man- ner worthy of the calling with which you have been called" (Eph. 4:1). The first half of Paul's letter to the Ephesians (chapters 1-3) deals with Paul's teaching on salvation -- that is, on doctrine. The second half (chapters 4-6) explains how to apply what he taught in the first half of the book. Paul bridges these two halves with a wonderful prayer for the believers in Ephesus. Never forget that Paul is a prisoner. He may, or may not, be set free. If found guilty, the apostle could be killed or exiled. He writes to the church he loves, full of people he helped lead to Jesus. He is concerned for them and their situation. Opposition and persecution were on the horizon. He knows the church in Eph- esus is facing hard and uncertain times. So he writes to encour- age them to be faithful to the doctrine of salvation, and to live that doctine out in their lives. As he does this, the great apostle tells them what he is praying for in their behalf. Paul's prayer tells us a great deal about praying in tough times. "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in live, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever, Amen" (Eph. 3:14-21). When facing tought times, what should you pray? When praying for others who may be facing hardships, what do you pray? Notice what Paul wants for the Ephesians: Strength From The Spirit: "To be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man" (3:16). Paul knows he cannot change his circumstances. He is under arrest and will remain so until the Roman authorities finish the legal process. From his prison in Rome he cannot change the situations the Eph- esians will be facing. So, when facing tough times, Paul prays that God's presence and power wil sustain believers. This sustenance comes from a thorough understanding of God's word as delivered by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21; 2 Tim. 3: 16,17). That is why Paul has spent three chapters talking about doctrine. He wants the Ephesians to be strengthened by the Spirit's message of salvation and victory. But Paul is also focusing on the inner man, not the outer circum- stances. So, he asks God to strengthen these believers inwardly so they can withstand the troubles that might come. It is interest- ing to notice that Paul does not ask God to change their circum- stances, only to build them up inwardly so they can be faith filled, even in tough times. Filled With Christ: "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" (3:17). It is difficult to think about your future when you spend your days looking through prison bars. It is a challenge to remain optimistic when your friends are facing trouble. So, in tought times Paul prays for the Ephesians to be filled with the Savior through faith. In other words, Paul again seeks to pray for the inner man, not the outward situation. When we open our hearts to allow Jesus to rule in our lives, our focus and attention shift. Instead of seeing the troubles of life, we feel the confidence of being with Jesus. Instead of worrying about circumstances, we are able to see beyond our tough times to the victory Jesus has already given us. Paul knows he cannot change circumstances, but he knows a deeper faith that reflects the presence of Jesus, will change a person's ability to cope. Grounded In Love: "That you, being rooted and grounded in live..." (3:17). When hardships come, what do you lean on? Paul tells us he prays that his converts will be grounded in live. While we might seek assurances that things will get better, Paul simply asks that God will lead us to lean on and act on His love. When we face tought times, the natural thing to do is to worry. We might be edgy or angry, and in those negative times we might take out our frustrations on those close to us. That might be a spouse, a parent, a child, a brother in the Lord, or whoever. But Paul tells us that coping with trouble is better handled when we build our lives on love. So, the apostle prays that we will act in love. He prays that we will trust in and lean on God's love. That is, whatever the world might do to us, we can be content knowing that God will love us anyway. And, whatever the world might do to us, we can triumph by loving them, instead of getting even. When we face hard times, we want to rest on God's love and act with God's love. That will change our whole perspective even if our circumstances are un- changed. (More will be posted on this subject tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041004/ffd368f6/attachment.htm From David.Dlugo at TriVirix.com Mon Oct 4 08:35:42 2004 From: David.Dlugo at TriVirix.com (Dlugo, David) Date: Mon Oct 4 09:27:22 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Q> Church of God (Anderson Indiana) Message-ID: <00B208AA25568F478D3EDA9228165EA43E709D@dell2508.trivirix.com> Does anyone have any information on this denomination? In Him, David Dlugo -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041004/d193a1c8/attachment.htm From marcshotts at rnetinc.net Mon Oct 4 10:04:17 2004 From: marcshotts at rnetinc.net (Marc Shotts) Date: Mon Oct 4 15:52:08 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Biblesoft offers a free PC Study Bible program download Message-ID: <1096902257.4161667169070@webmail.rnetinc.net> Biblesoft is offering the latest version (V4.2) of their "PC Study Bible: Standard Edition" software as a free download. The download website is below: http://www.biblesoftexchange.com/html_asp/exchange/exchangepcsbdownloadpage.asp E-Sword also offers a nice and comprehensive bible program for free. Worth checking out. http://www.e-sword.net/ My Quickverse program stopped working when I installed Windows XP. Does anyone know if there is a patch out there or any tips to resurrect it? Like Lazarus its been in the grave a few days and now stinketh. :-) Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Marc Shotts ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through RNet Inc. WebMail From tedwards at onemain.com Mon Oct 4 13:48:42 2004 From: tedwards at onemain.com (tedwards@onemain.com) Date: Mon Oct 4 15:52:10 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] B> Gospel Observer 10/3/04 Message-ID: <416154BA.27149.129A4A2@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). ____________________________________________________ October 3, 2004 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) Reaction to Heresy (Irven Lee) 2) Special Religious Titles and Garments (Clarence R. Johnson) 3) News & Notes ____________________________________________________ -1- Reaction to Heresy by Irven Lee "Heresy must needs come" (I Corinthians 11:19). Paul said, "I know this," when he warned the elders that wolves would enter the flock (Acts 20:29-32). Peter said, "There shall be false teachers among you" (2 Peter 2:1-3). John said, "Many false prophets are gone out into the world" (I John 4:1). What are we to do? Prevalence of Heretics It is not so easy to detect the false, to distinguish from the true. It is very easy to be deceived. The Lord knows this, so He has warned more often in the New Testament concerning the sin and danger of heresy than He has of the sin of lying, drunkenness, murders and stealing combined. It must be serious! Are we awake to the danger? "Many shall follow their pernicious ways" (2 Peter 2:1-3). Will the time ever come when you will stand with a factious man in his evil way? Are you sure? Maybe you have stood there already. Paul knew that good people (disciples) might be led away by these grievous wolves, so he warned night and day with tears at Ephesus (Acts 20:29-32). He commended them to the word and warned them, but later he was leaving Timothy at this very place (Ephesus) to "charge some that they teach no other doctrine" (I Timothy 1:3). The grievous wolves would speak perverse things to draw away disciples after them, he said. The perverse things may not have been believed by these heretics. They would speak them to get a following -- "to draw away disciples after them." Believe this! Men may be found who will "speak things which they ought not for filthy lucre's sake" (Titus 1:11). They will make merchandise of the souls of men. This is true but many follow their pernicious ways. Diotrephes had a following. Skill of Heretics Do not minimize the skill of some heretics. Paul marveled at how soon the churches of Galatia were disturbed and how seriously by the perverters. They ran well for a time, and had treated Paul as if he were an angel, but the time soon came when those who "desired to make a fair shew in the flesh" and to avoid persecution were turning them back to the weak and beggarly elements (Galatians 6:12). Watch for the ulterior motives in heretics. If it happened to the churches of Galatia, it can happen to us. "Beware of false prophets." The apostle to the gentiles had occasion to warn the good church at Philippi. In their case, he reminded them of his example, and warned them with tears as he mentioned these enemies of the cross of Christ who minded earthly things. Their appetites were their god. They gloried in the things of which they should have been ashamed. Are there people like that now? The answer is an emphatic yes! (Philippians 3:17-19.) Some at Ephesus said they were apostles, but they were liars. This blunt word is found in the Lord's special message to the Ephesian church after He was in heaven (Revelation 2:2). Such men are called false teachers, grievous wolves, enemies of the cross, heretics, and deceitful workers. These are not pretty words. No wonder He asked that we withdraw ourselves from every brother that walks disorderly (2 Thessalonians 3:6). Even the deceived man who is in error must not be allowed to lead the church into error. The "disorderly" were those who manifested an insubordinate spirit. (See definition in Vine's Dictionary of New Testament Words.) Heretics are not good people. There are good and honest hearts that need teaching. These are not the heretics. There are deceived men in error that can learn. These are not the grievous wolves of which we are so often warned. All should know of the "sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" (Ephesians 4:14). These men are given to trickery and unscrupulous conduct. Having their conscience seared, they speak lies in hypocrisy (I Timothy 4:2). Preachers have not said enough of this evil group. Precautions to Take The deceitful workers were of the contrary part, watching through their desire to find occasion against Paul (2 Corinthians 11:12). The Lord's servants need to be as harmless as doves so that those of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say (Matthew 10:16; Titus 2:7; Philippians 2:15). It is evident that all need the whole armor and the skill in discernment to fight the good fight (Hebrews 5:12-14; Ephesians 6:10-17; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6). "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works" (2 Cor. 11:13-15). Many follow their pernicious ways, but if the blind lead the blind both shall fall. Some who know the truth may lack self-control, so these who are using cunning craftiness may set on fire the whole course of nature and provoke them to railing. The heretic may cause men who mean well to behave so as to destroy their good influence. Churches that have gone through great struggles in fighting errors of doctrine may then be destroyed by men who sow discord. The root of bitterness brings the envy and strife which can lead men to bite and devour one another. Faithful brethren are often falsely accused and abused by men who plan division for personal advantage. Heresies must come so we should do all that is possible to be prepared to stand. The heretics may use "good words and fair speech," and appear as ministers of righteousness. Are you prepared to recognize the factious man, and are you willing to take the proper steps to stop his mouth? -- Via Truth Magazine, XV: 5, pp. 2-3, December 3, 1970 ____________________________________________________ -2- Special Religious Titles and Garments by Clarence R. Johnson In Mark 12:38-40, Jesus told His listeners, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation." Matthew in chapter 23 of his account of the gospel gives a much longer and more detailed account of this speech. He shows that Jesus rebuked both the scribes and the Pharisees, not only for wearing special religious garb to attract attention to themselves -- and the other matters mentioned by Mark -- but also for appropriating to themselves special religious titles as well. "They love...to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.' But you, do not be called 'Rabbi': for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven...'" See Matt. 23:6-10. Jesus had spoken similarly even earlier, in His sermon on the mount, cautioning His hearers not to practice acts of religion for the purpose of being seen and praised by men. See Matt. 6:1-18. Now, back to our text. Certainly Christ's followers are to adorn themselves in modest apparel, 1 Tim. 2:9. If the world in general begins to wear robes (or dresses) so short as to be immodest, then God's people will have to dress differently. But they should never dress differently just to call attention to themselves. God had authorized special garments in Old Testament priests, but in this New Testament age, all Christians are priests, 1 Pet. 2:9, and special priestly garments not only are unauthorized, but actually violate the principle taught in Mark 12:38. The same goes for special religious titles. Paul, Peter and John all referred figuratively to their converts as their "children" but there is no evidence whatsoever that these men used the term "Father" as a spiritual religious title for themselves. They could not have done so without clearly violating the principle Christ taught in Matt. 23:9. And while most Protestants would heartily agree with us on this point, the vast majority of them have nevertheless set their preachers apart by special titles, and in many cases, special religious garments. One never reads in the Scriptures of "Father Peter," "Reverend James," or "Doctor Paul." Though there obviously were different gifts and abilities given to various New Testament Christians, enabling some to be apostles and prophets, some to be evangelists or preachers, some to be pastors (elders) or teachers -- none of these words constitute religious titles, and none were used to elevate one faithful Christian above another. Jesus said, "You are all brethren... And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Matt. 23:8-12). Better to humble oneself before men, and let God do the exalting in the day of judgment. -- Via The Susquehanna Sentinel, September 12, 2004 ____________________________________________________ -3- News & Notes Harold Peal (Esther Craver's brother) passed away October 2. Let those of us who are Christians be remembering in prayer all of the family and friends. After a week in the hospital for a pulmonary embolism and a bout with pneumonia, my mother (Marion Edwards) is now back home, but will continue seeing doctors frequently for a while. Her blood has recently shown to be hypercoagulate, so she is adjusting to Coumadin to thin it. ____________________________________________________ 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@onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go ____________________________________________________ From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Oct 5 06:14:03 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Tue Oct 5 09:00:46 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) PRAYING IN TOUGH TIMES (2) Message-ID: <192.2fdb25ff.2e93dbfb@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the second part of a study on this subject. Use to the glory of God. PRAYING IN TOUGH TIMES (2) Know The Unknowable: "You may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God" (Eph. 3:18,19). Paul prays a remarkable thing for these believers. He asks God to let them know what cannot be known! Paul wanted the Ephesians, (and us) to bask in God's incredible love. The more we experience the depth, and length, and height, and breadth of God's love, the less we will rely on worldly things. Notice, he prays this prayer for all the saints, not just those in Eph- esus. The cornerstone of our walk with God, especially in tough times, is the knowledge that God loves us more than we can know. The result of coming to know the unknowable is that we reflect the fullness of God. That is, we are never more like God than when we live in and act on His love. God loved people when they were sinners (Rom. 5:80. God loved the world enough to send His Son to die for the world (Jno. 3:16). God's love is so immense it is beyond our comprehension. Yet, when we face challenges in this life, there is no better refuge than to go to the love of God and trust in its power. More powerful still is to love others as God has loved us and so, overcome evil. Paul's prayer for the Ephesians is amazing. He seeks to strengthen people, not by equipping them to change their situations but by strengthening them inwardly. As they experience the pre- sence of God, as Jesus dwells in their hearts, as they rest on God's love and lean on God's love, they can cope with whatever Satan throws at them. So, notice the key points of this prayer. It Focused On God's Gifts: -- Paul doesn't moan and whine about being in prison. He doesn't complain to the Ephesians about how unfair life is. Instead of looking at his troubles and being downcast, the apostle chose to focus on God's gifts. He mentions the Spirit of God, the presence of Jesus in the hearts of believers, the power in love, and finally, how much God loves them. When we face tough times, we need to turn our attention away from our problems. Instead, we should look at what God has already done for us in saving us, and loving us. This is so important when you are praying for those in need. A person is ill, another is dying, a family loses its home. When these sorts of things happen, we need to help people focus on what God has already done for them spiritually. We need to re- mind them that God stil loves them and has not abandoned them. Paul needed that reassurance, he was in jail. The Ephesians needed it as they faced persecution. And today, we need it when we face the problems Satan throws at us. It Focused On God's Love: -- As we have seen, Paul wants to help us grasp the love of God, which not man can grasp. But he knows that if we focus on God's love, the problems of life grow smaller and more manageable. It doesn't matter if the company I work for fires me, God still loves me. It doesn't matter if I am facing surgery, God still loves me. Whatever the challenge I face (even sitting in a prison cell), God still loves me. So, the most precious thing we have, God's love, can never be taken from us. And, as we come to grasp its breadth and length and height and depth, we begin to see just how awesome is the love of God. It is bigger than all our struggles. It is constant and unwavering, no matter our circumstances. It Focused On God's Power: -- "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations for- ever and ever. Amen" (Eph. 3:20,21). Paul closes his prayer with a powerful reminder, God can do all that we ask, and even more. God can work in ways we cannot imagine and God can change things that seem to be beyond change. In other words, Paul admits he cannot change the situation he is in. He cannot help the Ephesians change the challenges they will face. But he points them, and us, to a God Who can change our circumstances. Sometimes it seems we think God left us to run the world and make things happen. We forget that the same God who created the world, who led the children of Israel to freedom, who raised Jesus from the dead, is still powerful and can still do mighty things. So, when we face turmoil in our lives, our attention needs to go to the God who can change things for us. When we cannot change our situations, we turn it all over to the God who can do more than we ask, or more than we can imagine. Pray In Tough Times: -- In several previous articles I have encouraged you to pray. But, learn from the apostle Paul. Pray with God's gifts in mind, not your troubles. Pray with God's love in your heart and your actions. Pray, knowing that the God to whom you pray can change the world. Moreover, pray with others in mind. Paul wrote to the Ephes- ians knowing their respective futures were uncertain. Yet, he did not bring they down by complaining. He did not reinforce their fears with prayers that focused on their struggles. Instead, Paul lifted up God and His power, His love, His gifts, so that these Christians would be built up to endure whatever might come. When we are praying with others or for others, we need to keep these thoughts in our minds. -----David Thurman in Gospel Minutes Vol. 53, No. 40, Oct. 1, 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041005/53bf0701/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Oct 5 06:13:57 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Tue Oct 5 09:00:46 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) WHAT IS THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY? (5) Message-ID: <1ec.2b86a52c.2e93dbf5@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Tuesday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with an edifying day. Here is the fifth study on this subject. WHAT IS THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY? (5) I. One Must Understand What Is Involved In Obedience To The Gospel. A. Belief on Jesus as God's Son: -- (Jno. 8:24; Mk. 16:16). The fact that Jesus died in my place is a difficult concept for a child to understand. Yet this is what is involved in believing Christ is our Savior (Isa. 53:4-6,8). Most of what the Bible teaches we are to believe relative to Christ's being our Savior is reasoning in abstracts, an ability which doesn't usually occur until puberty (usually around twelve to four- teen). This corresponds to a young person's age when he can first be taught algebra in school. Reasoning in abstracts is necess- ary. Someone is quick to respond, "What if I didn't take algebra or couldn't?" Still the ability to reason in abstracts is what is necess- ary. Similar reasoning must be applied when one considers obed- ience to the gospel. B. Repentance (Lk. 13:3; 24:46,47; Acts 2:38). I have asked some very young people who wanted to be bapt- ized, "What does it mean to repent?" Most of those whose accoun- tability I questioned didn't have any idea what repentance is. Yet this is a prerequisite of conversion. Defind, repentance is a "change of mind and will" in respect to sin, brought about by godly sorrow (2 Cor. 7:10), and followed by a change of life (Matt. 3:8). For what is a young person sorry? About what should he change his mind and what will be the difference in his behavior? If neither you as a parent or your child knows, the young person's accountability is doubtful. C. One must confess Jesus Christ as Lord: -- (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36,37). This involves more than merely saying one believes Jesus is God's Son, though that is involved. Lordship is a key idea. One must accept His Lordship which means one is making a lifelong commitment. The Lord's will in every relationship is his guide. One must understand Who Christ is and how He is involved in his salvation. This applies at home: -- Children are to be taught to "obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right" and "honor thy father and thy mother" (Eph. 6:1,2). If a child hasn't learned what this means yet, then he has either not repented or is not accountable. Most children haven't learned that at a tender ages. D. How does a young person behave himself/herself in Bible classes and worship services? If it is not what it ought to be, what will baptism do to change it? If he or she misbehaves in classes and worship services after baptism, does that require a public confession before the Lord and the brethren? If a Christian misbehaves in Bible classes and in worship services, I believe that he or she has sinned publicly and needs to confess his sins and repent of them publicly. Does the young person person continue to bring coloring books, toys, or other things to play with during worship services? Does he or she go to sleep in his or her father or mother's lap or on the bench during the course of the services? Misbehavior and inattention during worship services and Bible classes indicate one is not ready to be baptized. Of course, I have seen some adults that were not as attentive as they should be in services. Yes, I have seen some of them sleep as well. Of course, many elderly people that doze off during worship services are affected by blood-pressure medicines or other medicines that affect their abilities to stay awake. There are many other things that we could say about The Age Of Accountability but this should be enough to make one think very soberly about baptizing a child in a tender age. Baptism into Christ is a very serious matter and is the beginning of an ongoing straitened way of life in God's ser- vice. Continue to bring your children up in the nurture and admon- ition of the Lord. But a child needs to know and realize what a big step he or she is taking when they are baptized into Christ. --------Adapted from a series of studies compiled by Philip A. Owens and published in The Jackson Drive News & Notes. No's 38,39,40. Sept. 19,26 and Oct. 3, 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041005/2a05e165/attachment.htm From kerux at svic.net Tue Oct 5 06:29:42 2004 From: kerux at svic.net (Kent Heaton) Date: Tue Oct 5 09:04:38 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A>Does it really matter what I believe? (Kent Heaton) Message-ID: <001301c4aace$bb66fc10$15e85a42@kentpc> Does It Really Matter What I Believe? (Kent Heaton) Belief is the foundation of our relationship with God. Without belief we cannot approach the word of God. Without belief we cannot accept what the Bible tells us. If we do not have belief in God, there remains nothing to live for but ourselves. Genesis 1:1 sets the standard for the revelation of the word of God. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Does it matter if I believe this? Without the acceptance that there was a beginning created by God and that all things were created by Him, Genesis 1:2 through Revelation 22:21 means only what we choose to believe. If you pose this question to most people, they would agree to the importance of belief. However, acceptances of what to believe changes as the pages of God's word are unfolded. Does it really matter if I believe that God created the heavens and the earth? Without this belief an acceptance in the humanistic evolution of man is the only answer. Man is nothing more than an animal and will treat his fellow man as an animal. He becomes a savage beast who destroys and conquers what he desires. A belief in God will show man that he is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27; 9:4-6). The value of believing that God created man is to see the glory of how man is made in the image of the Creator. Does it really matter if I believe in the purity of God's word? To suggest the "purity of God's word" is to suggest that we either must accept all that is found in His word or to pick and choose what we want to believe. The reason that religious people are divided today is because everyone believes the parts of the Bible they choose to believe. This seems to satisfy the wishes and desires of man but not of God. God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They chose to ignore the command of God (Genesis 3). In the days of Noah, the world chose to follow their own desires and the result was the destruction of the whole world - save eight souls (1 Peter 3:20). In the days of the Judges, "there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). David took Bathsheba to his own and committed adultery and murder (2 Samuel 11,12). Uzzah touched the Ark of the Covenant when the oxen stumbled and God struck him dead (2 Samuel 6). Does it matter what we believe? These examples clearly show the importance of what we believe and what God thinks of what we believe. Jesus told His disciples, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). If we do not believe that He is the only way, the only truth and the only life, we will not see God. Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16). Do we dare disbelieve His word? If we all believe in Jesus and we believe in the word of God, why are we not all united? Is it because the word of God is too hard to understand or that we choose to believe what we want? Who then will be saved? Jesus said the only ones who will see heaven are those who do the will of the Father (Matthew 7:21-23). It matters what we believe! Ignoring what we choose to ignore will not save us. Believing all that God has put in His word will save us. How wonderful is the love and grace of God. He saves us with unmerited favor. Yet, if we choose to rest upon these promises only without belief in the complete word of God, we ignore the grace given through Jesus Christ. To believe in God is to believe in every word He has given and to follow the pattern found in His word. Let all reject the tenets of man and accept only the pure word of God. "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God" (1 Peter 4:11). Kent Heaton 207 NE Fourth Avenue Trenton, Florida 32693 352-463-6916 kerux@svic.net www.svic.net/kerux -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041005/7e8ce6ff/attachment.htm From marcshotts at rnetinc.net Tue Oct 5 09:13:23 2004 From: marcshotts at rnetinc.net (Marc Shotts) Date: Tue Oct 5 09:09:35 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] John 14 sermon "seed" Message-ID: <1096985603.4162ac03c525f@webmail.rnetinc.net> Greetings all... While preaching on another topic Sunday I noticed this from John 14... there may be more points when I go and look thru John 14 but its a good "seed" from which to start a sermon... How to "Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled" (John 14) #1: Trust in God (John 14:1) #2: Continue/start obeying God (John 14:15) #3: Hold on to our future hope (John 14:19) #4: Know Jesus/God care for us and love us (John 14:21) Use freely to God's glory... In Him, Marc Shotts Martinsville, Indiana ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through RNet Inc. WebMail From ZekeFlores1 at cs.com Tue Oct 5 15:30:40 2004 From: ZekeFlores1 at cs.com (ZekeFlores1@cs.com) Date: Tue Oct 5 21:46:21 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S> When Do We Eat? Message-ID: <1f4.3ec399.2e945e70@cs.com> Hello, Here's a lesson from a series I was doing on liberalism. Hope you can use it. Zeke Flores Rio Grande Valley church of Christ Belen, NM ********************************************************************* When Do We Eat? Intro Jesus promised to build His church - Matt 16:18 A. He also stressed spiritual priorities over physical 1. John 6:26-27 B. He also warned to stay within prescribed boundaries 1. John 8:31-32, Heb 2:1 C. In our studies the last few weeks, we've looked at how some churches have drifted. 1. The purpose is not to slam these churches but to take heed ourselves. 2. Today we'll look at kitchens and "fellowship halls." I. Some History A. Early churches in America were often in rural areas 1. Members rode some distance to worship 2. Often would pack picnic lunch for after services & eat under a tree nearby. Sometimes weather would turn inclement. They reasoned, "Why not just eat inside that nice comfortable, warm, dry church building?" 3. Someone suggested building a room to the side of the bldg for such use. Then, someone suggested adding a table & chairs, perhaps a place to aid in preparing a meal. Step by step, the full blown kitchen was coming B. 1947 - M. Norvel Young lecturing at ACU encouraged churches to build new buildings. 1. To build them in good locations with full cooking facilities and a large "fellowship room" nearby. 2. He followed that up with articles in brotherhood papers advocating the idea. C. Slow to catch on at first. 1. By 60's & 70's, many churches were including large fellowship halls and kitchens, along with many other social activity rooms (gymns, etc) in their building plans. II. What The Issue Was NOT: A. The issue was not whether one could eat in the building. 1. Some said, "Why a mother can't even give baby a bottle!" That was not so. 2. Somebody circulated an article about "Willie the Water Cooler." a. Willie was getting anxious because he heard that some folks thought it wrong to eat in the bldg. He thought he'd be the next to go! b. They missed the point. B. The issue was not whether or not the building is sacred. 1. The building exists for spiritual purposes but is not in itself "holy." III. What IS The Issue? A. Is there New Testament authority for the local church to plan and provide materially for social activities in its program of work? B. Remember the need for NT authority 1. 2 Tim 3:16-17, Col 3:17, 2 John :9 C. Notice some things the church ought to do: 1. Assemble - Heb 10:24-25, Acts 20:7 a. So, we furnish a place to do it. 2. Observe the Lord's Supper - Acts 20:7, 1 Cor 11:23-f a. So, we provide table, emblems, plates & cups 3. Sing - 1 Cor 14:15, Eph 5:19, Col 3:16 a. So, we provide songbooks & song-leader 4. Preach & teach - 1 Tim 3:15, Eph 4:11-16 a. So, we provide teachers & classrooms, preacher, projector, chalkboard, etc. 5. Pray - 1 Thess 5:17, 1 Tim 2:1, 8 a. So, we provide "prayer-leaders" 6. Lay by in store - 1 Cor 16:2 a. So, we provide baskets, bank account 7. Support the spread of the gospel - Phil 4:15-16, 1 Cor 9:14 a. So, we pay the preacher, send to other preachers, conduct gospel meetings, etc 8. Provide for our needy - Acts 4:34-35, 2 Cor 9:12 D. What's missing? 1. Where's the passage to provide materially for social activities? IV. Understanding Fellowship - Somebody will invariably ask, "But, what about fellowship?" A. Probably one of the biggest reasons for the inclusion of kitchens and fellowship halls stems from misunderstanding of fellowship. B. "Fellowship" from Greek "koinonia" 1. #2842 (Strong's) partnership, i.e. (literally) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction: 2. fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, intercourse a) the share which one has in anything, participation b) intercourse, fellowship, intimacy (Thayer's) C. Christians have fellowship - Acts 2:42 1. Used several times in Scripture always in reference to spiritual work 2. Fellowship w/Jesus - 1 Cor 1:9, 1 John 1:3, Phil 3:10 3. Fellowship w/one another - 1 John 1:3, 7 4. Fellowship in the gospel - Phil 1:5 5. Fellowship in benevolence - Rom 15:26, 2 Cor 8:3-4, 9:13 6. Have NO fellowship w/sin & sinners - 2 Cor 6:14, Eph 5:6-7, 11 7. Not a single reference to a social good time. ALL have to do with our joint participation in our spiritual work. D. In actuality, we DO have a fellowship hall 1. You're sitting in it. As we devote ourselves to worshiping and serving God, we partake together of the work in which we cooperatively join in. E. We also have a fellowship meal. 1. The Lord's Supper - 1 Cor 10:16-17 2. We are in fellowship with Jesus, one another, and Xians everywhere! V. Notice where social activities belong A. Paul puts them in the home 1. 1 Cor 11:18-22, 34 B. If my family has physical needs, it's MY responsibility to meet them. Let not the church be burdened. 1. 1 Tim 5:16 C. Also, if my children need education, let ME provide it. Let not the church be burdened. D. If I want them to have recreational activities, let ME provide them. Let not the church be burdened. E. If hospitality, let ME provide it. Let not the church be burdened. Conc There is a place for social activities, but it's not the church's purpose to provide for such. A. We'll either take the matter of New Testament Christianity seriously or we won't. 1. We'll either "speak where the Bible speaks, be silent where it is silent" or we won't. 2. Let's simply stick to what we have NT authority for and reject that for which we don't. B. Remember Jesus' words in John 8:31 1. Let's abide in His word. C. INV -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041005/a4b891af/attachment-0001.htm From ZekeFlores1 at cs.com Tue Oct 5 15:36:44 2004 From: ZekeFlores1 at cs.com (ZekeFlores1@cs.com) Date: Tue Oct 5 21:46:21 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S> Come to Me ... Why? Message-ID: hello, Here's a skeleton I used for an invitation recently that maybe somebody can take and turn it into a good sermon. Zeke Flores Rio Grande Valley church of Christ Belen, NM ***************************************************************** Intro: Jesus great invitation - "Come to Me" Matt 11:28 But why come to Him? A. For purpose in Life 1. Phil 3:13-14, Luke 9:23 B. For comfort in sorrow 1. 2 Cor. 1:3-4 C. For salvation and life 1. John 3:16, 10:10 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041005/f253d7fa/attachment-0001.htm From dsblackwell at charter.net Tue Oct 5 19:10:37 2004 From: dsblackwell at charter.net (Dean Blackwell) Date: Tue Oct 5 21:46:23 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] children's class during worship services Message-ID: <000801c4ab38$e8e952e0$de457644@DWNMNB> Last Sunday evening during the evening worship services one of the lady members took a couple of children that are pre-schoolers from the parents to the back room of the building for a class during worship services. The reason given for conducting the class during the Sunday evening worship service was because of a space restriction problem on Sunday mornings. Since there are already three different age groups of classes meeting in different areas of the one large room an additional class would be too distracting to the other classes. However, the NT teaches that the church comes together in a general assembly so that congregational worship and edification may take place ("when you come together as a church", 1 Cor. 11:18,20,33; 14:26; Eph. 5:19). Is it not a violation of scriptural authority to conduct such a class during a worship service? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041005/1e73ca0d/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Oct 6 05:58:50 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Wed Oct 6 11:39:40 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) "ARGUING" THE SCRIPTURES Message-ID: <1ef.2bc73b4b.2e9529ea@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study that rec- ently came my way. Use to the glory of God. "ARGUING" THE SCRIPTURES There is nothing wrong with arguing, but that does not justify a mean-spirited disposition. A common rule in modern society is that people must not "argue" about politics or religion. And that grows out of, in part, the connotation of the word "argue" today. "Argue" means, to most people, an "angry dispute or disagreement." The word, how- ever, at one time simply meant to "reason" or "prove" or "assert" a point. Nothing in the word implies "anger" or "shouting," as might characterize some arguments. The apostle Paul, for example, often entered the synagogues of the Jews where he knew he would encounter men who denied that Jesus is the Messiah. The Bible says that he "reasoned" with them (Acts 17:2). Greek lexicons define the word "reasoned" (dialegomai): "discuss," "converse," "argue." Paul set forth reasons from the scriptures why he believed Jesus was the Mess- iah. He also reasoned with Felix, an immoral governor of Rome, about "righteousness," "self-control," and "judgment to come" (Acts 24:25). Paul did this because truth is essential to salvation and because the Lord commanded that truth be preached to every per- son (see Jno. 8:31,32; Matt. 28:18-20). We, of course, have not guarantee that "reasoning" with people from the scriptures will not evoke anger--even to the point of losing friends. This happened to Paul at Thessalonica. After he discuss- ed the matter of Jesus as the Christ, they stirred up persecution, assaulted some who believed Paul's message, and drove Paul himself from the city (Acts 17;1-10). Paul got so graphic with Felix in his reasoning that the governor was terrified by the mess- age of the gospel concerning judgment. Whether Felix was offend- ed or whether he ever received the gospel is beside the point. He need to hear it, and so do our friends. When Apollos, an educated and eloquent preacher, came to Ephesus, he used his knowledge of the scriptures to "powerfully confute," meaning to refute, the Jewish view of Jesus (Acts 18: 24,28). Since the only way to God is through Jesus (Jno. 14:6), this young preacher fervently reasoned and discussed and argued with the Jews who needed truth. Paul asked brethren to pray for him that he might open his mouth and speak boldly the gospel in his trial before the emperor of Rome (Eph. 6:18-20). His concern was not about a "personal" defense but the courage to discuss with his judge the scriptures. Yes, I know we live at a time when it is not "polite" to differ with people religiously, especially when you have to openly show them that they are in error. A person who believes he can be sav- ed by infant baptism, by sprinkling rather than immersion, or by faith only in the absence of baptism is wrong--not because I say so, but because the scriptures so teach. He may never know he is in error if we maintain this modern idea that it is wrong to "dis- cuss" or "reason" with people from the scriptures. We must not shrink back from teaching and declaring the whole counsel of God to all men as revealed in the Bible (see Acts 20:27). But let us also remember that there is nothing wrong with being kind and gentle. In early restoration days preachers were largely of rural backgrounds and congregations were located predominan-tly in small farming communities. Both preachers and debaters were rugged individuals who were plain spoken. Audiences and congregations were of the sme mold. Many of the remarks, put- downs, and charges were rough and would be highly insulting to a modern assembly of people. As preachers, the question we have to ask ourselves is: "Do we have to repeat the crude remarks of an earlier century of preachers to be sound?" The question is not must we preach the same truth these men preached and whether we should speak with clarity of understanding. All men need the truth and it must be declared plainly, boldly, and fully (see 2 Cor. 3;12; Acts 20:27). John the Baptist was a prophet of God, and the Spirit, who knows the hearts of men and their hardness, directed him to lash out at stubborn Jews with words like -- "Ye offspring of vipers" (Lk. 3:7). Must I use those words to be faithful to God? Jesus - God in the flesh - said to that same generation: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites" (Matt. 23). I've never said that to an audience, and don't believe I can. Does this make me unsound? The Lord's servants must avoid strife, Paul says, and "be gent- le towards all, apt to teach, forbearing, in meekness correct- ing them that oppose themselves" (2 Tim. 2:24,25). Will this make a preacher soft, yielding, and compromising? Is it wrong to nurture brethren as a nurse who cherisheth her own children (1 Thes. 2:7)? Both disposition of heart and content of message, brethren, are the measure of soundness and faithfulness. Let us then speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth frankly -- even argue it, but -- in LOVE and with LONGSUFFERING! (Eph. 4:15; 2 Tim. 4:2). ----L.A. Stauffer in Biblical Insights, Vol. 4, No. 9, Sept. 2004. (With regard to the foregoing article, I would like to add a thing or two. In Prov. 25:9, KJV, we read: "Debate thy cause with they neighbor himself..." Surely, there is a place for debate, dis- cussion, argument, between people concerning what the Bible teaches. Jesus did it, the apostles did it, and we too must speak in defense of the truth, the Word of God. JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041006/4de3f65f/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Oct 6 05:58:43 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Wed Oct 6 11:39:41 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) "NEWBORN BABES" Message-ID: <1c5.1ea956ae.2e9529e3@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Wednesday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with an enjoyable and fruitful day. Here is an article that recently came my way: "NEWBORN BABES" A task which every evangelistic congregation faces is that of strengthening newborn babes in Christ. Often those we baptize are left at the baptistry steps and we leave unfulfilled the last part of the great commission to teach "them to observe things" that Jesus committed to them or commanded them (Matt. 28:20). As a result we have what might be termed a "high infant mortality rate," i.e., newborn babes in Christ that wander back into the world or into religious error. Too few obey the gospel to allow even one to lose his or her sould because of a lack on our part to lead them on in the paths of righteousness. Thus, we need to address this problem. Young Christians Need Basic Teaching From The Word Of God: -- Peter said, "...like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word..." (1 Pet. 2:2). One doesn't bring a new baby home from the hospital and immediately begin to feed him steak or pot roast. The need is for something more digestible like milk, formula, baby cereal, etc. Likewise, the young Christian needs to be taught the basics of trust in and commitment to the Lord's ways. They need to study the basics of worship and daily living. An in depth study of Ezekiel or Revelation is too much and is not digestible by the newborn babe at this point in their spiritual life. An alert eldership can recognize this and help by providing classes to address this need. Another, and perhaps better approach is to have converts in their home. This method helps these new Christ- ians to establish a pattern of regular Bible study which is so neces- sary to spiritual growth. New Christians Usually Need New Friends: -- When one is converted from the world or religious error not only do they change religious environments, but their whole social life usually as well. And merely the fact that one cannot go to the same places and do the same things with the same people can make life very lonely for the new convert. Every Timothy needs a Paul and every John Mark needs a Barnabas. Paul admonished the Thessalonians to "...encourage the fainhearted, help the weak, be patient with all men" (1 Thes. 5:14). He encouraged the Romans to "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor...practice hospitality" (Rom. 12:10,13). In friendship with other Christians there is found love and strength. Every new Christian needs special attention. New Christians Need Understanding And Patience: -- One doesnt expect a baby to mature into an adult overnight. But with the right diet and an ample amount of exercise, along with time, nature will take it's course and the human body will develop to maturity. Much of the same is true when one develops spiritually. With a steady diet of the Word of God and the constant exercise of obedience in one's life, spiritual maturity will come in the course of time. Mistakes will be made and lessons will be learned the hard way. Sometimes pain is associated with growing. But through all of this the young Christian needs our prayers, our under- standing, and our patience. When sin is found in their lives it must be removed quickly with understanding and patience, not a rod of iron. New Christians Need Our Time: -- Time is a very precious commodity these days. It seems that the older we get the less of it we have. But I rather suspect that it's not that we have less time, we just don't use what we do have wisely. Time has come to be more precious than money to most. We had rather pay for something to be done than to actually do it ourselves. And this is not wrong in many cases. But there are some things that we just can't pay others to do for us. We can't pay others to do our teaching for us, it is a personal responsibility (Heb. 5:11,12). Paul said, "Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one..." (Gal. 6:1). And again, "Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2). Young Christians find themselves being caught up in sin, not necessarily through a willful and hard-hearted depart- ure from God, but merely because of weakness or ignorance. They need someone to care enough to spend time with them - teaching, praying, and strengthening. This is a burden we must help them to bear, not something we can pay someone else to do for us. It requires our time! Determine to make a special effort to help those who are young in Christ. It's one way to breathe a fresh spirit of zeal into your own life. You will grow by helping others. -----Jim Deason via Gospel Power, Vol. 11, No. 38, Sept. 26, 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041006/a8d48f2b/attachment-0001.htm From kerux at svic.net Wed Oct 6 08:06:26 2004 From: kerux at svic.net (Kent Heaton) Date: Wed Oct 6 11:39:41 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A>Sis Whitegates learns the preacher a thing or two Message-ID: <000601c4aba5$64780fc0$1137fea9@OFFICE> Sister Whitegates Learns The Preacher A Thing Or Two (Vanguard, February 1980) Brother Ron Goodpreacher Thd, p.s. LLd, DDs, and etc. Hog's Swallow Church of Christ Cornpone County, U.S.A. Fresh out of college, class ring firmly ensconced on the appropriate finger, teeth brushed, hair combed, and Kittel's theological dictionary prominently displayed, the young preacher was ready to receive the first appointment of the day at the study of the down-town Church of Christ of Cornpone County. First on the day's agenda was a strange little dried up lady, Sister Pearly Whitegates, who had approached him at the "get to know the preacher dinner" last Saturday at the park. What could she possibly need in the way of counseling at her age? Little did the preacher know that it was he who was going to be counseled. Promptly at the stroke of 10, sister Whitegates' wrinkled nose poked its way through the door with a husky voice following "Good morning, preacher"! A well combed and grey-laced head bounced into the room supported by a body with twice the energy that anyone should have at that hour of the day. A mouth full of too many teeth cracked its usual smile as sister Whitegates plopped into the study's other chair to begin the hour. Before I could get my COMPETENT TO COUNSEL casebook open to the chapter on octogenarians. Pearly began to speak in earnest. "Brother Ron, you need some HELP." Choking down an appropriate mixture of mild indignation, shock, curiosity, and pride, this young scholar and gentleman said "Please continue." "Ron, I've seen 20 preachers come and go here in Cornpone County, some good, some bad, some Democrats, and Republicans, and all of them had the same problems. Because I've been a Christian twice as long as you've been alive, I've seen these problems in the church come and go. With my help you're going to overcome and by-pass these common pitfalls in the preacher's life." Without waiting for any response, Pearly gathered body and soul together and began talking about things the college professors never mentioned before during or after matriculation. Momentarily sister Whitegates crossed her eyes, rolled back her head and began to snore. Our dear Sister had diabetes and high blood pressure along with her advanced years, and would occasionally drop off to sleep without warning. As soon as it started it ended and Pearly began her instruction in earnest. "What is a preacher Brother Ron?" This I knew, having aced 3 credits in religious education. "A preacher is a scholar, a representative of the church in the community, a counselor, a teacher!" "Wrong," answered the old young lady. A preacher is a cheerleader." My jaw dropped in shock, "A cheerleader?" Dumbfounded I listened as she explained. "Some of you young preachers preach with all the enthusiasm of a mortician reading the index of the Monkey Ward catalogue," she continued, lifting an occasional verse out of context. "When Nathan preached, David got angry. When Ezra preached, the people jumped up and some shouted amen. When Peter preached, grown men cried, and asked 'What shall we do.' Gospel preaching should be worked to get Christians fired up so the flame doesn't go out during the week." "Enthusiasm is like a disease, first one person gets it and before you know it everyone has it no matter how hard they try not to. You're too dignified, Brother Ron; we come to services to get our spiritual batteries charged up for the week, and you lecture us on the significance of the passive voice in Greek for Bible study. Being a child of God is being right and proper, but it's also being happy and sad, and laughing and crying." "When I was small and uncle Chad took ma and us kids to services in the wagon, the service lasted four hours. One hour for singing and the Lord's Supper, one hour for rebuking, and one hour for instructing in righteousness. Now we've got a lot of dead souls here at the Hog's Swallow Church of Christ because we hear a lot of instructing and no rebuking or exhorting. Now come Sunday, you're going to preach to us, not just talk at us. I want you to stomp on our toes, smack that pulpit and wake up Brother Sam; he can sleep at home later. Loosen you collar and holler (Sis. Peraly waxed alliterative at this point). And if it's right, laugh a little, and cry a little too. When it's over there'll be an invitation people will answer, and we'll sing the roof off as the front pew fills. No, Brother Ron we ain't Pentecostals, but we're not Methodists either. Do you savvy?" Indeed I did as chapters from the biographies of long dead preachers marched in review. The month long gospel meetings, the conversions of entire Baptist churches, the week long all day debates - the glory days that Sis. Whitegates had grown up during. We continued to talk - had the preaching really changed all that much over the years? - it had - the spit in the eye, gravel in the craw, gutsy preaching of the past had been replaced by a staid, dignified, scholarly approach that could not compete for results with the old timers that Sis. Pearly had cut her spiritual teeth on. She had "proved her point." Her daughter-in-law Eunice had come to pick her up; our hour was over and my eyes were not dry. Sis. Whitegates was laughing - "You ain't heard nothing yet preacher. The first Monday of each month I'll be back to continue your education." She kissed me on the cheek, goodbye as a grandmother her grandson, without an ounce of false pride or prejudice. It dawned on me that I had just received a "holy kiss" from a true believer and a faithful saint. Her parting words left me full of anticipation - "Next time preacher, I'm going to tell you how preachers should treat women!" -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041006/73128481/attachment.htm From mcmurray at indy.net Wed Oct 6 10:26:01 2004 From: mcmurray at indy.net (Carl (Mac) McMurray) Date: Wed Oct 6 11:39:42 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A bible program for Macintosh? Message-ID: Is anyone aware of a good bible program for Macintosh? Mac -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041006/1e84e501/attachment.htm From marcshotts at rnetinc.net Wed Oct 6 12:46:58 2004 From: marcshotts at rnetinc.net (Marc Shotts) Date: Wed Oct 6 14:39:37 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Sermon: Lord Is It I? (Part #2) Message-ID: <1097084818.41642f92344c3@webmail.rnetinc.net> Lord, Is It I?" (#2) Introduction: I. "20 When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve. 21 Now as they were eating, He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me". 22 And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, "Lord, is it I?"" (Matthew 26:20-22, NKJV). II. Christ's disciples asked this question to determine if they were guilty of betraying Jesus. III. As we read of the sin of others in the Bible, let us ask ourself "Is it I". IV. Am I guilty of this sin too? Discussion: I. Complaining and ungrateful (Numbers 11:1, 14:2). II. Allow evil to triumph by doing nothing (1 Samuel 2:12, 3:11-13). III. Allow false teachers to teach (Revelation 2:20). IV. Allow improper worship to continue (Malachi 1:7-10). V. Desire to be important (Matthew 23:5-7, 12; 3 John 9-10). VI. Not helping others (Matthew 25:41-45). VII. Overly concerned about others (John 21:20-22). VIII. Overthrow the faith of someone (2 Timothy 2:17-18). IX. Discourage others (Numbers 13:31-14:1). X. Cause others to sin (Galatians 2:11-13). XI. Do not want to hear the truth (1 Kings 22:5-8, 2 Timothy 4:3-4). Conclusion: I. Almost become a Christian (Acts 26:28). II. Depart from the faith (1 Timothy 4:1). III. "Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:14-15) IV. Lord, Is it I? --Marc Shotts ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through RNet Inc. WebMail From matthew at mhallen.com Wed Oct 6 13:51:57 2004 From: matthew at mhallen.com (Matthew Allen) Date: Wed Oct 6 14:40:00 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A bible program for Macintosh? In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <005a01c4abd5$91e934e0$1d01a8c0@PREACHER> Good afternoon.... Matthew Allen, Brownsburg, IN here. http://www.accordancebible.com/ has software for Mac Users. An advanced library edition retails for $269. There is also some other info on bible software programs for Mac users at http://www.cmug.org/articles/Survey04.html If you have a program for your MAC that allows you to run Windows based programs on it, then I highly recommend PC Study Bible. I've used it since 1997. Very user friendly. Hope this helps... Have a great afternoon. Matthew (Matt) Allen Minister - Brownsburg church of Christ 2100 S. Hornaday Rd., Brownsburg, IN 46112 Office: (317) 852-4645 Mobile: (317) 797-5324 mhallen@sbcglobal.net sdrazorback@yahoo.com matthew@mhallen.com For the latest news from Mariupol, Ukraine go to www.mhallen.com/ukraine -----Original Message----- From: biblemat-bounces@biblematters.com [mailto:biblemat-bounces@biblematters.com] On Behalf Of Carl (Mac) McMurray Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2004 10:26 To: matthew@mhallen.com Cc: Bible Matters Mailing List Subject: [Biblemat] A bible program for Macintosh? Is anyone aware of a good bible program for Macintosh? Mac -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041006/4ac8d129/attachment.htm From mikehughes01 at sbcglobal.net Wed Oct 6 14:50:04 2004 From: mikehughes01 at sbcglobal.net (MRH) Date: Wed Oct 6 14:50:29 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A bible program for Macintosh? In-Reply-To: Message-ID: > **** > * Bible Matters mailing list > * http://biblematters.com/mailman/listinfo/biblemat > * You are subscribed as: mikehughes01@sbcglobal.net > * Send postings to: biblemat@biblematters.com > * List owner: Mike Hughes (mikehughes01@sbcglobal.net), > Mickey Chandler (mickc@churches-of-christ.com) > http://www.mikealrhughes.com, > ***** > > > Is anyone aware of a good bible program for Macintosh? > Mac > > _______________________________________________ > Biblemat mailing list > Biblemat@biblematters.com > http://www.biblematters.com/mailman/listinfo/biblemat > > Mac: Look at the program called Accord. Nothing says Mac users have to be forced to use inferior PC software!! Mike Hughes -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041006/0d775a96/attachment.htm From mikehughes01 at sbcglobal.net Wed Oct 6 14:55:24 2004 From: mikehughes01 at sbcglobal.net (MRH) Date: Wed Oct 6 14:55:47 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Accordance Bible Software for Macintosh Message-ID: http://www.accordancebible.com/about/index.php Location for the Premier Bible Software for Macs. Mike Hughes From halhammons at msn.com Wed Oct 6 17:21:57 2004 From: halhammons at msn.com (Hal Hammons) Date: Wed Oct 6 17:34:38 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] News of the World update Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041006/b79f0f02/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Oct 7 05:36:55 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Thu Oct 7 16:53:25 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) WORSHIPPING GOD IN SPIRIT Message-ID: <87.180b2265.2e967647@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Thursday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with an enjoyable and rewarding day. Here is an article that rec- ently came my way: WORSHIPPING GOD IN SPIRIT In Jno. 4:24, Jesus Christ states that "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." What does it mean to "worship God in spirit?" Some people be- lieve that to worship in spirit is to worship with spiritedness, that is, with excitement, great animation, and emotional sway. Still others believe that worshipping in spirit requires miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit such as in utterances. However, from Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, we learn that the Greek word translated "worship" in this passage is (proskunountas) from the verb (proskuneo), litterally meaning to prostrate oneself in great reverence. In other words, the worship that Jesus mentions in Jno. 4:24 describes an attitude - a bowing of oneself before the Almighty God in utmost reverence and humility. With this definition for worship in mind, what does it mean to bow one's heart before God in spirit? Paul's comments in 1 Cor. 5:3 and Col. 2:5 help us to understand this phrase. In these pass- ages, Paul comments that though he is not with his beloved brethr- en physically, he is with them in spirit - the exact same language, the very same Greek words used by Jesus in Jno. 4:24. Paul means that though he is not physically in the presence of the Christ- ians to whom his letter is addressed, he is with them in mind and in heart. This is what it means to worship God in spirit: though we are not actually with Him in Heaven, when we bow in worship it should be in heart and mind as though we are right before God's throne. In Matt. 15:7-9, Jesus condemns the hypocritical Pharisees for honoring God with their lips while their hearts dwelt on worldly things, not with God. These Pharisees failed to worship in spirit - they wer pretending to serve God and honor Him with praise, but in spirit they were focused on worldliness; their hearts were far from Him. This account serves as a warning to all Christians. We can go through all the motions of worship, even making sure to perform every act in accordance with God's word, but if our hearts are not bowed low before the feet of God, our worship is in vain. If we sing praises to God in truth, but our minds are constantly wandering to the tasks we need to accomplish during the day, our worship is not acceptable to God. If we sit through a sermon preached directly from God's Word, yet our minds are focused on all the other things we'd rather be doing, we are not worshipping in spirit. Jno. 4:23 teaches that God desires our worship: He is seeking true worshippers. But in order for our worship to be acce- ptable to Him, we must be with Him in spirit. Our worship must not be merely physical obedience with disengaged hearts and minds, but we must penitently bow before God in spirit as if we were right there at His throne. (Actually, we are told to approach the throne of God boldly, Heb. 4:16 JWS). ----Daniel Bailey via. Gospel Power, Vol. 11, No. 38, Sept. 26, 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041007/9a031826/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Oct 7 05:36:59 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Thu Oct 7 16:53:25 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) GOD AND MONEY Message-ID: <7f.4e3d9ed7.2e96764b@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study that rec- ently came my way. Use to the glory of God. GOD AND MONEY God nowhere condemns money but unwaveringly warns of the consequences that attend those who trust in riches. Somebody wrote that God devoted twice as many verses in the Bible to money than to faith and prayer combined. The same source reported that Jesus said more about money than about heaven and hell combined. Although I can't confirm these statistics I have observed what any Bible reader can readily see: God says a bunch about money in scripture. Proverbs, God's book on practical wisdom, treats the subject of material possessions rather copiously. Let's consider just a few of its verses under the follow- ing three headings: 1. The Wise Man's Attitude Toward Money: -- The watch- word here is balance: "Give me neither poverty nor riches" (30:8). Agur observes that riches may lead him to "be full and deny" God. This unveils the folly of trusting in riches; he who does so "will fall" (11:28). The divine priority keeps money in its place. After all, it is temporary; "riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven" (23:5). And what, the cynic may ask, is better than wealth? Take your pick: wisdom (3:13-15), a good name (22:1), righteousness and jus- tice (16:8). He who lives by the checkbook ultimately dies by the checkbook: "Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But right- eousness delivers from death" (11:4). On the other hand, Agur is just as certain that neither is pover- ty the key to a righteous and satisfying life; the poor man may "steal, and profane the name of...God" (30:9). It's naive and impractical to discount the necessities of life. "So shall your pov- erty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man" (24:34). God's antidote to poverty is work, and this thought natura- lly turns our attention to the necessity of earning our livelihood. 2. The Wise Man's Efforts At Making a Living: -- Integrity is the key to righteous labor. "Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich" (28:6). The English word means "the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles" (The New Oxford American Dictionary). The Hebrew term has several shades of meaning, one of them being innocent or of pure motive. Abimelech illustrates this in taking Sarah as his wife, when she was already the wife of Abraham. The couple had lied, saying only that Sarah was Abra- ham's sister. When God warned Abimelech in a dream, he protest- ed, "In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this" (Gen. 20:5), an integrity which God acknowledg- ed (vs. 6). It seems to me that integrity comprises several qualities, two of which come strongly into play in Proverbs. The first is honesty. "Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight" (11:1). The other is diligence. The lazy man lacks integrity. He will not acknowledge the need of his own family and that of his poor neighbors; he will not concede the cen- trality of work to daily living; and above all, he is not honest about his efforts. After all, he claims, "There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!" (22:13). "The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly" (26:16). Clearly, the wise man means to join these two qualities in Prov. 13:11, "Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase." 3. The Wise Man's Use Of His Money: -- The guiding princip- le will be generosity. This mustn't be confused with heedless- ness ("Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your heards: for riches are not forever..." (27:23,24) or profligacy ("He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich" (21:17). In Proverbs, the chief expression of generosity is a genuine concern for the needy. "He who despises his neighbor sins; But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he" (14:21). To help the poor is to bring glory and honor to God. "He who oppres-ses the poor reproaches his Maker, But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy" (14:31). Frankly, generosity is constantly at battle with selfishness in most of us. "All the brothers of the poor hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him" (19:7). Just remember, "He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor" (22:9). Our attitude toward material wealth is demonstrated by our stewardship of it, and together these two things reveal our charac- ter, the essence of who we truly are. Remember the rich, young ruler. -------Jim Ward in Biblical Insights, Vol. 4, No. 9, Sept. 2004 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041007/acbeec78/attachment.htm From harperwest at yahoo.com Fri Oct 8 22:33:13 2004 From: harperwest at yahoo.com (Steven C Harper) Date: Sat Oct 9 12:10:43 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A> Integrity Message-ID: <000c01c4adb0$b6f2c7b0$0e4e0945@SCHarperWork> From: TRUTH & REASON, a bulletin of the Glendale church of Christ, Glendale, AZ. Editor: Steven Harper October 10, 2004 Integrity The word comes from the Middle English, and derives from the combination of in- [not] and tangere [touched]. In effect, it means untouched. When we speak of a person having integrity, we speak of someone with sound moral principles, and who is honest, upright, and sincere. Morally speaking, the person is untouched. When we speak of a piece of metal's integrity, we are talking about the soundness of the piece, usually after having endured some sort of stress. We mean the piece has not suffered any adverse affects and is able to withstand further tests without failing. However the word is used, we are talking about the ability of others to trust in that person or object. I recall a review I received a few years back when I was in the U.S. Army, after just receiving a promotion from the rank of Specialist Fourth Class to Sergeant [E-4 to E-5]. The first review I received from my section chief [the one immediately above me in the chain of command] gave me the highest ratings on all aspects of the review except one: integrity. I couldn't believe it! I remember to this day hearing the review numbers on my integrity and how I felt. I was not happy, to say the least. I turned red and had to exert a greater measure of self-control to be able to disagree calmly. I protested very strongly and asked what it was I had done in the last month to receive a lower number. I could not recall doing anything that would have demonstrated others could not trust me at the same level they had before. Well, it all came down to one simple thing: I didn't show up at the barracks early enough the first morning after my promotion. My section chief said I should have known that I had new responsibilities and I should have been there before anyone was even awake. I protested strongly, based on the fact that I was there before anyone was awake, just not the time he specified. He would not relent, so I had to sign the review under protest, and with an explanation to the higher-ranking individuals why I believed it was not a just review. I protested the entire review based on this one area because it meant so much to me. I did not change my section chief's mind, but he actually helped reinforce something that day that I already knew, and would not ever forget because of that one review. What I learned was, when we are given more responsibilities, we assume the concurrent need to display an even higher degree of integrity to all, especially those who will be affected by our lives and decisions. We, as Christians, should recognize this fact more than anyone because the world is watching us daily to see how we live our lives, and they are judging Christ Himself by us. When Paul described the "whole armor of God" that we are to put on as we go out into battle, one of the things he mentioned was the need to gird "your waist with truth" (Eph. 6:14). Some have erroneously equated this with the word of God [citing John 17:17], but that is a mistake; that is another part of the armor [the sword, Eph. 6:17]. What Paul speaks of is the need for the Christian to make truth [i.e., truthfulness] the very object that supports all the rest of our spiritual defense. Truthfulness is the basis for every other aspect of our life, and if we do not have truth, we have nothing. In the soldier's armor, the belt was what other major pieces were tied to, and if the belt was cut away or simply failed, those other pieces would fall off. And can you imagine the frustration the soldier would feel and understand the problems this would cause if, in the course of battle, the belt failed? Can you imagine trying to hold up your armor pieces while trying to fight against the enemy whose aim is to destroy you? The belt was not just a small part of the soldier's armor; it was essential. Integrity In Word. As Christians, we should demonstrate by our words to the world that we are people of integrity. If others cannot trust us at our word, we do not have integrity, no matter how loudly we may protest. Christians must always keep in mind that we now live under a higher standard, and it begins with what we say. Along these lines, Paul instructed the Ephesian brethren, "Therefore, putting away lying, 'Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.'" (Eph. 4:25) In giving them instructions about how they should now live as Christians, Paul reminded them that they now were living under a higher standard. Where the world would not have thought twice about dishonesty in a man of the world, or the fact that a man's word was not his bond, they would note it as a mark of hypocrisy if one who claims to be a follower of Christ exhibited such a trait. It is bad enough that our society has so deteriorated that we cannot trust the word of our fellow neighbor as we once did [a time I can still personally remember], but it is a shame that this is true of some who profess belief in Jesus and who claim to be followers of His Word. What must the world be thinking when they cannot trust the very ones that even they know should be the most trustworthy? If they cannot trust us in word, how will we ever convince them to obey the gospel of Jesus Christ which we preach? If they cannot believe what we say in everyday life, why would they have reason to trust us in something so important as the matter of their eternal salvation? Integrity In Deed. Christians must exhibit integrity in word, but must also demonstrate integrity in deed. It is not enough that we say the right things; we must prove we mean it by the way we live, by the way we act, and the deeds we do. It would be difficult to convince others that Jesus was an important part of our lives if it was not demonstrated visibly for the world to see it for themselves. For example: You parents out there who are trying to convince your children God is important - are you only telling this to your children, or are you enforcing this teaching by what you do? Do you tell them they need to study their Bibles, but never let them see you studying? Do you emphasize the need to go to Bible classes but never go yourselves? Do you teach them nothing comes before God but then let relatives, vacations, or sports events get in the way? Do you reprimand them for talking negatively about their friends and then whisper about your own brothers and sisters in Christ, the elders, the song leader, or the preacher in front of them? Our example to the world may be the only thing they ever know about Christ and the faith, so what example are we leaving? What kind of person will the world judge us to be when they examine our lives? Is it any wonder Paul admonished the brethren in Coloss?, "Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time" (Col. 4:5)? This is the same phrase Paul used in Ephesians 5:17, and literally means "improving opportunity" and speaks of the need to do everything within our power to provide the world the opportunity to hear the gospel and obey it. Our example before the world is one way we may improve their opportunities - or erase them. Our integrity is something within our control, but when we fail to live lives of integrity, the reputation we get will often prevent us from regaining any measure of integrity and we will lose many, if not all, opportunities to reach the lost and dying world through the gospel simply because no one will believe us any longer. Take charge of your personal life now, while you have the chance. Remember you wear the name of our Lord, and so live as to never bring shame upon it. -- Steven Harper Truth - is as old as God - His Twin identity And will endure as long as He A Co-Eternity -- Emily Dickinson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041008/7e4e4d89/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Oct 8 06:55:36 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Sat Oct 9 12:11:26 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) "YOUR REPORT" Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Friday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with an enjoyable and profitable day. Here is an article that rec-ently came my way: "YOUR REPORT" I have been told that somewhere in some computer bank there is a credit report which often includes more than finance matters on nearly every one of us. In recent times there has been much ado in some quarters about the inaccuracies of some of these re- ports. Even if the report is accurate, it may be good or it may be bad depending upon how we have conducted ourselves. Whether we like it or not, there is such a report. The same thing is true in reference to spiritual things, too. Some day all of this will be known. We sing about this: "Some day you'll stand at the bar on high, Some day your record you'll see;..." Let us consider some things about "your report" as set forth in the Bible: Will It Be Good Or Bad? -- Your report may vary from the report of the one who sits next to you. Some have an honest re- port. Those seven men in Acts 6:3 had such a report. Cornelius was a man of good report among all the nation of the Jews. (Acts 10:22). Those widows in 1 Tim. 5:10, who could be taken into the number, had to be well reported of. On the other hand, some have a bad report. The Corinthians had a report of being content- ious (1 Cor. 1:11). These also were reported to have a bad attit- ude toward sinful practices (1 Cor. 5:1). That bad report may actually be a slanderous report as it was with Paul (Rom. 3:8). Thus, not only is there a report on all of us, the report may be good or it may be bad. What Is The Origin Of Your Report? -- In your temporal re- port the material comes from all kinds of sources. Many make their living compiling their report. In spiritual matters, your report may be made by outsiders -- people who are not a part of the body of Christ. Concerning men being qualified for the eldership in the church, in 1 Tim. 3:7, we fidn that such a one must have a good report from them which are without. But all of us have such sources of report, too. On the other hand, this report may origin- ate from brethren in the Lord. In Acts 16:2, we find that Timothy was well reported of the brethren in and around Lystra. Demetri- us had a good report of all men -- from without and from within (3 Jno. 12). Then, the Lord makes His own record of each of us. He has a book of life in which He writes the names of the faithful (Rev. 3:5). Eventually we will be judged by our record while here upon this earth (Rev. 20:13). The Basis Of Our Report: -- In your temporal report, your financial transactions, your legal actions, your real estate purchas- es, your enemies' actions, and a host of things go together to make your report. In your report as a Christian, your works may be the basis of your report (1 Tim. 5:10). Your faith will be the basis of your report. Heb. 11:2 tells of some who had obtained a good report by virtue of faith leading them into the required actions. Your report may come because some have a grudge against you (Matt. 26:57-60). This has happened many times. The envy of some may be the basis of some items appearing in your report (Matt. 27:18). The prejudice of some may show up in your report (Rom. 3:8). Then, as sad as it may be, our own sin- ful actions contribute to our report also (1 Cor. 1:11). What Will Be The Results Of Your Report? -- These reports are not made as a passing fancy without any purpose. If your temporal report is good, you will be granted certain requests when you ask for them. If your temporal report is bad, you will likely be denied your requests when you ask for them. In your report as a Christian, if your report is bad, you may become discouraged as Israel was with the report of the spies that were sent in to spy out Canaan. Certainly the Lord will deny you what you want at the end of the way if you come to His judgement with a bad report (Matt. 25:46). On the other hand, if your report is a good report, it will be a source of encouragement to others who are trying to do right. Recall the report of Paul. "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and sin in me, do; and the God of peace shall be with you" (Phil. 4:9). Your good report may be a blessing even in temporal things, as with the widows of 1 Tim. 5:10. More importantly, your report, if it is a good one, will open heaven's gate for you. -------Curtis E. Flatt via Gospel Power, Vol. 11, No. 39, Oct. 3, 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041008/d0df2ca6/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Oct 8 06:55:43 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Sat Oct 9 12:14:25 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) CAN ONE SCRIPTURALLY REMARRY...? Message-ID: <1f1.2bef468a.2e97da3f@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study that rec- ently came my way. Use to the glory of God. CAN ONE SCRIPTURALLY REMARRY FOLLOWING AN UN- SCRIPTURAL MARRIAGE? We have been asked the above question and have heard of differences over it causing problems in some places. Since the subject is a Bible one, we need to study it and be able "to give an answer to every man that asketh us, a reason concerning the hope that is within us yet with meekness and fear" (1 Pet. 3:15). The circumstance is this: A woman Scripturally eligible to marry (either she has never been married, her husband died, or she has divorced a previous mate for that mate's fornication -- Heb. 13:4; Matt. 19:6-9; Rom. 7:2,3; 1 Cor. 7:39) remarries a man who has been unscripturally divorced, that is one who was divorced for a cause other than fornication. She later learns the truth (Bible truth and/or truth about the mate's earlier marital status) and understands that while she had a right to remarry, she did not have a right to marry that particular man. She learns that she is living in adultery since she is married to a "put away" man. "He that marrieth one that is put away from a husband comm- itteth adultery" (Lk. 16:18. See also Matt. 5:32b; 19:9b). She must repent of this sin to be forgiven. To repent necessit- ates she quit the sin, the sin in this case being adultery, with a man to whom she has no right. She must divorce him because of the adulterous union in which she finds herself. Though she is committ- ing adultery with him because of his previous situation, she too is guilty of adultery because she has married a man that did not have a right to marry. The question: Can she Scripturally remarry follow- ing putting this man, whom she had no right to in the first place, away? Some say no. They argue that since she was married to a man to whom she had no right, she committed adultery with him. Matt. 19:9 teaches one "put away" for fornication may not Scriptur- ally remarry. She along with him are both guilty of adultery, and because of this she cannot remarry. She must divorce him, but cannot Scripturally remarry. Because of this adulterous marriage she must live the rest of her life as a celibate. I believe the Bible teaches she can Scripturally remarry for the following reasons: 1. The narrative of Matt. 19:3-9 does not describe the cir- cumstances of the woman in question (an adulterous marria- ge that God did not bind in the first place). In the narrative of Matt. 19:3-9, Jesus answers the Pharisees by describing God's intent for marriage from the beginning. The thrust of His message is that God intended marriage to be permanent. Jesus teaches that such a marriage consists of God joining together two Scriptur- ally eligible people. This has to be what is meant when He said, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder (vs. 6). Obviously they are Scripturally eligible or else God would not have joined them. The woman in our question was not in a God-joined marriage to the man in question. While two people who have no Scriptural right to each other may marry, fulfill the civil requirements, as is the case in our quest- ion, God does not join them in the sense of Matt. 19:6. In such adulterous marriages one mate is "married" to one while "bound" (by God) to another (See Rom. 7:2,3). This is what makes it adult-ery. Therefore, the circumstances Jesus describes in Matt. 19:6- 9 assume that a God-approved marriage has first been formed. The woman in our question is not in that kind of relationship, and therefore these words would not apply. Jesus takes a right relat- ionship, and tells what to do if one commits adultery, not a wrong one to start with. If He had dealt with an adulterous relationship to begin with, He would have said something about getting out of it. This He did not do. Rather, He said the only reason one could end a marriage bound by God is because of fornication on the part of one spouse. Otherwise they should remain married. 2. Matt. 19:9 assumes the guilty marriage partner committ- ing fornication is committing it with a third party, not with the marriage partner himself. This is significant! Some who say the woman of our question could not remarry is because she her- self committed adultery -- with her husband. And if she divorces him for fornication, she is just as guilty as he is. Therefore she cannot Scripturally remarry. First, the reason that she is committ- ing adultery is because she has no right to him to begin with. He is still bound to his first wife while being married, not a God-bound marriage, to this second woman. That is why this is adultery on the part of both of the partners in this second marriage. However, sexual relations within a God-approved marriage is obviously right: it is never fornication (Heb. 13:4)! Further, Jesus says the only Scriptural reason to divorce a spouse is if that spouse commits fornication. Since it is impossible to commit fornication with your own mate in a God-approved marriage, fornication could only occur with a third party. The woman of our question who had a Scriptural right to marry, but not to the man who was unscripturally divorced from his first wife, did indeed com- mit fornication -- but it was with her husband!! Therefore, her cir- cumstances are not what Jesus described. 3. God allows everyone the right to have his/her own Scriptural spouse. Paul said, "But, because of fornication, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband" (1 Cor. 7:2). The woman of our question did not have her own husband but the husband of of the woman from he was unscripturally divorced. Before her unscriptural marriage, the woman of our question was not married, not bound to any man, and was Scripturally eligible. She had a Scriptural right to "her own husband." Though she became married unscripturally, to a man still bound to his first wife, they were never "joined together" by God. This is similar to two unmarried people living together -- without the sanctity of marriage -- they are committing fornication, but they have never been bound by God. They still have a right to marry one another or someone else Scripturally because they have never been bound to a mate by God. Further, after she divorces him (which she should do to end the adulterous relationship) she still has not "put asunder" what God "joined together," since God never joined them in the first place. Summarized, before her unscriptural marriage, she was not bound, wias not married, had not "put asunder" what God had "joined together," and was not herself "put away." The Bible teaches she can "have her own husband." -----Philip A. Owens, in The Jackson Drive News and Notes, No. 41, Oct. 10, 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041008/3227160b/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 9 06:56:02 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Sat Oct 9 12:14:25 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) ASTROLOGY AND THE HOROSCOPE Message-ID: <29.62dd56f6.2e992bd2@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Saturday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with a most enjoyable and rewarding day. Here is an article that recently came my way: ASTROLOGY AND THE HOROSCOPE In the ancient Greek language the word astrology was in the form of two words, aster (star), and logos (word). It came to mean "speech of the stars." Webster defines astrology as "divinat- ion by means of the stars." Combined with the horoscope (horo, hour and skopeo, to view), these became schemes to view stars for the telling of one's fortune. It was associated with wizards, mediums and magicians. Moses (1450 BC) warned of these things in Lev. 19:26,31 and 20:6,27). Isaiah (750 BC) gave warn- ing of the Babylonian idolatrous practices of astrology. He wrote, "...let now the astrologers, the stargazers, and the monthly prognosticators stand up and save you from these things that shall come upon you. Behold they shall be as stubble, the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame..." (Isa. 47:13,14). Note some of the evils and falsehoods of astrology: Astrology Claims The Ability To Foretell The Future: -- It professes to predict from the stars the fate of nations, election results, also wars, earthquakes and other world calamities. Per- sonal economics, daily activities, and even one's love life can be determined by the stars. Any question can be answered by simply charting the position of the planets and stars (horoscope). Individ- ual character and/or personality, according to this falsehood, is de- termined by one's birth date. It is the height of folly to believe these lies. Astrology Has The Capacity To Enslave: -- As with other aspect of the occult, astrology has a captivating aura about it. People are intrigued and drawn to it to the point they can become "hooked" on it. Many in high society throughout the world, in polit- ics, the entertainment industry, and other areas of life, do not func- tion in daily activity until they have consulted "their stars" -- their horoscope. Astrology Denies Jesus As "The Way, The Truth, And The Life" (Jno. 14:6). It substitutes in place of Jesus, the sun, moon, planets and other heavenly bodies as the answr to sin, to life's pro- blems, and to future concerns. Astrology Supports A Host Of Fakes, Frauds, And Charla- tains: -- It is no different than placing one's trust in the crystal-ball, tea-leaves, tarot cards, voo-doo, rabbit's foot, etc. Astrology Is Rank Idolatry: -- According to God, all this is false, it is a form of rank idolatry. The Bible associates it with sor- cery and other superstitions such as necromancy (black magic, communication with the dead/seances, etc.) and palmistry. The beloved disciple wrote: "Little children, keep yourselves from idols" 1 Jno. 5:21. The whole system of astrology is a con to get your money; it is a lie, a fantasy. Christians are not to believe in it or get involved with it. The counsel of this falsehood only serves to confuse the minds of people from the true source of truth, which is God, through His Son Jesus Christ. The Bible is the only source of spiritual truth. The New Testament is the "power of God to salva- tion, for therein is the righteousness of God revealed" Rom. 1:16,17. God's Word is the only complete, sufficient, and perfect source of truth, for the present and future life! Jesus is ours and the world's only Savior! ---- Lalo Enriquez in Bulletin Briefs, Vol. 7, No. 10, Oct. 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041009/19c028a8/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 9 06:56:09 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Sat Oct 9 12:14:26 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) GOD OUR FATHER Message-ID: <79.35e4e965.2e992bd9@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study that rec- ently came my way. Use to the glory of God. GOD OUR FATHER God's children are children of love and must be about the business of loving others. "For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, Abba! Father!" (Rom. 8:15). Abba is an Aramaic word derived from the language commonly employed by a child. Daddy and Mommy are some of the first words a child learns to say. Such terms are meant to express a close, intimate relationship with no disrespect meant. Eventually, older children came to employ Abba. So, this term became a warm, familiar everyday family life word. Paul says: Here is clear evidence that you have received the spirit of adoption. Your relationship to the Father is not one of fear; rather, it is one of trusting obedience. What deity does (whether Father, Son, or Holy Spirit) makes people sons, not slaves. Paul's language is the language of adoption. When the Lord spoke to David about the king's desire to build a house in Jerusalem, He said: "I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men" (2 Sam. 7:14). This is the language of adoption (See Gen. 48:4). When we cry Abba Father, we participate in the Davidic promise of adop- tion. "Because you are sons, God has set forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba! Father!" (Gal. 4:6). The sending forth of the Spirit demonstrated that the Galatians were Christians. The Holy spirit seeks to create a relationship of son- ship and intimacy. We pray to God that this close relationship would be possible. Certainly, our being God's children is imposs- ible without the revelation of the Word of God, which is made known through His Spirit (indwelling is probably not Paul's main point in this passage!). "And He was saying, Abba! Father! All things are possible for you; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will" (Mk. 14:36). In the anguish of the garden Jesus cried to His Father. Jesus, as a man of sorrows, sought the com- fort and solace of His Father. Too, He looked to His friends for comfort. He turned to them three times, only to find them sleeping; seemingly, they had no encouragement to give. What they were unable to do, the Father could do. The cup of suffering would not pass from Jesus, but He understood that strength could come from His Father. The close, intimate relationship Jesus had with the Father made it only natural that our Lord cry Abba! Father! He willingly placed His will in the Father's will. Abba! Father! would be the impetus for Jesus' disciples to carry the saving gospel into all the world. "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but keep them from the evil one" (Jno. 17:15). When Jesus prayed for His disciples, He prayed, not that they would be removed from the world in which they lived but that they would receive the needed spiritual help and encouragement to survive in their world. "I am no longer in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are" (Jno. 17:11). The disciples of Christ were IN the world; they were not to be OF the world (Jno. 17:14). Just hours before Jesus was crucified, He sought to speak words of comfort to that close-knit band of followers who would be left behind to carry on kingdom business. It is interesting that Jesus told His little ban of followers that they could not expect warm greetings from the world. He sought to bolster their faith; they would be persecuted and opposed, but they would not be left alone. But they thought so. Their entire lives had centered in Jesus. They left tax booths and fishing nets behind in order to follow Him. Now, their teacher was leaving and their hearts were troubled. Yes, they had survived up to this point, excepting Judas, who was unfaithful. But would they be able to survive without Jesus? Their hearts were troubled in spite of Jesus' reassurance. "Do not let your heart be troubled, believe in God, believe also in Me" (Jno. 14:1). The world the disciples were left in is essentially the same world you and I live in today. It is this world that God loves. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (Jno. 3;16). The truth of this well-known, striking passage is reaffirmed throughout the gospel of John. It was true in Jesus' day and remains so today, that the world generally does not understand what the Father is trying to do through the Son. Yes, some claim to know about God's love, but remain isolated from any semblance of commitment to His word. The Jews spar- red with Jeus about who their true father was. Jesus reminded them that they did not have the faith of Abraham (their supposed father); if they had that kind of faith, they would have accepted Jesus for whom He claimed to be -- the Messiah. Why was Jesus wasting His time on this bunch of spiritual hard- heads? Why did He bother at all? It is because God loves the world. God loved those spiritually obstinate Jews. God continues to love all people today. It is that kind of world you and I live in. It was that kind of world the disciples of Christ were left in, charged with the responsibility of preaching the good news to all who would listen. To understand our place in this world is to begin to try to under- stand God's love for the world. Children of God are children of love. We need to be about the business of loving others as we follow the example of Christ. ---Randy Harshbarger in Biblical Insights, Vol. 4, No. 9, Sept. 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041009/fce7d2b7/attachment-0001.htm From pappy01 at cox-internet.com Fri Oct 8 10:46:42 2004 From: pappy01 at cox-internet.com (Terry Sanders) Date: Sat Oct 9 12:14:59 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S>Today Message-ID: <000901c4ad4e$02b09dc0$66c64c42@coxinternet.com> Skipped content of type multipart/alternative-------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 145 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041008/4c61c8ae/attachment.gif From wswalker310 at juno.com Fri Oct 8 16:46:16 2004 From: wswalker310 at juno.com (Wayne S Walker) Date: Sat Oct 9 12:15:22 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] hymn study, "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken" Message-ID: <20041009.091718.3556.1.wswalker310@juno.com> Wayne Walker here with another weekly hymn study. "GLORIOUS THINGS OF THEE ARE SPOKEN" "Glorious things of thee are spoken, O city of God" (Ps. 87.3) INTRO.: A hymn about the glory of the church based upon the above passage is "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken" (#143 in "Hymns for Worship Revised"). The text was written by John Newton (1725-1807). Best known as the author of "Amazing Grace," he produced both songs in 1779 for Book 1 of the "Olney Hymns" that he published with William Cowper. The tune (Austrian Hymn or Austria-Haydn) was composed by Franz Joseph Haydn, who was born ar Rohrau, Austria, on Mar. 31, 1732, the son of a wheelwright. Brought up in the Roman Catholic School of St. Stephen's, Vienna, he sang in the choir and received his initial musical training there. His musical ability was recognized at an early age, and he soon established a reputation as a composer. In 1761 he became musical director to the Hungarian family of Prince Paul Esterhazy at their Vienna palace, remaining in this position for the next thirty years. This afforded him rich opportunities for musical creativity and experimentation. In 1794, Haydn first visited England, heard Britain's national anthem "God Save the King," and desired to write a similar one for Austria. The emperor's birthday on Feb. 12, 1797, provided him the opportunity to do so. He provided this music as a setting for Lorenz Hauschka's "Gott erhalte Franz der Kaiser," and it was first sung on that day to honor Emperor Franz II. It may have been possibly based on a Croatian folksong, "Vjatvo rano se ja vstanem." Later, Haydn used the same tune as a theme for variations in the slow movement of his string quartet known as the "Emperor" or "Kaiser," op. 76, no. 3. Five years after its composition, it was first used for a hymn in England by Edward Miller in his 1802 "Sacred Music." Its first appearance with Newton's text was in the 1889 edition of "Hymns Ancient and Modern." It is still used in Germany for the national song "Das Deutschlanlied," but because of the associations of the first stanza ("Deutschland, Deutschland uber alles") with the Nazis, the third stanza ("Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit") is now used for the German anthem. Raised a devout Roman Catholic, Haydn was a firm believer in Christ. He once wrote, "When I think of the divine Being, my heart is so full of joy that the notes fly off as from a spindle; and, as I have a cheerful heart, He will pardon me, if I serve Him cheerfully." During his lifetime, he composed more than one hundred symphonies, 22 operas, four oratorios, several concerti, church music, and a great deal of chamber works. Many themes from these works have been adpated into hymn tunes, and today he is considered one of the greatest composers of the Viennese "classical" period. He always began each manuscript with the inscription, "In Nomine Domini," and signed at the end, "Soli Deo Gloria!" or "Laus Deo." On a subsequent visit to England later in 1797, he received an honorary Mus. D. degree from Oxford University. His death occurred in Vienna, Austria, on May 31, 1809. This hymn describes the church of our Lord using Old Testament imagery. I. Stanza 1 calls it Zion, after the city which David conquered and in which was the temple. "Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God! He whose word cannot be broken Formed thee for His own abode: On the Rock of Ages founded, What can shake thy sure repose? With salvation's walls surrounded, THou mayest smile at all thy foes." A. Zion of the Old Testament is a type or figure of the church that Christ established in the new: Ps. 48:1-3 B. As the temple of the Old Testament was the symbol of God's presence among His people, so the church is the spiritual abode of God among men: Eph. 2:19-22 C. It is founded upon the Rock of Ages, Jesus Christ Himself: Matt. 16:18, 1 Cor. 3:11 II. Stanza 2 pictures this spiritual city as a beautiful place with living waters "See, the streams of living waters, Springing from eternal love, Well supply thy sons and daughters, And all fear of want remove: Who can faint while such a river Ever flows their thirst t'assuage? Grace, which like the Lord the Giver, never fails from age to age." A. The Old Testament prophets foresaw this Zion as a "place of broad rivers and streams" where "The LORD is our Lawgiver" (Isa. 33:20-22) B. In it, Jesus gives us the living water which springs up to everlasting life: Jn. 4.10-14 C. All this symbolizes the grace from the Lord, the Giver, by which we are saved and which never fails from age to age: Eph. 2.8-10 III. Stanza 3 changes the figure to God's wilderness provisions for Israel "Round each habitation hovering, See the cloud and fire appear For a glory and a covering, Showing that the Lord is near; Thus deriving from their banner Light by night and shade by day, Safe they feed upon the manna Which He gives them when they pray." A. During their wilderness journey, God guided His people with the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night: Exo. 13.22 B. Also, He fed them with manna: Exo. 116.4-18 C. In like manner, God through His Son Jesus Christ provides for and feeds us spiritually in the church because Jesus Himself is the bread of life come down from heaven: Jn. 6:30-35 IV. Stanza 4 makes application of the Old Testament figures to the church "Blest inhabitants of Zion, Washed in the Redeemer's blood; Jesus, whom their souls rely on, Makes them kings and priests to God. 'Tis His love His people raises Over self to reign as kings; And as priests, His solemn praises, Each for a thank offering brings." A. The inhabitants of Zion are those who have been saved and added by the Lord to His church: Acts 2:38, 41, 47 B. Thus, they have been washed in the Redeemer's blood: Eph. 1:7 C. The concept of being kings and priests, so prominent in the Old Tesament, is true of the citizens of this spiritual Zion because they have been washed from their sins in Christ's blood: Rev. 1.5-6 V. Stanza 5 concludes with a comparisons of the benefits of spiritual Zion to the things of this world "Savior if [most of our books have 'since'] of Zion's city I, through grace, a member am, Let the world deride or pity, I will glory in Thy name; Fading is the worldling's pleasure, All his boasted pomp and show; Solid joys and lasting reasure None but Zion's children know." A. It is a blessing and a privilege that we can, by the grace of God, be members of his spiritual Zion: 1 Cor. 12.12-13 B. Therefore, we must remember that we are not of this world and not be conformed to the fading pleasures of this world: Rom. 12.1-2 C. Rather, we must recognize that the earthly Zion or church of our Lord becomes the platform upon which we look for the heavenly city in which to dwell with God forever: Rev. 21.1-5 CONCL.: Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church in the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, this hymn was included in the 1921 "Great Songs of the Church" No. 1 and has been found in many others, though not all. Of the many hymn texts written by Newton, this is considered generally to be one of his finest and most joyous. And when this text is wedded to the stirring music of Haydn, it makes a worthy and uplifting hymn of worship for any congregation. It helps us to be thankful for the church that Jesus purchased with His own blood when we think enough of it to say, "Glorious Things Of Thee Are Spoken." Brotherly, Wayne S. Walker 9024 Amona Dr. Affton, MO 63123 home phone: (314) 638-4710 office phone: (314) 842-1612 e-mail: wswalker310@juno.com website: www.defenderoftruth.com (many of the past hymn studies may be found at this site, and additional ones are being posted every week) From wmessenger at juno.com Sat Oct 9 13:47:33 2004 From: wmessenger at juno.com (William C. Sexton) Date: Mon Oct 11 10:05:23 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] B>A Christian's Voice 10-10-2004 Message-ID: <20041209.124617.-3986717.6.WMessenger@juno.com> Skipped content of type multipart/alternative-------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/msword Size: 26264 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041009/8109a0fb/attachment.dot From brianyeager at wordsoftruth.net Sat Oct 9 15:14:20 2004 From: brianyeager at wordsoftruth.net (Brian A. Yeager) Date: Mon Oct 11 10:05:23 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A> Long Preaching Message-ID: <415949D9008582C6@mta5.wss.scd.yahoo.com> (added by postmaster@mail.san.yahoo.com) Good Afternoon: This is Brian Yeager sharing an article with all of you. Some Brethren Just Cannot Endure Long Preaching By: Brian A. Yeager As you all know very well, I tend to be what some would call ?long-winded? in preaching. When I have been away at Gospel Meetings this, for the most part, has not caused any difficulty. Among faithful brethren they have the concept of preach it hard and preach it long. However, on several occasions, I have found some who do not like a sermon to last longer than thirty minutes. Some say they just cannot pay attention to anything that lasts longer than thirty minutes. Some say that they cannot sit that long. Others argue that it just is not necessary to preach that long. Now, in all fairness, I have heard some sermons that lasted twenty minutes and were ten minutes too long simply because the point of the lesson was made early and the second half was a repetition of the first. However, that is not always the case with long sermons. Why is it that some brethren just cannot sit and listen to a long sermon? Let us entertain some thoughts along this line. For Some ?Brethren? Any Lesson is Too Long Some Christians are so in name alone. Their deeds display that they truly are not faithful to the Lord. For these individuals they just cannot endure sound doctrine no matter how long the lesson is. In warning about this, Paul penned: ?Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables? (II Timothy 4:2-4). In the days in which Isaiah was prophesying he found a similar problem to what we find today. He found that the people of God just did not want to hear the truth any longer. They wanted good words, fair speeches, and no correction. In fact, Isaiah wrote of the problem with the following words: ?That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us? (Isaiah 30:9-11). So, for some, the length of a lesson is not the true problem. It is that they just do not want to hear the truth! For Some ?Brethren? Time Can Be Spent Better Elsewhere Some so-called ?Christians? spend their time in worship services planning what they will do with the remainder of their day. Worship is to them a chore. It is something they do before lunch on a Sunday morning. Thus, when the man doing the preaching begins to go beyond the imaginary time limit, they get uneasy. They have plans, preacher. How dare a man take time from the Steeler?s game, the family picnic, nap time, or anything else? In Acts 20:9 Paul was ?long preaching?. This context is the primary reason saints assemble on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7ff.). Is a sermon error if it is short? NO! Is a sermon wrong if it is short because a bunch of worldly ?Christians? set the standard? Absolutely! As I have said many times, I will be done preaching when I finish! The faithful have no problem with sitting and learning the word of God. This, to a faithful Christian, is the most pleasurable experience of their week. How can someone sit through a three hour ballgame, tell you the play by play, and still argue that a 1 ? hour sermon is too long? They can do so because their interest is not in spiritual matters! Their focus is on the world, the events of the world, and what they see as profitable. Some ?Brethren? Just Don?t Like to be Told What to Do As a result of pride, some ?brethren? do not like being instructed. To the faithful saints this is absurd. To the unfaithful, long preaching is worse because they feel they have to ?get it from the preacher? for a longer period of time. First off, if a preacher is sound he is preaching the word of God, not his own words or agenda. Secondly, the word of God is meant, in part, for correction. Notice what Paul penned to Timothy: ?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, throughly furnished unto all good works? (II Timothy 3:16-17). For these individuals it is not the preacher, per say, it is the message. Too long is too much for them. Some ?Brethren? Need to Get Their Priorities Straight Some time back in a Gospel Meeting I was holding, I stressed to one of the elders of that local work my displeasure in the criticism I was getting for preaching too long. He said he wanted to give me some valuable advice from experience. He said if they want short preaching they will turn you off at thirty minutes so you are basically wasting your time anyway. He said we needed to be patient in allowing brethren to grow and allow them to see the value of longer lessons. I say, what a farce. If brethren reject preaching that is long, what does that tell you about their study time? Can one go to Heaven without studying the word of God? It seems to me that the Lord is clear in His instructions for us to learn. Jesus said: ?Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me? (John 5:39). When we speak of nobility (high character) among children of God, we recognize those who study as noble: ?These [the Bereans] were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so? (Acts 17:11). A Christian must be able to handle aright the word of God (II Timothy 2:15). A Christian must be able to give an answer (I Peter 3:15) when they are tested as we ought to be (I Thessalonians 5:21 and I John 4:1). Preaching, when from the word of God, is a source of spiritual food. Jesus said: ? It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God? (Matthew 4:4). Christians have a hard time wanting to be fed because their priorities are set on carnal things. Paul had to address the problem with the brethren in Corinth: ?And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase? (I Corinthians 3:1-6). As Christians, we are to have our affections set on things above, not on the things of this earth (Colossians 3:1-3). If we do not enjoy hearing the word of God preached, how can we argue that we are a people of a spiritual mindset? Conclusion Television, sporting events, secular entertainment, and a host of other things of this world have grabbed the attention of many Christians. Preachers and elders then contribute to the problem by demanding short lessons to appeal to the lack of attention people want to pay to the Gospel. The Psalmist said: ?Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night? (Psalms 1:1-2). I often imagine how wonderful it would have been to witness the following: ?And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the Lord their God? (Nehemiah 9:3). I have wondered how great it would be to find brethren who would be willing to assemble daily in fellowship and to study the word of God (Acts 2:46). To truly represent New Testament Christianity is to love the Lord, His word, and truly desire to serve and worship Him. This includes having the desire to hear and preach the Gospel (Acts 5:42; 20:20)! Brian A. Yeager brianyeager@wordsoftruth.net http://www.wordsoftruth.net 126 First Street Butler, PA 16001 724-282-9417 From joe at bibleanswer.com Sat Oct 9 16:04:52 2004 From: joe at bibleanswer.com (Joe R. Price) Date: Mon Oct 11 10:05:24 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] B>The Spirit's Sword (VIII:15) - October 10, 2004 Message-ID: <41685274.4030603@bibleanswer.com> THE SPIRIT'S SWORD (Volume VIII, Number 15 - October 10, 2004) "And take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17) Published by: The Mt. Baker church of Christ 1860 Mt. Baker HWY Bellingham, WA 98226 Visit our Web Sites: Mt. Baker church of Christ: http://mtbakercofc.org Bible Answers: http://www.bibleanswer.com The Spirit's Sword: http://www.bibleanswer.com/ssword.htm Editor: Joe R. Price In this issue: ____________________________________ -The "Forgotten Side" of Romans 14 -Sermon Outlines --Water Baptism: Objections to its Necessity (# 5) --Binding Where the Lord has not Bound ____________________________________ THE "FORGOTTEN SIDE" OF ROMANS 14 Joe R. Price Does Romans 14 have practical application for Christians today? Or, is the passage to be relegated to a position of past relevancy without present purpose? How we answer this question will go far in helping us understand how revealed truth has a range of application that must be respected by all who are ?endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace? (Eph. 4:3). Romans 14 does not sanction unity in doctrinal and moral diversity (2 Jno. 9-11; Gal. 1:6-10; 1 Cor. 4:6, 17 and other verses expose this error). It is wrong to conclude that all areas of application fall into the realm of judgment. Along with the apostle and in harmony with the Lord?s authority, we continue to plead that Christians ?all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment? (1 Cor. 1:10). At the same time, there are some areas in the application of truth that the Lord has left to personal judgment. When we forget the proper role and use of Romans 14, unity among the people of God is hindered. It is truly tragic that the very purpose for which the apostle wrote Romans 14 in the first place ? how to remain united in truth when brethren conscientiously differ on some specific items or details in their application of revealed truth ? is the very point we fail to grasp and use in our plea for unity. At the heart of properly understanding and applying Romans 14 is the reality that there will be differences in how brethren make specific applications of truth. Of course, that application must not violate the word of God, and that is the crucial point here. It is not ?getting soft? and ?compromising with error? to point out areas of legitimate differences in the application of truth. Did Paul compromise with error when he said the meat-eater could eat meat? The herb-eater may have been inclined to think so, but it would have been a wrong conclusion. Did Paul compromise with error when he told the herb-eater to not eat meat? The meat-eater may have been inclined to think so, but it would have been a wrong conclusion. Did Paul compromise the truth of God when he acknowledged a brother could esteem one day above another? No, he did not. (Rom. 14:1-6) Yet, someone responds, ?There can only be one correct application of truth. You are condoning error and compromise with such talk.? If that judgment is true and just, then the apostle Paul greatly erred by allowing both the meat-eater and the herb-eater to continue their different conduct with fully assured minds (14:1-5, 23). The truth of the matter had indeed been revealed: meat does not commend man to God (1 Cor. 8:8); all meat is clean (Mk. 7:19). Yet, there is no divine directive that compels one to eat meat. Conscience may restrain one from its consumption. Thus, accepting the truth that meat is clean also allows us to make different applications of that truth without sin. For example, it was that very area of judgment Paul appealed to in 1 Corinthians 8 to teach the meat-eater to lay aside his right to eat meat for the sake of the brother with a weak conscience (who could otherwise be emboldened to eat in violation of his conscience and sin, 1 Cor. 8:7-13). While ?all things are lawful for me?, Paul also said, ?not all things are helpful? (1 Cor. 10:23). Some times he would eat meat and at other times he would refrain. He would make different applications of the same truth without in anyway sinning against the Lord or His brother (1 Cor. 8:13; 10:31-33). Consider another example of a revealed truth where application can vary without sin: the truth that God is to be held in reverence. The Scriptures emphatically command us to revere God and only worship Him (Prov. 3:7; Eccl. 12:13; Matt. 10:28; 1 Pet. 2:17). There is no doubt that our words must show reverence for Almighty God (Psa. 19:14; 51:15; Col. 3:17). But the question arises, how do we apply the principle of reverence to our speech? In an effort to show reverence for God, some good brethren have come to the conclusion that God must be addressed in prayer with the pronouns ?Thee? and ?Thou?. Other equally good brethren reverently address God in prayer using the pronouns ?You? and ?Your?. Both recognize the need for reverent speech before God, yet, in their speech they make different applications of that principle of truth. Is one in error, compromising and sinning against God, while the other is standing strong for the truth? In fact, neither is violating the word of God; both are acceptable to Him. Why? Although reverent speech is authorized, there is God-allowed latitude of application. God has not specified only one approved group of pronouns (?Thee? and ?Thou?) when addressing God in prayer. Therefore, both will be heard by God. Such is a case of different applications (i.e., which pronouns to use in prayer) of one revealed truth (reverent speech before God). Please note: irreverent speech is neither acceptable nor approved. Romans 14 teaches those who are united over the necessity of reverent speech to ?receive one another? in such areas of differing applications of reverence (Rom. 15:7). It is only when brethren begin to bind upon others their opinions concerning application in such cases that disruption and division occurs. Such division is caused by binding the opinions and traditions of men upon the consciences of others ? the very thing Romans 14 is intended to prevent. Have we forgotten how to properly use Romans 14 today? The past several years has seen interest heightened to the point of debate and division over the subject of divorce and remarriage. Brethren are once again challenged to distinguish the difference between binding truth and allowable differences (cf. Phil. 1:9-11). Is it possible to be united in the truth of the gospel on marriage, divorce and remarriage, and yet differ over some specific points of application? Yes, just as surely as it was for the meat-eater and the herb-eater to differ in their application of food consumption while not having fellowship with the idol. Yes it is possible, just as surely as it is for brethren who agree we must have reverence for God to differ on which pronouns to use when applying that principle of reverence. The revealed pattern of divine truth on marriage, divorce and remarriage is unassailable and must not be compromised: one man and one woman for life with one exception (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6, 9; Rom. 7:2-3; 1 Cor. 7:10-11; Heb. 13:4). Any teaching or practice that contradicts this pattern of sound doctrine is error and must be resisted. For example, the ?one-loosed, both loosed? doctrine that allows for unrestrained remarriage, the desertion exemption for remarriage (that misunderstands and misapplies 1 Cor. 7:15), the so-called ?waiting game? and the teaching that alien sinners are not under the marriage law of the gospel of Christ are among the erroneous doctrines that must be withstood because they violate ?the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints? (Jude 3; 2 Jno. 9-11; Gal. 1:6-9). Still, it must be acknowledged that brethren who are united on the aforementioned principle of truth (one man and one woman for life with one exception) conscientiously differ on some of the applications of that God-given pattern. Differences in application that do not violate the God-given pattern for marriage, divorce and remarriage should not be made tests of fellowship. That is the ?forgotten side? of Romans 14. Will we have the abundant ?love?, ?knowledge and all discernment? necessary to ?approve the things that are excellent? and to remain ?sincere and without offense till the day of Christ? as we address this subject (Phil. 1:9-10)? Or, will we disrupt unity with the stumbling block of binding personal conscience upon others? Romans 14 still has application today. We must be able to distinguish between necessary things and allowable differences or we will forever be laying a stumbling block that Romans 14 commands us to avoid (see Rom. 14:1, 10-13). The factiousness of binding where the Lord has not bound is just as devastating to the body of Christ as is loosing where the Lord has not loosed. There is no virtue in being ?ultra-conservative? when that means trampling on God-allowed liberties. Brother Keith Greer recently reminded us of some applications of the Bible?s teaching on MDR over which brethren disagree even while they maintain agreement on the divine pattern of one man and one woman for life, with one exception (Matt. 19:4-6, 9). The differences in application he noted were: ? Does the cause (adultery) have to be written on the papers? ? Does the cause (adultery) have to be written on the papers? ? Can an adulterous mate execute a civil divorce against a faithful mate, and the faithful mate be prohibited from remarrying because he/she is the ?put-away? mate? ? What if both parties commit adultery? ? Can the first mate (the faithful one) take back and remarry the ?guilty party? after the divorce? ? Does death sever the put-away fornicator?s marriage bond? ? Can a Christian put away his mate for the ?kingdom?s sake? and remain unmarried or be reconciled? (?Are We Doomed to Divide??, Keith Greer, Knollwood Messenger, July 2004) When conscience compels a brother or sister to hold fast to one application over another, and truth is not violated by doing so, we are to respect their conscience and not press our different (though equally sound) application to the point of division. That is the ?side? of Romans 14 we must not forget. We must remember to receive one another when there is dispute over ?doubtful things? instead of pressing personal scruples to the point of forcing the violation of conscience and rupturing unity in the body of Christ. Will there be differences among us over what may properly be considered ?doubtful things? that allow for such differences in application? Yes, there will. When such differences arise we must rise to the challenge and show ?all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love? as we diligently study God?s word together to understand the way of God more accurately, always ?endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace? (Eph. 4:2-3; 2 Tim. 2:14-16; Acts 17:11-12). Unless and until we are willing and able to distinguish between the revealed truth of the gospel and personal scruples we will be plagued with the liberalism of unity in doctrinal diversity on the one hand, and the factionalism of binding human traditions on the other. Both are instruments of the devil to divide and devour the body of Christ. We must not be ignorant of his devices (2 Cor. 2:11). Let us be careful how we hear God?s word (and each other); not with prejudiced ears and hardened hearts, but with fair minds that search out God?s word while thinking the best of one other (Lk. 8:18; Acts 17:10-11; Rom. 15:6; 1 Cor. 13:4-7). ?But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!? (Gal. 5:15) May the Lord grant His children the wisdom and humility we need to accomplish His will in all things (Col. 1:9-12). ____________________ For the complete outline go to http://www.bibleanswer.com/baptism5.htm Scripture Reading: Titus 3:1-7 Part 5 WATER BAPTISM: Objections to its Necessity I. ?YOU BELIEVE IN BAPTISMAL REGENERATION.? -Truth: Baptism is the Means by which God?s Mercy Saves Man, Tit. 3:4-7 (Eph. 2:8-9; Acts 22:16) II. ?PAUL WAS SENT ?NOT TO BAPTIZE, BUT TO PREACH?? ? 1 Cor. 1:17. -Truth: Point of Emphasis was Preaching the Gospel, Not who Does the Baptizing, Matt. 28:19. (cf. Jno. 12:44; 1 Pet. 3:3-4) III. ?IN ACTS 2:38, BAPTISM IS ?BECAUSE OF? REMISSION OF SINS.? A. Translations Reject this Meaning. B. Context Rejects this Meaning. C. Definition of eis Rejects this Meaning. IV. ?RESTRICTS OPPORTUNITIES TO BE SAVED.? A. The Man in the Desert (North Pole, etc.), Acts 8:26, 36; 2 Cor. 6:2. V. ?MARK 16:9-20 IS NOT INSPIRED MATERIAL.? - Believers turn skeptic to discredit baptism! ____________________ For the complete outline go to http://www.bibleanswer.com/bindnotbound.htm Scripture Reading: Acts 15:22-29 BINDING WHERE THE LORD HAS NOT BOUND I. UNITY IS DESTROYED BY: A. Going Beyond what is Written, 2 Jno. 9; Gal. 1:8-9; 1 Cor. 4:6; 1 Jno. 1:1-4. B. Demanding Conformity to the Traditions of Men, Acts 15:1, 5, 24; Gal. 2:4-5; Mk. 7:1-13. II. MUST DISCERN & AVOID BOTH EXTREMES, Phil. 1:9-11. A. There are Necessary Things, Acts 15:28-29. B. There are Liberties (not bound), Rom. 14:1-2. C. The Inability or Unwillingness to Discern the Difference Causes Division in the Body of Christ, Gal. 5:13-15, 2 Tim. 2:14-18. D. Respect for & the Proper Application of Bible Authority will keep us on the Solid Ground of Truth, Col. 3:17; 1 Tim. 1:3-7. III. APPLYING THE PRINCIPLES. ____________________ The Spirit's Sword is a free, weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA Send all questions, comments and subscriptions to the editor at: ssword@bibleanswer.com ********************************************** Joe R Price Email: joe@bibleanswer.com Web Sites: Bible Answers: http://www.bibleanswer.com Mt. Baker church of Christ: http://www.mtbakercofc.org Fax: 775.878.4823 ********************************************** From johncripps at yanceync.net Sat Oct 9 18:45:46 2004 From: johncripps at yanceync.net (johncripps) Date: Mon Oct 11 10:05:24 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] H: a Touch of The Masters Hand Message-ID: <4168782A.80005@yanceync.net> Brethren I need Your Help, Does anyone have the Poem that was published in Jimmy Trutens Sermon Works called "The touch of the Masters Hand"? If so could you forward it on to me ASAP. Thank You, John Cripps From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Oct 11 07:06:29 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Mon Oct 11 10:05:24 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) GOD'S ETERNAL PURPOSE Message-ID: <1f4.9df89a.2e9bd145@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Monday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with a fruitful day. Here is an article that recently came my way: GOD'S ETERNAL PURPOSE God's plan for man provides all spiritual blessings in His Son Jesus Christ. The eternal God of the Bible operates within His plan. "accord- ing to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will" (Eph. 1:11). Definitely omnipotence of Deity is here affirmed; God accomplishes all of His purposes and plans according to His own will. The epistle to the Ephesians re- veals His purposes embracing man, and they all necessitate the Lord Jesus Christ. God is not willing that any should perish (2 Pet. 3:9), so He provides an alternative on conditions (Rom. 6:17,18). Man's free-will must submit to the sovereign will of his Maker that transformation take place. Sin in man's life is dealt with in God's way, not according to the plans and creeds of men (see Rom. 10: 1-3). God's provisions and actions to "put away sin" in making men "accepted in the Beloved" is according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself; it is the eternal purpose of God. All the Father's plans find their consummation in Jesus Christ through whom He created all things. The eternal purpose of God "was accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Eph. 3:11). It was never God's intention to save man without doing so in and through His own Son, and when the fullness of time came in the Father's plan He gave His own beloved Son in death to make the difference. Early in man's history this plan was not revealed to him in detail, but in the unfolding of the ages God raised up prophe- ts and caused them to speak and write of the coming One (Eph. 3:3-5), and apostolic preaching carefully and faithfully affirm its stated contents to be "according to the scriptures" (1 Cor. 15: 3,4). The intricate elements embodying His purposes in Christ are now revealed to us in scripture, and we can know what the will of God for us is (Eph. 5:17). The church that Jesus built is the eternal purpose of God. It is "the whole family" of God. The church is not brick and mortar, wood and iron, but redeemed souls in Christ whom God indwells (Acts 17:24,25; Heb. 3:6). God's purpose is the reconciliation of man to Himself in one body by the cross (Eph. 2:16), which He accomplished in Christ -- that "He might gather together in one all things in Christ" (Eph. 1:10). This people in Christ is in relat- ionship to the world the church; ekklesia, ek, "out of" and kaleo, "to call." They were called out of the world throught the gospel preached by the apostles (Eph. 3:6; 2 Thes. 2:13,14). Gospel preaching is essential to the calling and through it men are deliver- ed from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of Jesus Christ (Col. 1:13). Both Jew and Gentile were in the world and of the world; both alienated from God by their own sins, but the object of God's love and in His eternal plan for unification in Christ (Eph. 1:11-14). The eternal purpose of God, realized in Christ, included all spir- itual blessings for all men (Eph. 1:3). It truly is a near unspeakable blessing that God reconciles man to Himself upon His forgiving our sins; sin is the barrier between the two parties, and when God re- moves it in man's faithful obedience to the gospel, reconciliation is effected. The estrangement no longer exists, and friendship is re- stored. What a system of grace is seen in His purpose in Christ! We have access to this and, as faithful Christians, stand in His grace (Rom. 5:2). As children of God we have filial rights in Christ to all blessings vouchsafed, with access to the mercy-seat. This is God's way. He beforehand determined the conditions on which such is offered and enjoyed by saying, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accept- ed in the Beloved" (Eph. 1:3-6). God's eternal purpose realized in Christ embraces His heading up all things in the Lord; obtaining an inheritance, having redemp- tion through His blood, forgiveness of sins, sealed or marked with the Holy Spirit of promise, made alive together with Christ, made Jew and Gentile one -- one body of believers (the church of Christ) through the cross, to name a few. Christ is God's theme for the world; He is the subject of apostolic preaching, and the possibility for human redemption. He is God and man, the essential One who alone fulfills the demands in the eternal purpose of God to the re- demption of man. His eternal purpose is unalterable, meaning nothing can or will be changed to the wishes of man. ----Earl E. Robertson in Biblical Insights, Vol. 4, No. 9, Sept. 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041011/7c6546e4/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Oct 11 07:06:37 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Mon Oct 11 10:05:25 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) THERE IS ONLY ONE OF EACH! Message-ID: <1c8.1f7f74b2.2e9bd14d@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study that rec- ently came my way. Use to the glory of God. THERE IS ONLY ONE OF EACH! "I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called, with all lowlin- ess and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing on another in love; giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all" (Eph. 4:1-6). The number seven is a significant number in the Scriptures. Look at the Book of Revelation: "seven churches...seven stars.. seven angels...seven bowls...seven seals...seven trumpets" etc. The number "seven" usually indicates "entire, perfect, com- plete." In other words, where "seven" is used in Scripture it indic- ates "the whole thing." And so it does in our text, above. While there may be many other headings under which Christianity could be arranged, these seven which are listed in Eph. 4:4-6 are signifi- cant. Every major premise and tenet in the religion of Jesus can be found under one of these headings. There Is One Body: -- I believe it is highly significant that the inspired apostle lists first, "one body." But just what is that body? Let the Scriptures answer. The apostle Paul, earlier in this same letter, said of God, "He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulnes of Him that filleth all in all" (Eph. 1:22,23). Note that the church is the body. And Jesus Christ is "the head of the body, the church" (Col. 1:18). I know this goes against the grain with denominations, but it is still true: "there is one body." That body is the church. The church is the body. Jesus promised, "I will build my church" (Matt. 16:18). That is "the one body." He never promised to build "churches", so each could have one that pleased him or that "suited his needs." The apostle Paul told the elders of the church in Ephesus, "Feed the church of the Lord which He purchased with His own blood" (Acts 20:28). That church, which is the one body, is also the bride of Christ: "For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, being Himself the Savior of the body...Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church, and gave Himself up for it" (Eph. 5: 23-25). The Lord Jesus died for that church, and He died for no other. That "one body" is one church, and it should not be divided nor called by denominational names. Such names just naturally divide, and the Lord says, "Let there be no divisions among you...Is Christ divided?" (1 Cor. 1:10-13). The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is adequate for all believers, and the world needs no other. "There is one body." There Is One Spirit: -- The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead (2 Cor. 13:14; Col. 2:9). The Spirit came on the scene for man's salvation by guiding the apostles, according to the promise of Jesus. "The Holy Spirit shall teach you in that very hour what ye ought to say...The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you" (Lk. 12:12; Jno. 14:26). The apostles received the Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2;1-4), and from that time they "spake as the Spirit gave them utterance." The Lord revealed the extent of the Spirit's guidance in these words, "Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He shall guide you into all truth" (Jno. 16:13). The apostle Paul defines the "inspiration" of the Scriptures in (2 Tim. 3:16,17) when he writes: "All Scripture is given by inspi- ration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." Note also, 1 Cor. 2:11-13. The only way to know God, or His will, is by the "words" which the Spirit gave. That is why Jesus told the apostles, "He that heareth you heareth Me; and he that rejecteth you rejecteth Me" (Lk. 10:16). Because they were guided by the Holy Spirit, they spoke and wrote, "the word of God, which worketh in you that believe" (1 Thes. 2:13). There Is One Hope: -- We are "saved by hope" (Rom. 8:24) But what is that "one hope" of the Bible? Some today hope for an earthly reign of 1,000 years, others hope for many different things. But the Scriptures say "There is one hope." Notice this descript- ion of our hope: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefil- ed, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you" (1 Pet. 1:3,4). Notice that our inheritance is "in heaven." An old song says, "This world is not our home, we are just a-passing through." Our hope lies beyond the grave. The Bible says that we live, "In hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before times eternal...Being justified by His grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 1:2; 3:7). The apostle John writes of this hope, "And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in His Son...These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that he have eternal life" (1 Jno. 5:11,13). The "one hope" is based on our being "in Christ." If we are not in Christ, we have no hope at all. There Is One Lord: -- Jesus is revealed in Scripture to be Prophet, Priest and King. As a prophet, He is the spokesman of God. As a priest, He mediates between mankind and God. As king, He reigns over the kingdom of God. Just before His ascens- ion back to the Father, Jesus said, "All authority hath been given unto Me in heaven and on earth" (Matt.28:18). And be- fore this, God spoke of Him, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased, hear ye Him" (Matt. 17:5). The apostle Peter on Pentecost (Acts 2) preached the gospel publicly for the first time. At the conclusion of that sermon, He said "Let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified" (Acts 2:36). As the apostles continued to preach, they met oppos- ition from the Jews. But they said of Jesus, "In none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). He is the "one Lord" and the only Savior. To reject Jesus as "both Lord and Christ" is to reject salvation and the hope of heaven. There Is One Faith: -- Contrary to what denominations teach, we are not offered a choice of faiths! Ther is only one that is pleasing to God. And this is not simply a "mental assent" to some fact. It is a whole system of religion, "the gospel." In the beginn- ing of the church, "A great company of the priests were obed- ient to the faith" (Acts 6:7). Notice that expression, "the faith." Those folk were obedient to "the faith," which certainly indicates a system of religion. Paul later encouraged us, "With one soul striving for the faith of the gospel" (Phil. 1:27). And Jude ex- horts us, "Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3). If all accepted the "one faith," they would all be in the "one body" serving the "one Lord." The denominations that exist are a shame to Christ, for they diminish His Lordship by rejecting many of "ones" found here in Eph. 4. The Lord prayed that we should "all be one" just as He and the Father are one (Jno. 17:20). And if all would accept the "one faith" that would happen! And it isn't simply a mattrer of believing the same thing, it means also being "obedient to the (one) faith." As the Lord reminds us, "Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself...But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?...Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only" (Jas. 2:17,20,24). There Is One Baptism: -- After His death and resurrection, Jesus told the apostles, "Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 28:19). The pur- pose of this one baptism is clearly stated: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mk. 16:16). And this "one baptism" is shown to be water baptism: "And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?.. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him" (Acts 8:36-38). And again, "Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized?" (Acts 10:46,47). This "one baptism" is "unto the remission of your sins" (Acts 2:38), and is "into the death" of Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:3). While many today disparage the necessity of baptism, the truth of God, as revealed in His word, is that no one can become a Christ- ian or child of God without being baptized. God's word says, "Are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:3,4). Notice that we are "baptized into Christ." There is no other way to get into Christ! We are "baptized into His death." Just how important is the death of Christ to being saved? The text says that baptism is a burial, as Acts 8:36-38 as given above, shows. And notice, too, that "new life" does not begin until baptism. As we read, "If any be in Christ, he is a new creature" (2 Cor. 5: 17). So the "one baptism" is the baptism of the "Great Commiss- ion" and it continues just as long as the "Great Commission" is in effect. There Is One God: -- "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). That is the "one God." He is the Creator, Father, eternal, omnipotent, omniscient and there is no other God in the universe. "In Him we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28). When He saw mankind, made in His image (Gen. 1:26), going away from Him into sin, He determin- ed to sen "His only begotten So" (Jno. 3:16) into the world to offer Himself as the sacrifice for sin. He loves us and wants us to come back to Him. He "would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:4). It just doesn't make sense to ask, "What faith do you hold?" or "What church are you a member of?" Friend, "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God" (Eph. 4:4-6). Believe it, and base you life on that "one" basis. -------Clem Thurman in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 53, No. 41, Oct. 8, 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041011/927e7931/attachment.htm From fredandstella at wcrtc.net Sun Oct 10 19:58:17 2004 From: fredandstella at wcrtc.net (The Bishops) Date: Mon Oct 11 10:05:53 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Request References: <000901c4ad4e$02b09dc0$66c64c42@coxinternet.com> Message-ID: <003a01c4af2d$65f09030$1ec4b5cc@FRED> Skipped content of type multipart/alternative-------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 145 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041010/ff965204/attachment-0001.gif From DavidRiggs01 at comcast.net Mon Oct 11 23:35:44 2004 From: DavidRiggs01 at comcast.net (David Riggs) Date: Mon Oct 11 20:21:33 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Request Message-ID: <416B5F20.20206@comcast.net> Does anyone have any information on the word "chorizo" (separate) as used in the ?mental divorce? issue. Someone is using the word to affirm a ?legal separation.? If you have any information on the word, please send it to me at: DavidRiggs01@comcast.net Thanks, David Riggs From ZekeFlores1 at cs.com Mon Oct 11 10:51:52 2004 From: ZekeFlores1 at cs.com (ZekeFlores1@cs.com) Date: Mon Oct 11 20:21:55 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S> Our Duty To God and Country Message-ID: Here's a sermon with a somewhat patriotic flavor. Many responded favorably to it here, hope you can use it. Zeke Flores Rio Grande Valley church of Christ Belen, NM ********************************************************************** Our Duty To God and Country Intro Christians are citizens of a heavenly country. A. Jesus is our king, His rule is supreme. 1. "We must obey God rather than men." Acts 5:29 B. Yet, we are still bound somewhat to the laws of man. 1. "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God, the things that are God's." Luke 20:25 C. Government and the concept of authority originated with God. 1. So, they are to be used in service for good. a. Rom 13:1-7 D. Election Day nears and Christians must be involved in it. 1. We are commanded to be salt and light - Light illuminates, salt preserves. 2. We must use our rights citizens also in service to God. a. 1 Pet 2:13-17 3. One way to do this is by the people we elect. a. "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan." Prov 29:2 b. "Now, more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature. . . . If the next centennial does not find us a great nation . . . it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces." (Pres. James Garfield, July 1877) E. It was the plan and intent of the founding fathers that godly men guided by godly principles remain involved in the political, judicial, and educational realm. Consider what some said: 1. "It is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue." (John Adams, 2nd Pres.) 2. "There are three points of doctrine the belief of which forms the foundation of all morality. The first is the existence of God; the second is the immortality of the human soul; the third is a future state of rewards and punishments. Suppose it is possible for a man to disbelieve... these three articles of faith and that man will have no conscience..." (John Quincy Adams, 6th Pres.) 3. "Our liberty depends on our education, our laws, and habits ... it is founded on morals and religion, whose authority reigns in the heart, and on the influence all these produce on public opinion before that opinion governs rulers." (Fisher Ames, 1st Amendment Framer) 4. "Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion ... are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments." (Charles Carroll, Signer of Declaration of Independence) 5. "It is certainly true that a popular government cannot flourish without virtue in the people." (Richard Lee, Signer of D. of I.) 6. "It is impossible that any people of government should ever prosper, where men render not unto God, that which is God's, as well as to Caesar, that which is Caesar's." (William Penn) 7. "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people." Prov 14:34 F. It is obvious that these sentiments have been laid aside. 1. "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?" Ps 11:3 2. Answer: PLENTY! And we must start now! I. What Christians Can Do A. Pray 1. 1 Tim 2:1-4 2. Prayer for civic leaders needs to be a daily policy. a. Not just that our leaders are good, but that the legislation they implement will give God's truth free course. B. Teach Your Children 1. Eph 6:4 2. Teach them the godly religious heritage that our country sprang from. 3. Inform them of the importance of involving godly principles in our public affairs. C. Get Involved! 1. "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." (Edmund Burke) 2. 1 Pet 2:12, Titus 3:1 a. Especially important when we choose our leaders. 3. Not long ago, an overwhelming majority supported moral behavior. a. 94% believed in God. (1) Gallup Poll, 1986 b. Over 80% approved of voluntary school prayer (1) Compendium of American Public Opinion, 1988 c. 81% opposed homosexual behavior (1) General Social Survey, Nat'l Opinion Research Center, 1987 d. 89% opposed abortion as means of birth control (1) Boston Globe, 10-31-1989 e. These statistics have changed dramatically! Why? 4. Because Christians have largely failed to involve themselves in political affairs. a. Jesus said in a parable, "Occupy until I come.." Luke 19:13 b. The word means to stay busy - Let's get busy! D. Get Informed! 1. Do you know how your favorite candidate stands on moral issues? a. Could you, in good conscience vote for a "morally challenged" candidate? b. Consider what prophet Jehu said to King Jehoshaphat regarding his attachment to Ahab: "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD and so bring wrath on yourself from the LORD?" 2 Chr 19:2 2. It is vital to investigate a candidate's private life and beliefs. a. "... you will know them by their fruits." Matt 7:20 b. Learn your candidates view on: (1) The relationship between God and the govt (2) Abortion (3) Homosexual behavior c. If he's morally off, tell others! (1) Eph 5:11 d. Start at wallbuilders.com Click on "Helpful Links" for a variety of resources. E. Develop and Maintain A Sense Of Duty 1. Re-instilling morals and Biblical values will not be an easy task, nor will it be quickly accomplished. a. Our "microwave, in an instant" mentality must be overcome. b. It took many decades to arrive at the situation we're in and will take time, willpower, and steadfastness to dig us out. 2. We must regain some national sense of virtue and uprightness or we'll fall just as surely as Rome did. a. Duty is largely overlooked in society, but it must be the Christian's watchword. b. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Eccl 12:13-14 Conc Exercise YOUR civic duty A. Do it with Scriptural conviction and rooted in Biblical morality. B. Perhaps some day we can say about America: "How blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!" Psalm 144:15 C. INV -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041011/bb124258/attachment-0001.htm From halhammons at msn.com Mon Oct 11 11:44:50 2004 From: halhammons at msn.com (Hal Hammons) Date: Mon Oct 11 20:21:55 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] tgn update Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041011/5dbf0440/attachment-0001.htm From dmartin5 at concentric.net Mon Oct 11 13:34:31 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Mon Oct 11 20:21:55 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A review of Joe Price's material Message-ID: <001201c4afc0$f3cd0da0$86306a43@concentric.net> Don Martin to the list: I have elected to review the material published to Biblemat by Joe Price, pursuant to the provision for challenge. I am referring to Joe's article titled, "The 'Forgotten Side' of Romans 14" that was published October 10 to this good list and that was also published in Joe's, "The Spirit's Sword." I believe the material contains serious error that must be challenged. Let me preface this review by saying that I have counted Joe a friend for many years. In fact, Holly Street in Denver, Colorado, where I preach and serve as one of the elders has financially supported Joe since the mid- seventies. However, friends and relationships must not be allowed to cause us to look the other way when error is taught. I shall attempt to be brief and focus on the substantive differences. A Review of Joe Price's "The 'Forgotten Side' of Romans 14." There are obviously a number of points that Joe made with which I certainly agree. Joe asked the question regarding Romans 14: "Or, is the passage to be relegated to a position of past relevancy without present purpose?" Don comments: Romans 14 is definitely one of the most abused texts today. It has been misused to become the umbrella for just about every imaginable false doctrine and special cause. The text absolutely does not accept any doctrinal and moral deviation practice or position. With this fact, Joe says he agrees: "Romans 14 does not sanction unity in doctrinal and moral diversity (2 Jno. 9-11; Gal. 1:6-10; 1 Cor. 4:6, 17 and other verses expose this error)." However, as we shall see, Joe has an entirely different view of what constitutes error, at least relative to marriage, divorce, and marriage to another, as we shall see. Romans 14 manifestly contains teaching that is germane to Christians today. I have in mind such teaching as resident in verses 8, 11, 12. Having said this, the special teaching pertaining to the then prevailing problem relative to eating herbs only; observing special days; and oinos or "wine" is somewhat endemic (Rom. 14: 2-4; 5, 6; 21). I say this for a number of reasons and I suggest the exact situation of Romans 14 cannot be completely duplicated today. Regardless if you understand the "weak" brethren as being of a Gentile or Jewish background, this was a condition (the predisposition toward herbs, days, and oinos) that had been in place (its influence, both culturally and socially) for some time. The more one knows of the contemporary Gentile and Jewish world, the more one realizes the attendant peculiarities to the circumstance being addressed in Romans 14. It must be understood, moreover, that the particularity of Romans 14 did not involve sin, unless they violated their consciences, and were morally and doctrinally indifferent (see verse 14, 17; 23). Therefore, to attempt to place any matter of doctrinal and/or moral departure into the text of Romans 14, is to gravely misuse the teaching regarding the special circumstances being treated by Paul. To use Romans 14 to foster an open practice regarding fellowship or to sanction aspects of present day teaching on MDR that are wrong is to also misuse Romans 14. Herein, I firmly believe Joe and a host of others err and must be exposed. I also agree with Joe's statement: "How we answer this question will go far in helping us understand how revealed truth has a range of application that must be respected by all who are "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3)." Allow me to get to the point: We (the elders at Holly Street) have been corresponding with Joe for several months regarding his defense of the teaching being done by Mike Willis (Joe is a staff writer for the paper regarding which Mike Willis serves as a co-editor). Mike taught here in the Denver metro area this year(the Boston Street church in Aurora) that there are multiple causes for divorce, spiritual incompatibility being one. Mike's teaching is error and contradicts a number of verses that plainly state that divorce is only allowed for fornication (Matt. 5: 32; I Cor. 7: 2ff.). However, Joe has defended Mike's teaching and does not consider it error that must be exposed. It appears that Joe is now looking to Romans 14 for justification of his defense of Mike Willis' teaching and also of Ron Halbrook's teaching on MDR (the innocent put away may later put away when the putting away mate marries another, a form of the old waiting game teaching). Joe and many associated with Truth Magazine and the Guardian of Truth Foundation are heard saying the same thing and that is that we can accept the truth but differ in application of that truth and, yet, continue in fellowship. Joe and some others are all in unison in maintaining that we can differ regarding how many causes there are for scriptural divorce and whether or not the innocent put away is actually put away and if they can subsequently put away and marry another (Matt. 19: 9; Lk. 16: 18). Joe wrote: "When we forget the proper role and use of Romans 14, unity among the people of God is hindered. It is truly tragic that the very purpose for which the apostle wrote Romans 14 in the first place - how to remain united in truth when brethren conscientiously differ on some specific items or details in their application of revealed truth - is the very point we fail to grasp and use in our plea for unity." When I study such verses as Matthew 5: 32, 19: 9 and I Corinthians 7: 2-11, I see the teaching of one man and one woman for life, only one cause for divorce, and the put away, whether innocent or guilty, not being allowed to put away and marry another, as all basic teaching of these verses. However, Joe and others are saying such teaching is not all basic and present. They tell us that teaching that allows divorce for some additional reasons other than fornication and that the put away may later, after the fact of divorcement, put away and marry another are points that we must accept or we are standing in the way of true unity and the teaching of Romans 14. I staunchly take issue with Joe. Joe used an article written by another friend of mine, Keith Greer to attempt to add credence to his plea. Joe wrote (I have taken the liberty to omit one repeated matter and to numbering them): "Brother Keith Greer recently reminded us of some applications of the Bible's teaching on MDR over which brethren disagree even while they maintain agreement on the divine pattern of one man and one woman for life, with one exception (Matt. 19:4-6, 9). The differences in application he noted were: 1. Does the cause (adultery) have to be written on the papers? 2. Can an adulterous mate execute a civil divorce against a faithful mate, and the faithful mate be prohibited from remarrying because he/she is the "put-away" mate? 3. What if both parties commit adultery? 4. Can the first mate (the faithful one) take back and remarry the "guilty party" after the divorce? 5. Does death sever the put-away fornicator's marriage bond? 6. Can a Christian put away his mate for the "kingdom's sake" and remain unmarried or be reconciled? ("Are We Doomed to Divide?", Keith Greer, Knollwood Messenger, July 2004) Joe and Keith both contend regarding the above six matters, that we must learn to tolerate and not take issue. After all, if Joe is going to apply Romans 14, then he must also accept the teaching of the text that even prohibits negatively mentioning and exposing the "scruples" of another (Rom. 14: 3, 10, etc.). Joe, like many others, lumps several matters of differing gradation together and then says they are all equal. Not so! Regarding points two and six, the scriptures are decidedly plain. Based on Matthew 5: 32, 19: 9, and I Corinthians 7: 2-11, an innocent mate can be put away (such is not approved of by God, yet, He recognizes the action as putting away) and not allowed to subsequently put away (there are not two putting aways mentioned) and marry another, even after the putting away mate marries another (point no. 2) and, also, divorce only for fornication is taught and all other causes are sinful (no. 6). Joe, in his erroneous application of Romans 14 to these MDR issues is in effect appealing to brethren to compromise sin and false teaching. Again, I am hard pressed to present a current day example that I think completely satisfies all the requirements and situational circumstances of the particulars of Romans 14. However, I know beyond all doubt that when Joe inserts what is patently error into the umbrella of Romans 14, he is wrong. I am very sad that Joe has chosen his present course. Alas, I am saddened that men such as Mike Willis and Ron Halbrook have established their course. Mike will go down in history as one of the primary men of our generation to teach and promote multiple causes for divorce, even when a mate runs up financial charges, and Ron will go down as the promoter of the put away putting away doctrine. Then there are the Joe Prices who abuse Romans 14 to try to get us to at least ignore Mike Willis and Ron Halbrook's teaching. Brethren, the scriptures teach unity but unity based on truth, not error and compromise (Eph. 4: 2-6). Never, I repeat, never are we to ignore error for the sake of "peace." Such is pseudo-unity (cp. I Cor. 1: 10). Anytime error is inserted into the text of Romans 14, whether it be social drinking of alcohol; institutional practices; cursing and foul language; modern dancing; or MDR errors, Romans 14 is being perverted! Instead of "the forgotten side of Romans 14," Joe should call it, "the incongruous and contradictory side of Romans 14." Again, I am truly saddened regarding the teaching of an increasing number today. However, we must put truth over friendships and denominational unity. I thank the list owners for this opportunity to challenge what I most decidedly deem to be rank error and I welcome any rebuttal that Joe may offer on this list. Again, for the sake of simplicity and clarity, I have not challenged Joe's motives or any other intangible matter. I have challenged Joe placing number two and number six into the protective cover of Romans 14. This is the real issue! Cordially, Don Martin dmartin5@concentric.net Check out our Web sites: http://www.bibletruths.net Ask a question 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 Mon Oct 11 14:26:03 2004 From: tedwards at onemain.com (tedwards@onemain.com) Date: Mon Oct 11 20:21:55 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] B> Gospel Observer 10/10/04 Message-ID: <416A97FB.23737.156342B@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). ____________________________________________________ October 10, 2004 ____________________________________________________ Can We Ever Achieve a Meritorious Worthiness? by Tom Edwards We often stress the need to have an obedient faith in order to be saved, and rightly so; but have we ever left people with the false impression (or even mistakenly thought ourselves) that our obedience makes salvation something that we have earned? That by doing certain deeds, we can truly merit forgiveness of sins and entrance into heaven? When hearing Mike Wilson recently, as he held a gospel meeting in Mandeville, Louisiana, I was impressed by many of the good truths he brought out in his sermons. One of those points, which I found very meaningful, was that we can never be worthy in God's sight! No matter how many years we could do good for the Lord, we would still never be able to stand before Him, based on merely our own merit, as being worthy. How true this is. For without the Lord's grace and mercy, what hope could we have of ever having sins forgiven, enjoying a relationship with God, and eventually seeing heaven? When we say that a man can never be worthy in God's sight, we are talking about a worthiness that would stem from man's own achievements, which would involve having never failed in keeping any of God's laws; and, therefore, without sin, and deserving heaven based on one's own life. But, of course, there are other ways, with regard to other matters, in which we can be worthy. For example, in Matthew 10:10, Jesus states that a "worker is worthy of his support"; and He points out in the next verse that a person can be viewed as being a worthy member in a community. And, in that sense, a "house" can be "worthy" (v. 13). Furthermore, Paul shows in 1 Timothy 5:7 that elders "...who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching." In addition, slaves are instructed to "regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against" (1 Tim. 6:1). And even with our affiliation with God, the implication appears to be that we can have a "worthy" relationship with Him by putting Him above all others and following after Him (Mat. 10:37,38). But this, of course, doesn't mean that we could ever "earn" that relationship or eternal life by that worthiness; for only Jesus was ever worthy in the sense that He truly did earn or deserve all the glory, honor and blessings bestowed upon Him (Rev. 5:1-14; Phil 2:8-11; Jn. 8:29; 17:4). But God's viewing of us as being worthy, however, is based on our acceptance of His grace and mercy by complying with His word -- and not because of a summation of all our good deeds. This is also expressed in the parable of the wedding feast, in which those who had rejected the king's invitation are referred to as having been "not worthy" (Matt. 22:8), reminding us of those Jews who by their repudiating of the gospel had judged themselves unworthy of eternal life, in a manner of speaking (Acts 13:46). As Adam Clarke writes, "for how should those be deemed worthy to sit down at His table who had affronted Him by their treatment of His gracious invitation?" Had these accepted the king's invitation, they would have most likely been honored with the proper wedding garments that customarily would have been given them by the king for this feast. In a similar manner, God invites all of us to the "marriage supper of the Lamb" (Rev. 19:9). To reject that, however, is to remain in our unworthiness; but to accept it is to be "blessed," as the beginning of that verse states. God's gracious invitation is seen in various places of the New Testament (cf. Matt. 11:28-30); and let us remind ourselves, too, of those whom the Lord invites: In Luke 5:32, Jesus states, "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." How thankful the Christian can be. Though formerly lost in sin, the child of God has been set free and made worthy in God's sight, by accepting the Lord's gracious invitation. Compare this also to the parable of the prodigal son who saw himself as being too "unworthy" to even be called his father's son (Luke 15:18,19). The son had certainly gotten himself into much trouble by his riotous and immoral living; but by his repentance, his father was able to receive him back as if his son were a worthy individual (Luke 15:20-24). Is this not also true with the sinner who comes to God? Not that we deserve the Lord's forgiveness and blessings, but we can receive that by God's grace and mercy, after having met the necessary conditions. Through that, we who are unworthy can be regarded as "worthy" in God's sight -- though not by our own merit. Similarly, in answering the Sadducees' question about the resurrection, Jesus states that "...'The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection'" (Luke 20:34-36). I was struck by the phrase "considered worthy" in this passage. Doesn't this indicate not that they were worthy in themselves to reach this wonderful place called heaven; but, rather, that they were, nevertheless, "considered" that way - due to what the Lord had made possible for them through His grace, His mercy, and their obedient faith? Because of Jesus Christ, the sinner saved by grace will be able to enter heaven's glory as if he had never sinned - for even just one sin could keep a person out! But this entrance is possible because all of those sins have been covered by the blood of Jesus (Heb. 10:19; Eph. 2:13) when one meets the necessary conditions of hearing the gospel (Rom. 10:17), believing in Christ (Jn. 8:24), repenting of sins (Acts 17:30), confessing faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:35-37), being baptized in water (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:3,4; 1 Pet. 3:21), and remaining faithful throughout life (1 Jn. 1:7; Rev. 2:10). The forgiveness of sins is truly a most wonderful blessing -- and one which we have never deserved, nor ever shall! The phrase "considered worthy" is also seen in 2 Thessalonians 1:3-5, in which Paul commends the Thessalonians for their increasing faith, love, and perseverance that they maintained even when in the midst of persecutions and afflictions; and he tells them that "This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering" (v. 5). Again, their worthiness does not mean that now - because of their faithful endurance through these trials - they had truly earned their reward in heaven. But it does indicate that they were setting forth the right example that manifested their faith in God and adherence to His word, which characterized them as those who would be saved by the mercy and grace of the Lord. Surely, no child of God should ever deceive himself into thinking that he is worthy before the Lord based on merely his own merit - and regardless of how great a sacrifice the Christian had to make or how intense the persecution he had to endure for the cause of Christ. For all of that combined could never add up to earning or deserving heaven. Note also in 2 Thessalonians 1:11 the following: "...that our God will count you worthy of your calling..." (v. 11). By examining this more thoroughly, we see that the calling was not on the basis of good works; but, rather, of God's desire to save (cf. 2 Pet. 3:9). This doesn't mean, however, that there are no good works that are necessary for salvation -- for there are. And we have a major responsibility to live up to that highest calling of all. For instance, to the Ephesians Paul exhorts, "Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called" (Eph. 4:1). And to Timothy, Paul points out that God "...has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher" (2 Tim. 1:9-11). As this passage shows, the plan of salvation was in God's mind before the world began; but we have the responsibility of learning that plan and obeying it, if we want to be saved by it (Rom. 1:16; Heb. 5:9). This before-the-creation plan is also seen in other verses of the Bible, such as Acts 2:23, 1 Peter 1:18-23, and Ephesians 1:3-16. But let it be clarified that the Lord did not arbitrarily - and apart from an individual's beliefs and actions - chose, before the beginning of time, who would be saved and who would be lost; but He did design a plan whereby anyone who so willed could respond to the gospel and become a child of God. It was, therefore, this plan that God devised before the world began. Whether we respond to that plan or not, however, is now up to us - for the Lord has certainly done His part and has shown His desire for all to be saved and none to be lost (Jn. 3:16; 2 Pet. 3:9; 1 Tim. 2:4). So, as they say, the ball is now in our court. We can be counted, considered worthy in God's sight by meeting His conditions - just as we can also be justified, made holy, etc. -- but the choice is up to us. May we truly realize what a best-of-all-deals this is to be able to receive such wonderful blessings from God that we could never deserve - regardless of what we would do! The Christian is to strive to live a worthy life unto God (Eph. 4:1-3; Phil. 1:27,28). Note also in Colossians 1:10-14 that not only is the Christian charged with living this way, but also that it was the Lord who "qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints" (v. 12). Does that not also indicate the Lord's grace and mercy rather than our own meritorious achievement? The phrase in verse 13 also implies that it would be futile to try to save ourselves by our own worthiness: "For He rescued us from the domain of darkness...." (Compare also Romans 5:6-10: "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly...while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us....") As we abide in the Lord, we can have the blood of Christ to cleanse us from all sin (1 Jn. 1:7); and when that is the case, the Lord can then view us as worthy (but, obviously, that was not because we deserved or earned it). To a few people in Sardis, for example, the Lord was able to commend for being worthy - for they had "not soiled their garments," which figuratively expresses their lives remaining dedicated to God, rather than becoming marred by sin. Lest we become like that Pharisee in the Lord's parable in Luke 18:9-14 (of the two men who went to the temple to pray), we need to realize that no matter how much good service we are able to render to the Lord - even after many years of obeying His commands - we could still never merit, earn, or deserve our salvation; and, therefore, have nothing to boast in. For the accountable individual will always have a need for God's grace. Paul points out this truth in Ephesians 2:8,9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." The grace is on God's part, but the acquiring of faith is our responsibility; and there must be this coupling of the two in our lives for salvation to be so. Paul states in Romans 10:17, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." We must, therefore, first hear the gospel; but we must also act upon it, in order that we may allow the power of God's word to save and transform us (Rom. 1:16; 1 Pet. 1:23). For to merely hear, but not obey is to deceive ourselves about our standing with the Lord (James 1:22) - since the faith that saves must be an obedient faith (James 2:14-26; Heb. 5:9). But, even in view of this need for an obedient faith, Ephesians 2:8,9 will always remain true: Regardless of the many years that we could manifest our faith by our service to God, our salvation will still always be "by grace...through faith." Therefore, take away that grace, and our faith will have nothing to stand on, which is the case of the "...demons [who] also believe, and shudder" (James 2:19). Why do they tremble even though they believe? Because they will never benefit from God's grace and mercy; rather, their doom is forever sealed. The plight of the angels who transgressed is seen in 2 Peter 2:4: "For if God did not spare sinning angels, but thrust them down into Tartarus, and delivered them into chains of darkness, being reserved to judgment" (Modern King James Version). Tartarus is the place of punishment in the hadean realm, where all the lost souls will await the judgment. Many of these will be those who believed in the Lord, but not obediently. Corresponding to that is Paul's warning to the Thessalonians that when Jesus comes again it will be the time in which He will not only deal out retribution "...to those who do not know God..." but also "...to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus" (2 Thess. 1:18). So, unquestionably, faithfulness is necessary; but let us not deceive ourselves into thinking that it is by our faithfulness in which we "earn" eternal life. Remember, we are saved by an obedient faith (James 2:14-26), but it will always be "by grace...through faith" -- and not merited by what we do (Eph. 2:8,9). What we do to be saved are simply conditions we must meet for that salvation, so that we may benefit from the death of Christ. For Jesus certainly died for everyone (Heb. 2:9; 1 Jn. 2:2), but not all will be saved because not all have met these necessary conditions (Matt. 7:13,14). Perhaps one of the best passages in the New Testament that makes it very clear that we could never be worthy (based on merely our own merit) and earn our salvation is Luke 17:10. It states, "So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'" This statement is the application the Lord wants His followers to make from the lesson given in the previous verses (Luke 17:7-9), which deals with the service rendered by a slave to his master. The servant is merely doing that which is expected of him, so nothing really to boast about. But this is not to say that the Lord pays no regard to our obedience - for He does! In John 12:26, for example, Jesus speaks of the one who would be His servant, by saying, "If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also...." Look what He then goes on to say in that same verse: "...if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him." We are also reminded of the Hebrew writer's exhortation: "For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises" (Heb. 6:10-12). So, as Christians, we are to continually press on in our walk with God; but we realize that the great reward of heaven, at the end of the road, is far greater than what all of our efforts combined could ever deserve. Our "worthiness," therefore, has been made possible by the grace and mercy of God. If we, however, would try to stand instead on merely our own merit for eternal life, without Christ, we would all fall short and have no worthiness of our own, no justification, and no access to the throne of God's grace. So in answer to this article's title, it would be impossible for us to ever achieve a meritorious worthiness by which we could be saved. But thanks be to God for His grace, His mercy, His way of salvation that even the worst sinner can penitently come to by his faith and obedience and become a new creature in Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:26,27; 2 Cor. 5:17) -- and this way of salvation is now open to all (Acts 10:34,35; Acts 2:36-39; Acts 17:30,31). ____________________________________________________ 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@onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go ____________________________________________________ From mikehughes01 at sbcglobal.net Mon Oct 11 20:37:25 2004 From: mikehughes01 at sbcglobal.net (MRH) Date: Mon Oct 11 20:37:59 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A> Long Preaching In-Reply-To: <415949D9008582C6@mta5.wss.scd.yahoo.com> (added by postmaster@mail.san.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Brian: I read your article with the title above. I agree with your article. I think it is just as wrong for a preacher to Repeat himself, chase Rabbits and ramble for 1 or 2 hours just because he thinks he has the right and call brethren unspiritual if they complain. I went to a meeting the other day where a fellow got up to preached spent 50 minutes telling us the preachers who had influenced him over the years and then spent 30 minutes rushing through his lesson, which would have been shorter if he had left out the repeating and chasing rabbits. I have seen fellow go long and it be good, edifying but they haven't repeated themselves, chased rabbits or as some say go everywhere preaching the word. I believe a fellow should preach until he is finished but maybe sometimes a lesson should be split in series. I know people talk about watching football games for three hours or something but you can get up go the fridge if at home or the concession stand at a live game. We are talking consideration for your audience. Some fellows are so arrogant they could care less. Just my two cents on this one. Mike Hughes, Preacher Wilmington church of Christ From craig at arkwest.com Tue Oct 12 09:00:42 2004 From: craig at arkwest.com (Craig D. Straight) Date: Wed Oct 13 09:04:27 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A> Long Preaching References: Message-ID: <018001c4b063$fbb96a60$5fdb0e43@hppav> As a young man I remember listening to Weldon Warnock, a lot longer them 30 minutes, and leaving the church house still wanting to hear more. That man knows how to present the word of God. When we have lost the interest of the congregation, then we are giving long sermons. We lose the interest of the congregation when we preach more ideas, and less bible. Its the word of God that pricks the heart. More Bible and less opinion will make the time fly by. People want to listen to the word of God, and not the words of the preacher. When some one complains about long preaching, it usually means there's too much you, and too little scripture in the sermon. Craig D. Straight Gravelly, Arkansas 479-299-4379 ----- Original Message ----- From: "MRH" To: "Craig D. Straight" Cc: "Bible Matters Mailing List" Sent: Monday, October 11, 2004 8:37 PM Subject: Re: [Biblemat] A> Long Preaching > **** > * Bible Matters mailing list > * http://biblematters.com/mailman/listinfo/biblemat > * You are subscribed as: commanddog@bigfoot.com > * Send postings to: biblemat@biblematters.com > * List owner: Mike Hughes (mikehughes01@sbcglobal.net), > Mickey Chandler (mickc@churches-of-christ.com) > http://www.mikealrhughes.com, > ***** > > Brian: > > I read your article with the title above. I agree with your article. I think > it is just as wrong for a preacher to Repeat himself, chase Rabbits and > ramble for 1 or 2 hours just because he thinks he has the right and call > brethren unspiritual if they complain. I went to a meeting the other day > where a fellow got up to preached spent 50 minutes telling us the preachers > who had influenced him over the years and then spent 30 minutes rushing > through his lesson, which would have been shorter if he had left out the > repeating and chasing rabbits. I have seen fellow go long and it be good, > edifying but they haven't repeated themselves, chased rabbits or as some > say go everywhere preaching the word. I believe a fellow should preach until > he is finished but maybe sometimes a lesson should be split in series. I > know people talk about watching football games for three hours or something > but you can get up go the fridge if at home or the concession stand at a > live game. We are talking consideration for your audience. Some fellows are > so arrogant they could care less. > > Just my two cents on this one. > > Mike Hughes, Preacher > Wilmington church of Christ > > _______________________________________________ > Biblemat mailing list > Biblemat@biblematters.com > http://www.biblematters.com/mailman/listinfo/biblemat > From johncripps at yanceync.net Tue Oct 12 20:27:29 2004 From: johncripps at yanceync.net (johncripps) Date: Wed Oct 13 09:04:28 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Thank You All Message-ID: <416C8481.5080107@yanceync.net> Thank you all for the response to "touch of the masters hand" my cup runneth over. John Cripps From dmartin5 at concentric.net Tue Oct 12 22:18:56 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Wed Oct 13 09:04:29 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Question/answer about I Corinthians 11: 3-16 Message-ID: <007001c4b0d3$607cdbc0$eb306a43@concentric.net> Don Martin to the list: I thought I would share a couple of questions and answers out of the thirty that we processed, answered, and did any needed follow up work on: Hello Jeff, Thank you so much for your question and for making use of Bible Questions. Please do so again. http://www.biblequestions.org Please check out Bible Truths http://www.bibletruths.net Go to the archives section of these sites for material and also go to the archives search page and type in any subject or word you wish to explore. New material is constantly being added to both sites. Any help you can give us in telling others of these sites will be greatly appreciated. If you are interested in really learning more about the Bible, there is an online Bible study course located in Bible Truths. While on the home page, scroll down and enter. While on the Map Site Page, click on "Online Bible Study Course" in the table. Click on http://www.bibletruths.net to go there. You asked: What do you think about 1 Corinthians 11:4-16? Should a woman cover her head every time she is ministering or praying? Reply: The situation at Corinth involving certain women called prophetesses was unusual and limited. First, it involved spiritual gifts that were of limited duration and are not available today (I Cor. 11: 1-16, cp. 13: 8-10). These women were doing what their male counter-parts, the prophets, were doing and thus needed some special physical and visible sign or vestige as to their recognition of subjection to man (I Cor. 11: 3, 4, ff.). The text is teaching that every prophetess at Corinth teaching in the presence of men must have a head covering. However, even the physical symbol of subjection that was used in the case of the prophetess at Corinth appeared to have had different meanings at different times. For a full explanation and exegesis of I Corinthians 11: 1-16, I suggest you read the material in www.bibletruths.net (our reference site), "The Truth about the Veil." When on the home page, enter through the door and click on "Archives and Index" in the table on the Site Map page. Then click on the letter "V" on the Archives page. Here is an excerpt: "...The fact you are reading this material on the veil probably indicates you already have some degree of familiarity with the controversial nature of this subject and text. Some have concluded that all female Christians must be 'veiled' when they are engaging in worship. Some limit the necessity of the covering to the assembly, some advocate its presence during the offering of thanks over a meal or when the mother is teaching the children at home. There are also many divergent beliefs as to what constitutes the covering of I Corinthians 11, a hat, doily, or a covering, which hangs down the head....." Thanks again for your good question and for your interest in spiritual matters. I recommend that you print out this email for future reference (web addresses, etc.). You may print out any material you desire in both Bible Questions and Bible Truths (see the copyright provision at the bottom of the home page in Bible Truths). Cordially, Don Martin From dmartin5 at concentric.net Tue Oct 12 22:21:08 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Wed Oct 13 09:04:29 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Another question/answer about I Corinthians 11: 3-16 Message-ID: <008f01c4b0d3$af108520$eb306a43@concentric.net> Hello James, Thank you so much for your question and for making use of Bible Questions. Please do so again. http://www.biblequestions.org Please check out Bible Truths http://www.bibletruths.net Go to the archives section of these sites for material and also go to the archives search page and type in any subject or word you wish to explore. New material is constantly being added to both sites. Any help you can give us in telling others of these sites will be greatly appreciated. If you are interested in really learning more about the Bible, there is an online Bible study course located in Bible Truths. While on the home page, scroll down and enter. While on the Map Site Page, click on "Online Bible Study Course" in the table. Click on http://www.bibletruths.net to go there. You asked: Is hair the same as head covering for women? As Paul said in Corinthiana. If a woman doesen't have her head covered, she might as well shave her head. Reply: Head hair is part of the difference relative to man and woman. Paul said that there is appropriateness pertaining to the relative length of the hair for men and women (I Cor. 11: 14, 15). It is also clear that pertaining to the prophetess under consideration in the text of I Corinthians 11: 3-16, there are two different head coverings under consideration, the natural (the hair) and the artificial (apparently the veil). In the case of the prophetess at Corinth who was doing the same thing as her male counter-part, the prophet, she was to, in addition to her hair, have on an artificial head covering. This covering was to symbolize that even though she was doing what the male prophets were doing, she still recognized her headship to man. I suggest you read the material in www.bibletruths.net (our reference site), "The Truth about the Veil." When on the home page, enter through the door and click on "Archives and Index" in the table on the Site Map page. Then click on the letter "V" on the Archives page. Here is an excerpt: "...The fact you are reading this material on the veil probably indicates you already have some degree of familiarity with the controversial nature of this subject and text. Some have concluded that all female Christians must be 'veiled' when they are engaging in worship. Some limit the necessity of the covering to the assembly, some advocate its presence during the offering of thanks over a meal or when the mother is teaching the children at home. There are also many divergent beliefs as to what constitutes the covering of I Corinthians 11, a hat, doily, or a covering, which hangs down the head....." Thanks again for your good question and for your interest in spiritual matters. I recommend that you print out this email for future reference (web addresses, etc.). You may print out any material you desire in both Bible Questions and Bible Truths (see the copyright provision at the bottom of the home page in Bible Truths). Cordially, Don Martin From joe at bibleanswer.com Tue Oct 12 22:53:29 2004 From: joe at bibleanswer.com (Joe R. Price) Date: Wed Oct 13 09:04:30 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A review of Joe Price's material In-Reply-To: <001201c4afc0$f3cd0da0$86306a43@concentric.net> References: <001201c4afc0$f3cd0da0$86306a43@concentric.net> Message-ID: <416CA6B9.8030706@bibleanswer.com> October 12, 2004 Joe Price to the list, On October 10 I posted an article to the Bible Matters list entitled, The ?Forgotten Side? of Romans 14. On Monday, October 11, Brother Don Martin posted a review of my article, believing the material contains ?rank error.? I am grateful to the owner of the Bible Matters list for allowing me this opportunity of rebuttal in accordance with list rules. I would ask each of you to read my article and brother Martin?s challenge to it before proceeding. My article is available online at http://www.bibleanswer.com/2004_Vol_08_No_15_10Oct.htm, and Don?s review is available in the Biblemat Archives at http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/2004-October/000275.html. Like Don, I have no personal axe to grind with him. His challenge has been of my teaching, which he believes to be ?rank error?, and that deserves a reply. Don and I agree that Romans 14 has been abused by many. That is not the issue here. We agree that the subject matter of Romans 14 does not involve sin. That is not the issue here. We agree that ?to attempt to place any matter of doctrinal and/or moral departure into the text of Romans 14? is a misuse of the text. That is not the issue here. We agree that using Romans 14 to cultivate an open and ongoing fellowship with error is a twisting of the text. That is not the issue here. What we do not agree on is whether Romans 14 has any present-day relevance and application. Don wrote that ?Romans 14 manifestly contains teaching that is germane to Christians today,? and offered verses 8, 11, 12 as proof. But please read a little closer. Don believes that since the ?exact situation of Romans 14 cannot be completely duplicated today?, the ?special teaching? of Romans 14 that deals with foods and the observance of days is not relevant to us. Are we to conclude that Romans 14 fails to teach general principles of truth about how we are to live in unity in the body of Christ when we have different consciences over matters of indifference? Is that what Don is saying? It sure sounds like it. I believe, as I said in the beginning of my article, that Romans 14 does contain practical application for Christians today. Brother Martin has a difficult time agreeing with that simple statement of truth. Will Brother Martin clearly tell us whether he believes Romans 14 applies in this present age? And, if it does, will he state some issues of conscience among brethren today that fit Romans 14? If he will not, it proves I have understood him correctly. He has charged me with trying to protect error by using Romans 14. That is not an accurate assessment of what I have written. Don is mistaken. I began my article making it clear that Romans 14 does not sanction fellowship with error. I wrote: ?Romans 14 does not sanction unity in doctrinal and moral diversity (2 Jno. 9-11; Gal. 1:6-10; 1 Cor. 4:6, 17 and other verses expose this error). It is wrong to conclude that all areas of application fall into the realm of judgment. Along with the apostle and in harmony with the Lord?s authority, we continue to plead that Christians ?all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment? (1 Cor. 1:10).? Don wrote: ?Joe has an entirely different view of what constitutes error, at least relative to marriage, divorce, and marriage to another, as we shall see.? Yes indeed, let us see. Joe wrote: ?The revealed pattern of divine truth on marriage, divorce and remarriage is unassailable and must not be compromised: one man and one woman for life with one exception (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6, 9; Rom. 7:2-3; 1 Cor. 7:10-11; Heb. 13:4). Any teaching or practice that contradicts this pattern of sound doctrine is error and must be resisted. For example, the ?one-loosed, both loosed? doctrine that allows for unrestrained remarriage, the desertion exemption for remarriage (that misunderstands and misapplies 1 Cor. 7:15), the so-called ?waiting game? and the teaching that alien sinners are not under the marriage law of the gospel of Christ are among the erroneous doctrines that must be withstood because they violate ?the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints? (Jude 3; 2 Jno. 9-11; Gal. 1:6-9).? The pattern of sound doctrine on the subject of marriage, divorce and remarriage is the right of the innocent mate to put away the guilty fornicator because of that mate?s fornication, and to remarry another (Matt. 19:6, 9). Don, you do agree with this, don?t you? If so, how is it that I have left the divine order? Does our brother agree with the above stated pattern? The problem arises when Don binds and demands a procedure that the innocent person must follow in order to have a right to remarry. Don has changed the right of divorce and remarriage from the presence of the cause of fornication to the procedure by which one puts away his/her mate. And that illustrates the point that my article on Romans 14 warned against: binding where the Lord has not bound. I believe that is the essential warning of Romans 14. If we do not heed the warning, we will fall into endless and needless disputes and numberless factions. We will be canceling each other?s meetings, dropping each other?s support, breaking off fellowship with each other, and separating into enclaves filled with evil surmisings against each other. These very dangers call attention to the importance of Romans 14 properly applied to our conscientious scruples today, just as it was applied in the first century. God has bound upon us a pattern concerning the ?cause? for divorce and remarriage (Matt. 19:9). We must not go beyond that pattern, and we have not done so. When fornication occurs, the innocent person has a right to remarry based on the presence of that cause. Brother Martin believes the innocent person does not necessarily have a right to remarry, even when fornication has occurred. He wrote: ?When I study such verses as Matthew 5: 32, 19: 9 and I Corinthians 7: 2-11, I see the teaching of one man and one woman for life, only one cause for divorce, and the put away, whether innocent or guilty, not being allowed to put away and marry another, as all basic teaching of these verses.? This is consistent with what Don has posted to the Bible Matters list in the past. On April 8, 2003, Don posted ?A divorce and remarriage question, our answer?: (Howard) asked: ?My wife left me for another man and promptly filed for and received a divorce. She was committing adultery before she left and received a divorce before I responded. Can I remarry? If not why was the adultery exclusion added to MATT.19: 9?? To which Don answered: ?Some believe that since your mate committed adultery BEFORE she put you away that you are free to put away and marry another (some believe that even if she had committed adultery AFTER she put you away that you still could put away and marry another). However, this is not what Matthew 19: 9 teaches. Every state with which I am familiar allows some waiting time between the filing and the issuance of the civil divorce document. I believe, alas, that you should have been active before the whole divorce process became history. You are now a ?put away person? and according to Matthew 19: 9 are not allowed to ?put away? and subsequently marry another. ?Howard, I am sorry regarding your plight, but we can only respond according to the scriptures and how they relate to the provided information.? (Bible Matters mailing list, April 08, 2003 4:35 PM; Subject: A divorce and remarriage question, our answer) Don believes procedure trumps the cause of the sundering of a marriage. The proof: ?Howard?s? marriage was sundered by his fornicating wife, yet because ?Howard? was not ?active before the whole divorce process became history? Don tells ?Howard? he is now a ?put away person? without the right to remarry. Consistent with this, in his review of my article Don wrote, ?Based on Matthew 5: 32, 19: 9, and I Corinthians 7: 2-11, an innocent mate can be put away (such is not approved of by God, yet, He recognizes the action as putting away) and not allowed to subsequently put away?? Brother Martin binds a procedure that the innocent person must follow in order to have a right to remarry. It is in this area of procedure that the Lord grants an area of liberty. This is the area over which my brother and I have this present dispute. My article on Romans 14 exposes his extremism that binds procedure while ignoring cause. Don has not handled God?s word rightly in this matter (2 Tim. 2:15). Don is binding where the Lord has not bound. I have tried to speak with candor and respect toward Don in view of his objections, and I want to credit him with sincerity of conscience. I hope to express these thoughts for study without degenerating into ?disputes over doubtful things? (Rom. 14:1). I do believe the chapter applies today as demonstrated in my previous article, and I urge Don to reconsider his apparent rejection of this much needed chapter. Romans 14 shows that one brother may believe he can eat meat, while another brother may believe he cannot eat meat, but they can receive one another respecting each other?s conscience and leave this matter to God (Rom. 14:1-6). As I pointed out in my article, as an example, one person may believe the cause of fornication must be stated on the writing of divorcement while another may not. One may believe the innocent person must make some kind of formal statement to the church concerning the divorce, while another may not deem it essential that the innocent person be ?active before the whole divorce process became history? in order to put away the fornicator. These and other such matters are the areas where Romans 14 finds application today. These are the areas of ?doubtful things? that Romans 14 teaches us not to dispute over. That was the very purpose of my article, and the very point to which Brother Martin objects. I ask you to judge from the evidence where the departure from the pattern of sound words has occurred. Because I will not agree with Don?s binding opinion about the procedure of putting away (that would restrict an innocent person from remarriage), he has made the grievous charge of ?rank error? against me. Did Paul depart from the pattern of sound words and teach ?rank error? when he wrote Romans 14? No, this chapter is a part of the apostle?s balanced approach to promoting sound doctrine and scriptural unity, thus strengthening the faith of brethren so as to defeat every false doctrine. By the same token, when we apply Romans 14 today as Paul did then, we likewise promote sound doctrine and scriptural unity, thus strengthening the faith of brethren so as to defeat every false doctrine. Our need to remember the ?forgotten side? of Romans 14 is thus confirmed. The intent of my article is summed up when I asked: ?Is it possible to be united in the truth of the gospel on marriage, divorce and remarriage, and yet differ over some specific points of application? Yes, just as surely as it was for the meat-eater and the herb-eater to differ in their application of food consumption while not having fellowship with the idol.? Brother Martin does not believe or teach that this is possible, and consequently, challenges my teaching and charges me with ?rank error.? Romans 14 teaches Christians to hold their opinions concerning indifferent matters (non-sinful things) with all good conscience. This is to be accomplished by not holding in contempt those who cannot in good conscience partake of a liberty, as well as by not condemning those who are able to do so. The credence of this statement is established in the word of God (Rom. 14:1-6, 10, 13, 14-23; 15:1-7), not in an appeal to any man, including Brother Keith Greer. In my article, I offered some examples from the pen of Brother Greer in order to help us consider how we can ?receive one another? in spite of holding different consciences over matters that are indifferent in the sight of God. (BTW, I asked Brother Greer reviewed my article prior to its publication, and he gave his consent to my use of his material.) Brother Martin takes exception with #2 and #6 in those examples. I will address each one as briefly as possible. First, #2: ?2. Can an adulterous mate execute a civil divorce against a faithful mate, and the faithful mate be prohibited from remarrying because he/she is the ?put-away? mate?? Brother Martin says, ?yes? (see his statements above to ?Howard?). Jesus addressed the cause of putting away one?s mate in Matthew 19:9. The presence of the cause of fornication gives the innocent person the right to remarry. Matthew 19:9 applies in every society regardless of the applicable civil procedures of divorce; it is culturally neutral. ?Cause? can be established regardless of what civil procedures exist whereby one ends a marriage. In Matthew 19:9, Jesus directed the Pharisees? attention to ?cause?, not procedure. My article on Romans 14 was intended to help us see that Jesus binds the ?cause? of fornication for putting away and remarrying while noting that different procedures will occur as that truth is applied. In effect, Brother Martin says there is only one procedure, and unless it is followed, the innocent person becomes a ?put away person? who cannot remarry. Don?s teaching negates the ?cause?, elevating the procedure above the cause. Did Jesus teach in Matthew 19:9 that the guilty fornicator can prevent the innocent person from remarriage based upon the procedure that one follows in the putting away? If so, where do the Scriptures explain that procedure so we can follow it today? We are sure the cause of fornication must exist in order to put away a mate because Jesus said so (Matt. 19:9). But in the absence of a Scriptural pattern that binds a specific procedure upon us, we must allow for the possibility of different applications as a mate is put away for the cause of fornication. Now, concerning #6: ?6. Can a Christian put away his mate for the ?kingdom?s sake? and remain unmarried or be reconciled?? In 1 Cor. 7:10-11, Paul teaches what Jesus taught concerning the divine order of marriage: one man and one woman for life. Like Jesus, Paul teaches us to not ?depart? (chorizo: ?put asunder? or ?separate? what God has joined together, Matt. 19:6). We are not to sunder a marriage that God has joined together. Paul shows us in this passage (verses 12-15) there can be occasions when an unbeliever departs (chorizo, put asunder) a marriage. It is conceivable that a believer in such a special case must seek relief and/or protection through the judicial system, even to the point of a writing of divorcement, from that unbelieving, unwilling mate. Such ?appeals to Caesar,? as I understand it, is the force of number 6 above. There is no Scriptural right for remarriage in such cases because of 1 Cor. 7:10-11. This is not a matter of trying to make room for any false doctrine or unauthorized practice. It is wrong and a misrepresentation of what I teach to conclude or suggest such. The Bible is clear and simple: When a marriage ends for a cause other than fornication, no remarriage is allowed (Matt. 5:31-32; 19:9; 1 Cor. 7:10-11). When a marriage ends because one has committed fornication, the responsibility for sundering that marriage lies squarely upon the fornicator, not the innocent person. Even should the situation arise where the innocent person fails to obtain the legal document (writing of divorcement), the marriage is nevertheless sundered (chorizo) because of fornication. Brother Martin does not understand this because he assesses the right of remarriage based on the procedure one follows instead of the presence of the cause of fornication. The correct use of Romans 14 allows that brethren will differ from time to time on how some situations are addressed. When differences arise we must be careful that they are not over the revealed pattern of truth ? one man and one woman for life, with one exception ? but over areas in which different applications of that pattern may occur without sin. Otherwise, we will be guilty of either loosing where the Lord has not loosed, or binding where the Lord has not bound -- or both (Col. 3:17). Now, I will turn my attention to the matters that Brother Martin chose to inject into his review that are not directly related to my article. I am compelled to address these items to clarify the record so that no misunderstanding exists. Don correctly notes our friendship goes back many years. My work as a gospel preacher had its beginning with the Holly Street church. In the past and to this present moment they have financially supported me to preach the gospel. I am continually thankful to the Lord for the encouragement and fellowship I have benefited from as a result of my relationship with the Holly Street church. Brother Martin assures us in his review that he has not challenged my ?motives or any other intangible matter.? I am sure he believes that to be the case. Unfortunately, his words betray his confident assurance. He has in fact challenged my motives, as these quotations will show: Don wrote, ?It appears that Joe is now looking to Romans 14 for justification of his defense of Mike Willis' teaching and also of Ron Halbrook's teaching on MDR (the innocent put away may later put away when the putting away mate marries another, a form of the old waiting game teaching).? I wrote the article on Romans 14 for the purpose stated therein, to remind brethren of the proper uses of Romans 14, lest we forget them. Evidently, some have forgotten, and thus, the need for the study. Don insinuates my reason for writing the article is to defend and justify men. That is a challenge of my motives, and an incorrect one, at that. Don also wrote, ?Then there are the Joe Prices who abuse Romans 14 to try to get us to at least ignore Mike Willis and Ron Halbrook?s teaching.? Again, a judgment is made as to why I wrote my article. Oh yes, Don has judged my motives, but not with ?righteous judgment? (Jno. 7:24). Don consistently left the impression that I am bent on defending men rather than teaching truth. Don wrote, ?Allow me to get to the point: We (the elders at Holly Street) have been corresponding with Joe for several months regarding his defense of the teaching being done by Mike Willis (Joe is a staff writer for the paper regarding which Mike Willis serves as a co-editor). Mike taught here in the Denver metro area this year(the Boston Street church in Aurora) that there are multiple causes for divorce, spiritual incompatibility being one. Mike's teaching is error and contradicts a number of verses that plainly state that divorce is only allowed for fornication (Matt. 5: 32; I Cor. 7:2ff.). However, Joe has defended Mike's teaching and does not consider it error that must be exposed.? I was initially contacted via e-mail by one of the Holly Street elders earlier this year, in which he urged me to separate myself from Truth Magazine (TM). (This was not from Don Martin, nor was it correspondence from the eldership as such.) That first contact was an undeniable effort to persuade me to cease my association with TM and the Guardian of Truth Foundation. In that post, ?multiple causes for divorce? were attributed to Brother Mike Willis. I had not even spoken to Brother Willis about ?multiple causes for divorce? at that time, much less written a defense of such. I learned a long time ago to get both sides of a story before reaching a conclusion (Prov. 18:13), so I called Brother Willis about this. I then provided that information along with my assessment to the elder who had initially written me. It is the correspondence that has ensued since then to which Don refers. Neither did I write to defend Ron Halbrook. He speaks for himself and I speak for myself. (Ron would doubtless dispute Don?s characterization of defending a ?waiting game,? in view of his article entitled ?Divorce and Remarriage: No Waiting Game,? published in Guardian of Truth, Mar. 18, 1993, pp. 168-169.) Nevertheless, my original article offered no defense of mike or Ron and was not motivated by them. They could pass from the scene today and this would not change the real and larger issue. Truth Magazine could pass from the scene today and it would not change the real and larger issue. The real and larger issue is whether Romans 14 has any meaning and application to specific issues involving conscientious scruples today. I affirm that in the overall context of the book of Romans. While learning to expose and eradicate every false doctrine, we learn in chapter 14 to avoid the dangers of overacting and embroiling ourselves in never-ending ?disputes over doubtful things.? It appears that Don so narrowly defines the meaning of Romans 14 that it is little more than a historical curiosity and with little or no practical or direct application to specific issues today. As a friend and brother, I urge Don to reconsider. The implications reach far beyond his comments on marriage and the magazine, encompassing a multitude of personal scruples. I urge Don to see that Romans 14 is part of the glue that holds us together as God?s people in spite of a multitude of personal scruples that most all of us have to some degree. The power and importance of the teaching presented in this chapter are underscored by the admonition given in Romans 15:5-7. In this climax, the Holy Spirit admonishes all of us through Paul: ?Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.? Yes, all of us need this teaching. We need it today. We need to apply it to specific issues falling under the principles set forth in Romans 14. Finally, as for divorce, God hates it (Mal. 2:16). The Bible teaches that it is a sin against what God has joined together (Matt. 19:4-6; 1 Cor. 7:10). No divorce occurs without someone being guilty of sin. I will gladly allow my readers to judge whether my article on Romans 14 or this rebuttal has been an attempt to defend men or to analyze and properly apply the Scriptures. I wish to thank my readers for patiently and thoroughly considering this rebuttal. I do not intend to be thusly engaged for the next ten days as the rules allow for on the Bible Matters list. Enough has been said here on this subject for the earnest and honest heart to fairly judge what is right (Lk. 12:57; Acts 17:11-12). The warning I offered near the end of my article on Romans 14 continues to be relevant: ?Unless and until we are willing and able to distinguish between the revealed truth of the gospel and personal scruples we will be plagued with the liberalism of unity in doctrinal diversity on the one hand, and the factionalism of binding human traditions on the other. Both are instruments of the devil to divide and devour the body of Christ. We must not be ignorant of his devices (2 Cor. 2:11).? Best regards in Christ, Joe Price ********************************************** Joe R Price Email: joe@bibleanswer.com Web Sites: Bible Answers: http://www.bibleanswer.com Mt. Baker church of Christ: http://www.mtbakercofc.org Fax: 775.878.4823 ********************************************** Don Martin wrote: >**** >* Bible Matters mailing list >* http://biblematters.com/mailman/listinfo/biblemat >* You are subscribed as: joe@bibleanswer.com >* Send postings to: biblemat@biblematters.com >* List owner: Mike Hughes (mikehughes01@sbcglobal.net), >Mickey Chandler (mickc@churches-of-christ.com) >http://www.mikealrhughes.com, >***** >Don Martin to the list: > >I have elected to review the material published to Biblemat by Joe Price, >pursuant to the provision for challenge. I am referring to Joe's article >titled, "The 'Forgotten Side' of Romans 14" that was published >October 10 to this good list and that was also published in >Joe's, "The Spirit's Sword." I believe the material contains serious error >that must be challenged. > >Let me preface this review by saying that I have counted Joe a friend for >many years. In fact, Holly Street in Denver, Colorado, where I preach and >serve as one of the elders has financially supported Joe since the mid- >seventies. However, friends and relationships must not be allowed to cause >us to look the other way when error is taught. I shall attempt to be brief >and focus on the substantive differences. > >A Review of Joe Price's "The 'Forgotten Side' of Romans 14." > >There are obviously a number of points that Joe made with which I certainly >agree. > >Joe asked the question regarding Romans 14: "Or, is the passage to be >relegated to a position of past relevancy without present purpose?" > >Don comments: > >Romans 14 is definitely one of the most abused texts today. It has been >misused to become the umbrella for just about every imaginable false >doctrine and special cause. The text absolutely does not accept any >doctrinal and moral deviation practice or position. With this fact, Joe >says he agrees: > >"Romans 14 does not sanction unity in doctrinal and moral diversity (2 >Jno. 9-11; Gal. 1:6-10; 1 Cor. 4:6, 17 and other verses expose this >error)." > >However, as we shall see, Joe has an entirely different view of what >constitutes error, at least relative to marriage, divorce, and marriage to >another, as we shall see. Romans 14 manifestly contains teaching that is >germane to Christians today. I have in mind such teaching as resident in >verses 8, 11, 12. Having said this, the special teaching pertaining to the >then prevailing problem relative to eating herbs only; observing special >days; and oinos or "wine" is somewhat endemic (Rom. 14: 2-4; 5, 6; 21). I >say this for a number of reasons and I suggest the exact situation of Romans >14 cannot be completely duplicated today. Regardless if you understand the >"weak" brethren as being of a Gentile or Jewish background, this was a >condition (the predisposition toward herbs, days, and oinos) that had been >in place (its influence, both culturally and socially) for some time. The >more one knows of the contemporary Gentile and Jewish world, the more >one realizes the attendant peculiarities to the circumstance being >addressed in Romans 14. It must be understood, moreover, that the >particularity of Romans 14 did not involve sin, unless they violated their >consciences, and were morally and doctrinally indifferent (see verse 14, 17; >23). Therefore, to attempt to place any matter of doctrinal and/or moral >departure into the text of Romans 14, is to gravely misuse the teaching >regarding the special circumstances being treated by Paul. To use >Romans 14 to foster an open practice regarding fellowship or to sanction >aspects of present day teaching on MDR that are wrong is to also misuse >Romans 14. Herein, I firmly believe Joe and a host of others err and >must be exposed. > >I also agree with Joe's statement: > >"How we answer this question will go far in helping us >understand how revealed truth has a range of application that must be >respected by all who are "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in >the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3)." > >Allow me to get to the point: We (the elders at Holly Street) have been >corresponding with Joe for several months regarding his defense of the >teaching being done by Mike Willis (Joe is a staff writer for the paper >regarding which Mike Willis serves as a co-editor). Mike taught here in >the Denver metro area this year(the Boston Street church in Aurora) that >there are multiple causes for divorce, spiritual incompatibility being one. >Mike's teaching is error and contradicts a number of verses that plainly >state that divorce is only allowed for fornication (Matt. 5: 32; I Cor. 7: >2ff.). However, Joe has defended Mike's teaching and does not consider it >error that must be exposed. It appears that Joe is now looking to >Romans 14 for justification of his defense of Mike Willis' teaching and also >of Ron Halbrook's teaching on MDR (the innocent put away may later put >away when the putting away mate marries another, a form of the old >waiting game teaching). > >Joe and many associated with Truth Magazine and the Guardian of Truth >Foundation are heard saying the same thing and that is that we can accept >the truth but differ in application of that truth and, yet, continue in >fellowship. Joe and some others are all in unison in maintaining that we >can differ regarding how many causes there are for scriptural divorce and >whether or not the innocent put away is actually put away and if they can >subsequently put away and marry another (Matt. 19: 9; Lk. 16: 18). > >Joe wrote: > >"When we forget the proper role and use of Romans 14, unity >among the people of God is hindered. It is truly tragic that the >very purpose for which the apostle wrote Romans 14 >in the first place - how to remain united in truth when brethren >conscientiously differ on some specific items or details in their >application of revealed truth - is the very point we fail to grasp and >use in our plea for unity." > >When I study such verses as Matthew 5: 32, 19: 9 and I Corinthians 7: 2-11, >I see the teaching of one man and one woman for life, only one cause for >divorce, and the put away, whether innocent or guilty, not being allowed to >put away and marry another, as all basic teaching of these verses. However, >Joe and others are saying such teaching is not all basic and present. They >tell us that teaching that allows divorce for some additional reasons other >than fornication and that the put away may later, after the fact of >divorcement, put away and marry another are points that we must accept or we >are standing in the way of true unity and the teaching of Romans 14. I >staunchly take issue with Joe. > >Joe used an article written by another friend of mine, Keith Greer to >attempt to add credence to his plea. Joe wrote (I have taken the liberty >to omit one repeated matter and to numbering them): > >"Brother Keith Greer recently reminded us of some applications of the >Bible's teaching on MDR over which brethren disagree even while they >maintain agreement on the divine pattern of one man and one woman for >life, with one exception (Matt. 19:4-6, 9). The differences in >application he noted were: > >1. Does the cause (adultery) have to be written on the papers? > >2. Can an adulterous mate execute a civil divorce against a faithful >mate, and the faithful mate be prohibited from remarrying because he/she >is the "put-away" mate? > >3. What if both parties commit adultery? > >4. Can the first mate (the faithful one) take back and remarry the >"guilty party" after the divorce? > >5. Does death sever the put-away fornicator's marriage bond? > >6. Can a Christian put away his mate for the "kingdom's sake" and remain >unmarried or be reconciled? >("Are We Doomed to Divide?", Keith Greer, Knollwood Messenger, July 2004) > >Joe and Keith both contend regarding the above six matters, that we must >learn to tolerate and not take issue. After all, if Joe is going to apply >Romans 14, then he must also accept the teaching of the text that even >prohibits negatively mentioning and exposing the "scruples" of another >(Rom. 14: 3, 10, etc.). Joe, like many others, lumps several matters of >differing gradation together and then says they are all equal. Not so! >Regarding points two and six, the scriptures are decidedly plain. > >Based on Matthew 5: 32, 19: 9, and I Corinthians 7: 2-11, an innocent mate >can be put away (such is not approved of by God, yet, He recognizes the >action as putting away) and not allowed to subsequently put away (there are >not two putting aways mentioned) and marry another, even after the putting >away mate marries another (point no. 2) and, also, divorce only for >fornication is taught and all other causes are sinful (no. 6). > >Joe, in his erroneous application of Romans 14 to these MDR issues is in >effect appealing to brethren to compromise sin and false teaching. Again, >I am hard pressed to present a current day example that I think completely >satisfies all the requirements and situational circumstances of the >particulars of Romans 14. However, I know beyond all doubt that when Joe >inserts what is patently error into the umbrella of Romans 14, he is wrong. > >I am very sad that Joe has chosen his present course. Alas, I am saddened >that men such as Mike Willis and Ron Halbrook have established their course. >Mike will go down in history as one of the primary men of our generation to >teach and promote multiple causes for divorce, even when a mate runs up >financial charges, and Ron will go down as the promoter of the put away >putting away doctrine. Then there are the Joe Prices who abuse Romans 14 to >try to get us to at least ignore Mike Willis and Ron Halbrook's teaching. > >Brethren, the scriptures teach unity but unity based on truth, not error and >compromise (Eph. 4: 2-6). Never, I repeat, never are we to ignore error for >the sake of "peace." Such is pseudo-unity (cp. I Cor. 1: 10). Anytime >error is inserted into the text of Romans 14, whether it be social drinking >of alcohol; institutional practices; cursing and foul language; modern >dancing; or MDR errors, Romans 14 is being perverted! Instead >of "the forgotten side of Romans 14," Joe should call it, "the >incongruous and contradictory side of Romans 14." > >Again, I am truly saddened regarding the teaching of an increasing number >today. However, we must put truth over friendships and denominational >unity. > >I thank the list owners for this opportunity to challenge what I most >decidedly deem to be rank error and I welcome any rebuttal that Joe may >offer on this list. Again, for the sake of simplicity and clarity, I have >not challenged Joe's motives or any other intangible matter. I have >challenged Joe placing number two and number six into the protective cover >of Romans 14. This is the real issue! > >Cordially, >Don Martin dmartin5@concentric.net > >Check out our Web sites: http://www.bibletruths.net >Ask a question 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. > > > >_______________________________________________ >Biblemat mailing list >Biblemat@biblematters.com >http://www.biblematters.com/mailman/listinfo/biblemat > > > > From joe at bibleanswer.com Tue Oct 12 22:54:57 2004 From: joe at bibleanswer.com (Joe R. Price) Date: Wed Oct 13 09:04:31 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A review of Joe Price's material In-Reply-To: <001201c4afc0$f3cd0da0$86306a43@concentric.net> References: <001201c4afc0$f3cd0da0$86306a43@concentric.net> Message-ID: <416CA711.9020802@bibleanswer.com> October 12, 2004 Joe Price to the list, On October 10 I posted an article to the Bible Matters list entitled, The ?Forgotten Side? of Romans 14. On Monday, October 11, Brother Don Martin posted a review of my article, believing the material contains ?rank error.? I am grateful to the owner of the Bible Matters list for allowing me this opportunity of rebuttal in accordance with list rules. I would ask each of you to read my article and brother Martin?s challenge to it before proceeding. My article is available online at http://www.bibleanswer.com/2004_Vol_08_No_15_10Oct.htm, and Don?s review is available in the Biblemat Archives at http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/2004-October/000275.html. Like Don, I have no personal axe to grind with him. His challenge has been of my teaching, which he believes to be ?rank error?, and that deserves a reply. Don and I agree that Romans 14 has been abused by many. That is not the issue here. We agree that the subject matter of Romans 14 does not involve sin. That is not the issue here. We agree that ?to attempt to place any matter of doctrinal and/or moral departure into the text of Romans 14? is a misuse of the text. That is not the issue here. We agree that using Romans 14 to cultivate an open and ongoing fellowship with error is a twisting of the text. That is not the issue here. What we do not agree on is whether Romans 14 has any present-day relevance and application. Don wrote that ?Romans 14 manifestly contains teaching that is germane to Christians today,? and offered verses 8, 11, 12 as proof. But please read a little closer. Don believes that since the ?exact situation of Romans 14 cannot be completely duplicated today?, the ?special teaching? of Romans 14 that deals with foods and the observance of days is not relevant to us. Are we to conclude that Romans 14 fails to teach general principles of truth about how we are to live in unity in the body of Christ when we have different consciences over matters of indifference? Is that what Don is saying? It sure sounds like it. I believe, as I said in the beginning of my article, that Romans 14 does contain practical application for Christians today. Brother Martin has a difficult time agreeing with that simple statement of truth. Will Brother Martin clearly tell us whether he believes Romans 14 applies in this present age? And, if it does, will he state some issues of conscience among brethren today that fit Romans 14? If he will not, it proves I have understood him correctly. He has charged me with trying to protect error by using Romans 14. That is not an accurate assessment of what I have written. Don is mistaken. I began my article making it clear that Romans 14 does not sanction fellowship with error. I wrote: ?Romans 14 does not sanction unity in doctrinal and moral diversity (2 Jno. 9-11; Gal. 1:6-10; 1 Cor. 4:6, 17 and other verses expose this error). It is wrong to conclude that all areas of application fall into the realm of judgment. Along with the apostle and in harmony with the Lord?s authority, we continue to plead that Christians ?all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment? (1 Cor. 1:10).? Don wrote: ?Joe has an entirely different view of what constitutes error, at least relative to marriage, divorce, and marriage to another, as we shall see.? Yes indeed, let us see. Joe wrote: ?The revealed pattern of divine truth on marriage, divorce and remarriage is unassailable and must not be compromised: one man and one woman for life with one exception (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6, 9; Rom. 7:2-3; 1 Cor. 7:10-11; Heb. 13:4). Any teaching or practice that contradicts this pattern of sound doctrine is error and must be resisted. For example, the ?one-loosed, both loosed? doctrine that allows for unrestrained remarriage, the desertion exemption for remarriage (that misunderstands and misapplies 1 Cor. 7:15), the so-called ?waiting game? and the teaching that alien sinners are not under the marriage law of the gospel of Christ are among the erroneous doctrines that must be withstood because they violate ?the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints? (Jude 3; 2 Jno. 9-11; Gal. 1:6-9).? The pattern of sound doctrine on the subject of marriage, divorce and remarriage is the right of the innocent mate to put away the guilty fornicator because of that mate?s fornication, and to remarry another (Matt. 19:6, 9). Don, you do agree with this, don?t you? If so, how is it that I have left the divine order? Does our brother agree with the above stated pattern? The problem arises when Don binds and demands a procedure that the innocent person must follow in order to have a right to remarry. Don has changed the right of divorce and remarriage from the presence of the cause of fornication to the procedure by which one puts away his/her mate. And that illustrates the point that my article on Romans 14 warned against: binding where the Lord has not bound. I believe that is the essential warning of Romans 14. If we do not heed the warning, we will fall into endless and needless disputes and numberless factions. We will be canceling each other?s meetings, dropping each other?s support, breaking off fellowship with each other, and separating into enclaves filled with evil surmisings against each other. These very dangers call attention to the importance of Romans 14 properly applied to our conscientious scruples today, just as it was applied in the first century. God has bound upon us a pattern concerning the ?cause? for divorce and remarriage (Matt. 19:9). We must not go beyond that pattern, and we have not done so. When fornication occurs, the innocent person has a right to remarry based on the presence of that cause. Brother Martin believes the innocent person does not necessarily have a right to remarry, even when fornication has occurred. He wrote: ?When I study such verses as Matthew 5: 32, 19: 9 and I Corinthians 7: 2-11, I see the teaching of one man and one woman for life, only one cause for divorce, and the put away, whether innocent or guilty, not being allowed to put away and marry another, as all basic teaching of these verses.? This is consistent with what Don has posted to the Bible Matters list in the past. On April 8, 2003, Don posted ?A divorce and remarriage question, our answer?: (Howard) asked: ?My wife left me for another man and promptly filed for and received a divorce. She was committing adultery before she left and received a divorce before I responded. Can I remarry? If not why was the adultery exclusion added to MATT.19: 9?? To which Don answered: ?Some believe that since your mate committed adultery BEFORE she put you away that you are free to put away and marry another (some believe that even if she had committed adultery AFTER she put you away that you still could put away and marry another). However, this is not what Matthew 19: 9 teaches. Every state with which I am familiar allows some waiting time between the filing and the issuance of the civil divorce document. I believe, alas, that you should have been active before the whole divorce process became history. You are now a ?put away person? and according to Matthew 19: 9 are not allowed to ?put away? and subsequently marry another. ?Howard, I am sorry regarding your plight, but we can only respond according to the scriptures and how they relate to the provided information.? (Bible Matters mailing list, April 08, 2003 4:35 PM; Subject: A divorce and remarriage question, our answer) Don believes procedure trumps the cause of the sundering of a marriage. The proof: ?Howard?s? marriage was sundered by his fornicating wife, yet because ?Howard? was not ?active before the whole divorce process became history? Don tells ?Howard? he is now a ?put away person? without the right to remarry. Consistent with this, in his review of my article Don wrote, ?Based on Matthew 5: 32, 19: 9, and I Corinthians 7: 2-11, an innocent mate can be put away (such is not approved of by God, yet, He recognizes the action as putting away) and not allowed to subsequently put away?? Brother Martin binds a procedure that the innocent person must follow in order to have a right to remarry. It is in this area of procedure that the Lord grants an area of liberty. This is the area over which my brother and I have this present dispute. My article on Romans 14 exposes his extremism that binds procedure while ignoring cause. Don has not handled God?s word rightly in this matter (2 Tim. 2:15). Don is binding where the Lord has not bound. I have tried to speak with candor and respect toward Don in view of his objections, and I want to credit him with sincerity of conscience. I hope to express these thoughts for study without degenerating into ?disputes over doubtful things? (Rom. 14:1). I do believe the chapter applies today as demonstrated in my previous article, and I urge Don to reconsider his apparent rejection of this much needed chapter. Romans 14 shows that one brother may believe he can eat meat, while another brother may believe he cannot eat meat, but they can receive one another respecting each other?s conscience and leave this matter to God (Rom. 14:1-6). As I pointed out in my article, as an example, one person may believe the cause of fornication must be stated on the writing of divorcement while another may not. One may believe the innocent person must make some kind of formal statement to the church concerning the divorce, while another may not deem it essential that the innocent person be ?active before the whole divorce process became history? in order to put away the fornicator. These and other such matters are the areas where Romans 14 finds application today. These are the areas of ?doubtful things? that Romans 14 teaches us not to dispute over. That was the very purpose of my article, and the very point to which Brother Martin objects. I ask you to judge from the evidence where the departure from the pattern of sound words has occurred. Because I will not agree with Don?s binding opinion about the procedure of putting away (that would restrict an innocent person from remarriage), he has made the grievous charge of ?rank error? against me. Did Paul depart from the pattern of sound words and teach ?rank error? when he wrote Romans 14? No, this chapter is a part of the apostle?s balanced approach to promoting sound doctrine and scriptural unity, thus strengthening the faith of brethren so as to defeat every false doctrine. By the same token, when we apply Romans 14 today as Paul did then, we likewise promote sound doctrine and scriptural unity, thus strengthening the faith of brethren so as to defeat every false doctrine. Our need to remember the ?forgotten side? of Romans 14 is thus confirmed. The intent of my article is summed up when I asked: ?Is it possible to be united in the truth of the gospel on marriage, divorce and remarriage, and yet differ over some specific points of application? Yes, just as surely as it was for the meat-eater and the herb-eater to differ in their application of food consumption while not having fellowship with the idol.? Brother Martin does not believe or teach that this is possible, and consequently, challenges my teaching and charges me with ?rank error.? Romans 14 teaches Christians to hold their opinions concerning indifferent matters (non-sinful things) with all good conscience. This is to be accomplished by not holding in contempt those who cannot in good conscience partake of a liberty, as well as by not condemning those who are able to do so. The credence of this statement is established in the word of God (Rom. 14:1-6, 10, 13, 14-23; 15:1-7), not in an appeal to any man, including Brother Keith Greer. In my article, I offered some examples from the pen of Brother Greer in order to help us consider how we can ?receive one another? in spite of holding different consciences over matters that are indifferent in the sight of God. (BTW, I asked Brother Greer reviewed my article prior to its publication, and he gave his consent to my use of his material.) Brother Martin takes exception with #2 and #6 in those examples. I will address each one as briefly as possible. First, #2: ?2. Can an adulterous mate execute a civil divorce against a faithful mate, and the faithful mate be prohibited from remarrying because he/she is the ?put-away? mate?? Brother Martin says, ?yes? (see his statements above to ?Howard?). Jesus addressed the cause of putting away one?s mate in Matthew 19:9. The presence of the cause of fornication gives the innocent person the right to remarry. Matthew 19:9 applies in every society regardless of the applicable civil procedures of divorce; it is culturally neutral. ?Cause? can be established regardless of what civil procedures exist whereby one ends a marriage. In Matthew 19:9, Jesus directed the Pharisees? attention to ?cause?, not procedure. My article on Romans 14 was intended to help us see that Jesus binds the ?cause? of fornication for putting away and remarrying while noting that different procedures will occur as that truth is applied. In effect, Brother Martin says there is only one procedure, and unless it is followed, the innocent person becomes a ?put away person? who cannot remarry. Don?s teaching negates the ?cause?, elevating the procedure above the cause. Did Jesus teach in Matthew 19:9 that the guilty fornicator can prevent the innocent person from remarriage based upon the procedure that one follows in the putting away? If so, where do the Scriptures explain that procedure so we can follow it today? We are sure the cause of fornication must exist in order to put away a mate because Jesus said so (Matt. 19:9). But in the absence of a Scriptural pattern that binds a specific procedure upon us, we must allow for the possibility of different applications as a mate is put away for the cause of fornication. Now, concerning #6: ?6. Can a Christian put away his mate for the ?kingdom?s sake? and remain unmarried or be reconciled?? In 1 Cor. 7:10-11, Paul teaches what Jesus taught concerning the divine order of marriage: one man and one woman for life. Like Jesus, Paul teaches us to not ?depart? (chorizo: ?put asunder? or ?separate? what God has joined together, Matt. 19:6). We are not to sunder a marriage that God has joined together. Paul shows us in this passage (verses 12-15) there can be occasions when an unbeliever departs (chorizo, put asunder) a marriage. It is conceivable that a believer in such a special case must seek relief and/or protection through the judicial system, even to the point of a writing of divorcement, from that unbelieving, unwilling mate. Such ?appeals to Caesar,? as I understand it, is the force of number 6 above. There is no Scriptural right for remarriage in such cases because of 1 Cor. 7:10-11. This is not a matter of trying to make room for any false doctrine or unauthorized practice. It is wrong and a misrepresentation of what I teach to conclude or suggest such. The Bible is clear and simple: When a marriage ends for a cause other than fornication, no remarriage is allowed (Matt. 5:31-32; 19:9; 1 Cor. 7:10-11). When a marriage ends because one has committed fornication, the responsibility for sundering that marriage lies squarely upon the fornicator, not the innocent person. Even should the situation arise where the innocent person fails to obtain the legal document (writing of divorcement), the marriage is nevertheless sundered (chorizo) because of fornication. Brother Martin does not understand this because he assesses the right of remarriage based on the procedure one follows instead of the presence of the cause of fornication. The correct use of Romans 14 allows that brethren will differ from time to time on how some situations are addressed. When differences arise we must be careful that they are not over the revealed pattern of truth ? one man and one woman for life, with one exception ? but over areas in which different applications of that pattern may occur without sin. Otherwise, we will be guilty of either loosing where the Lord has not loosed, or binding where the Lord has not bound -- or both (Col. 3:17). Now, I will turn my attention to the matters that Brother Martin chose to inject into his review that are not directly related to my article. I am compelled to address these items to clarify the record so that no misunderstanding exists. Don correctly notes our friendship goes back many years. My work as a gospel preacher had its beginning with the Holly Street church. In the past and to this present moment they have financially supported me to preach the gospel. I am continually thankful to the Lord for the encouragement and fellowship I have benefited from as a result of my relationship with the Holly Street church. Brother Martin assures us in his review that he has not challenged my ?motives or any other intangible matter.? I am sure he believes that to be the case. Unfortunately, his words betray his confident assurance. He has in fact challenged my motives, as these quotations will show: Don wrote, ?It appears that Joe is now looking to Romans 14 for justification of his defense of Mike Willis' teaching and also of Ron Halbrook's teaching on MDR (the innocent put away may later put away when the putting away mate marries another, a form of the old waiting game teaching).? I wrote the article on Romans 14 for the purpose stated therein, to remind brethren of the proper uses of Romans 14, lest we forget them. Evidently, some have forgotten, and thus, the need for the study. Don insinuates my reason for writing the article is to defend and justify men. That is a challenge of my motives, and an incorrect one, at that. Don also wrote, ?Then there are the Joe Prices who abuse Romans 14 to try to get us to at least ignore Mike Willis and Ron Halbrook?s teaching.? Again, a judgment is made as to why I wrote my article. Oh yes, Don has judged my motives, but not with ?righteous judgment? (Jno. 7:24). Don consistently left the impression that I am bent on defending men rather than teaching truth. Don wrote, ?Allow me to get to the point: We (the elders at Holly Street) have been corresponding with Joe for several months regarding his defense of the teaching being done by Mike Willis (Joe is a staff writer for the paper regarding which Mike Willis serves as a co-editor). Mike taught here in the Denver metro area this year(the Boston Street church in Aurora) that there are multiple causes for divorce, spiritual incompatibility being one. Mike's teaching is error and contradicts a number of verses that plainly state that divorce is only allowed for fornication (Matt. 5: 32; I Cor. 7:2ff.). However, Joe has defended Mike's teaching and does not consider it error that must be exposed.? I was initially contacted via e-mail by one of the Holly Street elders earlier this year, in which he urged me to separate myself from Truth Magazine (TM). (This was not from Don Martin, nor was it correspondence from the eldership as such.) That first contact was an undeniable effort to persuade me to cease my association with TM and the Guardian of Truth Foundation. In that post, ?multiple causes for divorce? were attributed to Brother Mike Willis. I had not even spoken to Brother Willis about ?multiple causes for divorce? at that time, much less written a defense of such. I learned a long time ago to get both sides of a story before reaching a conclusion (Prov. 18:13), so I called Brother Willis about this. I then provided that information along with my assessment to the elder who had initially written me. It is the correspondence that has ensued since then to which Don refers. Neither did I write to defend Ron Halbrook. He speaks for himself and I speak for myself. (Ron would doubtless dispute Don?s characterization of defending a ?waiting game,? in view of his article entitled ?Divorce and Remarriage: No Waiting Game,? published in Guardian of Truth, Mar. 18, 1993, pp. 168-169.) Nevertheless, my original article offered no defense of mike or Ron and was not motivated by them. They could pass from the scene today and this would not change the real and larger issue. Truth Magazine could pass from the scene today and it would not change the real and larger issue. The real and larger issue is whether Romans 14 has any meaning and application to specific issues involving conscientious scruples today. I affirm that in the overall context of the book of Romans. While learning to expose and eradicate every false doctrine, we learn in chapter 14 to avoid the dangers of overacting and embroiling ourselves in never-ending ?disputes over doubtful things.? It appears that Don so narrowly defines the meaning of Romans 14 that it is little more than a historical curiosity and with little or no practical or direct application to specific issues today. As a friend and brother, I urge Don to reconsider. The implications reach far beyond his comments on marriage and the magazine, encompassing a multitude of personal scruples. I urge Don to see that Romans 14 is part of the glue that holds us together as God?s people in spite of a multitude of personal scruples that most all of us have to some degree. The power and importance of the teaching presented in this chapter are underscored by the admonition given in Romans 15:5-7. In this climax, the Holy Spirit admonishes all of us through Paul: ?Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.? Yes, all of us need this teaching. We need it today. We need to apply it to specific issues falling under the principles set forth in Romans 14. Finally, as for divorce, God hates it (Mal. 2:16). The Bible teaches that it is a sin against what God has joined together (Matt. 19:4-6; 1 Cor. 7:10). No divorce occurs without someone being guilty of sin. I will gladly allow my readers to judge whether my article on Romans 14 or this rebuttal has been an attempt to defend men or to analyze and properly apply the Scriptures. I wish to thank my readers for patiently and thoroughly considering this rebuttal. I do not intend to be thusly engaged for the next ten days as the rules allow for on the Bible Matters list. Enough has been said here on this subject for the earnest and honest heart to fairly judge what is right (Lk. 12:57; Acts 17:11-12). The warning I offered near the end of my article on Romans 14 continues to be relevant: ?Unless and until we are willing and able to distinguish between the revealed truth of the gospel and personal scruples we will be plagued with the liberalism of unity in doctrinal diversity on the one hand, and the factionalism of binding human traditions on the other. Both are instruments of the devil to divide and devour the body of Christ. We must not be ignorant of his devices (2 Cor. 2:11).? With regards in Christ, Joe Price ********************************************** Joe R Price Email: joe@bibleanswer.com Web Sites: Bible Answers: http://www.bibleanswer.com Mt. Baker church of Christ: http://www.mtbakercofc.org Fax: 775.878.4823 ********************************************** From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Oct 13 03:59:28 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Wed Oct 13 09:06:10 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) MARRIAGE Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Wednesday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with a very enjoyable day. Here are some thoughts from my files: MARRIAGE I. A Divine Institution: -- God arranged marriage for the happin- ess of His creation: -- Gen. 2:21,22; Matt. 19:4-8. A. It is more than a mere civil contract, authorized by the state. 1. A happy marriage is the nearest thing on earth to HEAVEN. 2. An unhappy marriage can be as near to HELL as possible while living on the earth. B. Marriage is an honorable arrangement by God for man: -- Heb. 13:4. II. The Purpose Of Marriage: -- A. Suitable Companionship: -- Gen. 2:18-25. B. Procreation: -- Gen. 1:27,28; 5:4. C. Sexual Fulfillment: -- Gen. 2:24. D. To Avoid Fornication: -- 1 Cor. 7:2. E. Establishment Of A Home: -- Titus 2:2-5. III. A Supreme Relationship Upon Earth: -- A. God-given -- Wonderful Relationship: -- Gen. 2:18-24. B. Priority Over All Human Relationships: -- Eph. 5:22,23. C. Leave Father And Mother And Cleave To One's Wife: -- Eph. 5:31. D. Man And Woman Joined Together By God: -- Matt. 19:6. E. The Two Become One Flesh: -- Gen. 2:24. F. It Is An Honorable Relationship: -- Heb. 13:4. IV. Marriage Makes Husband And Wife One: -- Gen. 2:24. A. It Constitutes One Conjugal Body: -- Eph. 5:28-32. B. It Is A Union Of Bodies, Minds, And Purposes: -- 1. One in Mutual giving and taking. 2. With Material possessions. 3. In Spiritual interests. C. Living An Unmarried Life Is Permissable But Not Commanded: - 1 Cor. 7:7. V. Fundamental Facts: -- A. God Made Both Man And Woman: -- Matt. 19:4. B. He Made Them In His Own Image: -- Gen. 1:26; 2:7,21-24. C. Man Has Both A Physical And Spiritual Body: -- 1 Cor. 15:44. D. God Made Them Different Bodies: "Male and Female": -- Matt. 19:4. E. He Made Them FOR Each Other: "They twain shall be one flesh": -- Matt. 19:5. F. One Intention Was To Propagate And Replenish The Earth: -- Gen. 1:28; 1 Tim. 5:14. VI. Responsibilities In Marriage: -- A. Husband To Wife: -- 1. To Love: -- Eph. 5:25-33. 2. To Honor: -- 1 Pet. 3:7. 3. To Be Head Of, To Lead: -- Eph. 5:22f. 4. To Provide For: -- 1 Tim. 5:8. B. Wife To Husband: -- 1. To Love: -- Titus 2:4. 2. To Be In Subjection To: -- Col. 3:18. 3. To Respect: -- Eph. 5:33. 4. To Honor: -- Eph. 5:33. VII. Marriage Is For Life: -- A. It Is A Permanent Arrangement - For Life - To Death: -- Rom. 7:1-4. B. Joined Together By God: -- Matt. 19:6. C. Only One Exception -- Fornication: --Matt. 19:7-9; 5:31,32; Mk. 10:10-12. D. Bound Together Till Death Do Us Part: -- Rom. 7:1-4. (These thoughts adapted from Ready Reference by Paul Sain) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041013/fe4f7250/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Oct 13 03:59:33 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Wed Oct 13 09:06:10 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) HOW TO LOOK GOOD IN A SWIMSUIT Message-ID: <8a.174b665e.2e9e4875@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study that rec- ently came my way. Use to the glory of God. HOW TO LOOK GOOD IN A SWIMSUIT Those who seek good will consult God's Word and give them- selves in obedience to His teaching. Recently the above statement, "how to look good in a swimsuit" caught my eye as I was scanning some e-mails. It got me to think- ing about the premium this world puts on physically attractive, and the dangers associated with such. No doubt, many are consider- ing little else in the summertime. If you really want to look good, please consider the following: Properly Define What Is "Good." -- The word "good" has be- come so generalized that it is applied to everything, even that which is evil. The prophet Isaiah spoke of those who "call evil good, and good evil" (Isa. 5;20). This is how many use "good" today. Therefore, caution must be exercised so as to not confuse good and evil. To do this we must acknowledge God, He who is the true and ultimate good: "O taste and see that Jehovah is good: blessed is the man that taketh refuge in Him" (Psa. 34: 8). God revealed His word, the Bible, to mankind for our good. When Moses gave God's law to Israel, he told them, "See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil: in that I command thee this day to love Jehovah thy God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, that thou mayest live and multi- ply, and that Jehovah thy God may bless thee in the land whither thou goest in to possess it" (Deut. 30:15,16). For Israel to know genuine goodness in their life, they had to obey God's word; if they didn't obey, "death and evil" would be the consequences. Likewise, they who are genuinely concerned about presenting themselves as "good" will consult God's Word and obey His law in their lives (2 Tim. 3:16,17). Be More Concerned With What God Sees: -- To look good in God's sight is to BE good. Pleasing God should be our first priority. He is our Creator, Provider, Savior and Judge. It is by His blessings that all enjoy life and everything good associated with it (Acts 14:17). As Paul preached these truths in Athens, he endeavored to motivate the people to seek after and obey God in their lives (Acts 17:27-31). Too many, however, are consumed with impressing their peers more than they are with pleasing God; because they live with no convictions, they are easily swayed to go along with the crowd. The Bible warns of "following a multi- tude to do evil" (Exo. 23:2). Jesus taught, "Woe to you when all men speak well of you" (Lk. 6:26). You cannot please God and the world at the same time (Matt. 6:24; Gal. 1:10). Pleasing God requires we "abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thes. 5: 22). Don't Be Naive About Lust: -- What many actually mean when they speak of "looking good" in a swimsuit is how sexually appealing they will be to the opposite sex. "Lust" is evil desire, which can be aroused by sight. Scripture speaks of the "lust of the eye" as part of the evil world we must avoid (1 Jno. 2;15-17). Jesus warned of him who "looketh on a woman to lust after her" -- that he who does so "hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matt. 5:28). Job, a godly man, made a covenant with his eyes that he might not look with lust upon a woman (Job 31:1). Immodest clothing, whether it be swimsuits, mini-skirts, shorts, etc., are all designed to excite lust. The issue here is not about fashion or comfort -- but lust. God holds you responsible for the clothing you wear and how you present yourself before others. If you parade your half naked (almost completely naked any more) in public (a fair description of one wearing the modern swimsuit) you bring God's condemnation on yourself. But more than that, you become a stumbling block to others, who would look at you with lust, committing sin thereby. It matters to God what kind of clothes you wear (1 Tim. 2:9). Therefore, it should matter to you. (Women who go to pools or the beach to show off almost all of their body, and men that visit these pools and beaches to ogle these immodest women, are both sinning before God, JWS). Dress The Heart: -- In Peter's instruction to wives with unbelie- ving husbands, they were charged to focus the emphasis on "adorning...the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible apparel of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (1 Pet. 3;3,4). In other words, dress the heart and the outward appearance will follow suit. The problem of immodesty is a heart problem, and those who would become an object of lust by publicly displaying themselves in a swimsuit (or other forms of immodest apparel) need to dress up their hearts by surrendering them to Christ. The apostle Paul commanded, "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof" (Rom. 13:14). Again, on a more personal note, Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Him- self up for me" (Gal. 2:20). Those who die to sin by coming to Christ will not dress like the world (Rom. 6:2). Those who please God will not be swayed to compromise their faith by worldly activities, no matter how popular they may be (Rom. 12:1,2). They understand they are sojourners just passing through this life toward eternity. This world is not their home. Heaven is. Therefore, they will, with the courage of their faith, choose without shame or apology to be separate from worldliness so they may glorify God (2 Cor. 6:17,18; 1 Pet. 2:9-12). ------- Dan Richardson in Biblical Insights, Vol. 4, No. 9, Sept. 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041013/0ad82e89/attachment.htm From kthomas at ntslink.net Wed Oct 13 09:15:07 2004 From: kthomas at ntslink.net (Kenneth E. Thomas) Date: Wed Oct 13 09:27:39 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Location of a faithful N.T. church? Message-ID: <416D386B.58415DC9@ntslink.net> Kenneth Thomas here with a request; Are any of you aware of a "faithful New Testament church" in or near Spartanburg, South Carolina. I have been asked to locate one. I would appreciate your help. Thanks in advance, Sincerely, Kenneth E. Thomas working with the church on Valle Vista Blvd. in Pekin, Illinois -- Kenneth E. Thomas kthomas@ntslink.net "A word to the wise is sufficient." Pekin church home page address: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/7017/pekin_ch.html -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041013/e50e08da/attachment.htm From mikehughes01 at sbcglobal.net Wed Oct 13 09:27:13 2004 From: mikehughes01 at sbcglobal.net (MRH) Date: Wed Oct 13 09:27:40 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Don Martin / Joe Price Posts Message-ID: We now have an exchange of articles going back and forth from Don Martin and Joe Price about Romans 14. The exchange started on October 11th. So according to the rules of Bible Matters each participant can put one message about the subject each day for 10 days after this the exchange will stop. I guess this is kind of like the Presidential debate with out the 90 minute rebuttal and the 30 minute rejoinder. I guess that is my 30 minutes. Thanks for all the kind remarks regarding the list. I hope it is still serving a good purpose. Respectfully Yours, Mikeal R. Hughes - Co-Owner Bible Matters List From matthew at mhallen.com Wed Oct 13 09:40:18 2004 From: matthew at mhallen.com (Matthew Allen) Date: Wed Oct 13 13:18:53 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Material on the United Way In-Reply-To: <416CA711.9020802@bibleanswer.com> Message-ID: <016301c4b132$901f7b80$2001a8c0@PREACHER> Good morning everyone. I'm looking to increase my file on the United Way and whether Christians should contribute or not. If you have any material you could forward to the list or to me privately it would be appreciated. Have a great Wednesday. Matthew (Matt) Allen Minister - Brownsburg church of Christ 2100 S. Hornaday Rd., Brownsburg, IN 46112 Office: (317) 852-4645 Mobile: (317) 797-5324 mhallen@sbcglobal.net sdrazorback@yahoo.com matthew@mhallen.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041013/fca77490/attachment-0001.htm From dmartin5 at concentric.net Wed Oct 13 11:17:24 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Wed Oct 13 13:18:54 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] "A review of Joe Price's material, " my reply to Joe's rebuttal Message-ID: <000b01c4b140$21140540$b4306a43@concentric.net> Don Martin to the list: First, I thank you, the reader, for your interest, time, and willingness to sort through one of the major issues facing the church today. I am referring to marriage, divorce, and marriage to another and the treatment of Romans 14. I also commend Joe Price for having the backbone to not run off but come back to the list with his reply. It would be remiss of me if I failed to acknowledge special appreciation for the list owners providing this medium. I would that there never be any doctrinal differences, but when there are, it is good that we discuss such in the interest of truth. We, the Holly Street elders, have been in conversation with Joe Price whom we financially assist for several months regarding his association and defense of teaching pertaining to multiple causes for divorce as taught by Mike Willis here in the Denver area earlier this year. We have been very concerned about what we deem to be false teaching emanating from several who are, along with Joe, part of the working structure of the entity known as the Guardian of Truth Foundation and Truth Magazine. In addition to Mike Willis, men such as Ron Halbrook and Weldon Warnock. Since we have been assisting in Joe's support for many years, we believed we not only had a right to ask Joe probing questions as to his relationship with these men but that we, moreover, had a responsibility to know Joe's thinking relative to such matters. I am disappointed to learn that Joe has had problems with my teaching for some time, but has not said a word, but has silently continued to accept support from us. I suppose, though, that Joe has been able to also place this into Romans 14. Joe wrote: "Brother Martin binds a procedure that the innocent person must follow in order to have a right to remarry. It is in this area of procedure that the Lord grants an area of liberty. This is the area over which my brother and I have this present dispute. My article on Romans 14 exposes his extremism that binds procedure while ignoring cause. Don has not handled God's word rightly in this matter (2 Tim. 2:15). Don is binding where the Lord has not bound." When asked about Mike Willis' teaching pertaining to multiple causes for divorce, Joe responded thus to us: "The clear error of Homer Hailey that alien sinners are not amenable to the gospel of Christ is not the same nature as Mike Willis teaching that a Christian has the right to exercise the law for protection from a souse in order to remain faithful to Christ (I Cor. 7: 12-15). The one is clearly error. The other is not." I myself have taught that a wife, for instance, could be in a situation in which she could appeal to the powers that be for relief (severe physical beatings) and could even be in a plight where such could be required of her (drugs being sold from the home, etc.). However, Mike Willis and now Joe Price go beyond this and say that one may divorce a mate for some cause other than fornication (cp. Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9, I Cor. 7: 2ff.). I am adamant because Jesus' teaching is plain and cannot be compromised or diluted by forcing it into a text such as Romans 14 that will not receive it. I am emphatic because the only reason allowed for biblical divorce (possible subsequent marriage to another is not being discussed) is divorce in view of and for the cause of fornication. Joe not only persists in defending the multiple causes for divorce as taught by Mike Willis, but also is now openly advancing the same doctrine. Joe wrote in his rebuttal to my review of his October 11 material, "The 'Forgotten Side' of Romans 14" the following (reference is to I Corinthians 7): "Paul shows us in this passage (verses 12-15) there can be occasions when an unbeliever departs (chorizo, put asunder) a marriage. It is conceivable that a believer in such a special case must seek relief and/or protection through the judicial system, even to the point of a writing of divorcement, from that unbelieving, unwilling mate. Such 'appeals to Caesar,' as I understand it, is the force of number 6 above. There is no Scriptural right for remarriage in such cases because of 1 Cor. 7:10-11." Joe wants to present me as simply extremely engrossed in extraneous protocol to the point of denying the rights of the innocent mate. Look closely at what Joe is actually teaching: divorce for a cause other than fornication. When one considers all relevant scriptures, one finds that fornication and only fornication, not the matter of failing to provide, not failing to be a faithful Christian, etc., constitutes the ONLY cause for divorce. Brethren, we are facing an epidemic that is rapidly becoming a pandemic. Society is crumbling around us with the deterioration of the family being precipitated by divorce and now we are witnessing men such as Mike Willis and Joe Price brazenly advocating divorce for a cause other than fornication. Such is blatant error but this is what Joe says must be placed into the protective umbrella of Romans 14; thus effecting the posture of do not oppose such teaching lest you be a divisive person and violate Romans 14. To Joe, multiple causes for divorce is a doctrine comparable to the days, meat issue, and oinos concern of Romans 14. Joe did a good job shifting the focus in his rebuttal from the multiple causes for divorce and the put away being able to perform a "second putting away" and be able to marry another to: "...The problem arises when Don binds and demands a procedure that the innocent person must follow in order to have a right to remarry. Don has changed the right of divorce and remarriage from the presence of the cause of fornication to the procedure by which one puts away his/her mate. And that illustrates the point that my article on Romans 14 warned against: binding where the Lord has not bound." Don comments: We are hearing strange language today from some, language that is both ambiguous and equivocal. These men are heard repeating in unison, "We must accept the truth but allow differences in application." What does such mean when used in the climate of right and wrong? They have a put away person being able to put away. They have a put away person being able to subsequently put away and marry another (the death of a mate is not being discussed, Rom. 7: 3, 4). All of this is totally antithetical to the plain teaching of such verses as Matthew 5: 32, 19: 9, Luke. 16: 18. Now, some, including Joe, are telling us that one may divorce for reasons other than fornication, just as long as they do not marry another (see I Cor. 7: 2-15). After they finish telling us all of this, they say, "You must accept or at least allow us to teach all of this because of Romans 14!" Joe repeatedly charges that I do not understand Romans 14. You know what, there are nuances relative to the discussed particularity that I do not fully understand and I admit such. Let me tell you this, though, I know that no particular that involves sin and error can be forced to fit into the climate of Romans 14. Joe, please allow me to be plain: the doctrine that you are advocating of multiple causes for divorce is false and does not belong along side the meat, days, and oinos of Romans 14: 2-4; 5,6; 21. These particulars reside in a special set of circumstances involving these people that cannot fully be duplicated today and they are all doctrinally and morally indifferent. Your multiple causes for divorce doctrine is not, I repeat, is not doctrinally or morally indifferent. My old friend Joe stated: "...The problem arises when Don binds and demands a procedure that the innocent person must follow in order to have a right to remarry...." Don comments: Is that the issue, Joe? I thought the issue was whether or not multiple causes for divorce is allowed and if we may teach such. Just what procedure do I bind? Yes, I plead guilty to binding divorce only for the cause of fornication (Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9). Also, I plead guilty to teaching that "put away" (apoluo) is an action word; thus, there must be some act performed that constitutes biblical putting away. Weldon Warnock, one man with whom Joe Price is now linked in the Guardian of Truth Foundation, is famous for saying: "But someone asks: 'What about a woman who is put away (divorced) by a man simply because the man no longer wanted to be married? Fornication is not involved and the woman repeatedly tried to prevent the divorce, but to no avail. After a couple of years the man marries another woman. Is the 'put way' woman then free to marry?' She certainly is, if she puts away her husband for fornication. She would have to do this before God in purpose of heart since the divorce has already taken place, legally speaking. She could not go through the process of having a legal document charging her husband with 'adultery,' but God would know." - Weldon E. Warnock (Searching the Scriptures, November issue, 1985). Don comments: It is past time that we understand that Jesus used "put away" relative to the guilty person AND the innocent person and cease our human reasoning and emotionalism (Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9, Lk. 16: 18). Furthermore, the put way, whether guilty or innocent of fornication, is consistently seen as never being able to marry another without sin (I am not referring to reconciliation with the one to whom she/he is maritally bound, I Cor. 7:11). Also, it is high time that we come to some understanding as to the putting away act. Do the scriptures speak of a put away person putting away "in purpose of heart"? I only know what the scriptures teach. The way we understand scripture is by paying attention to words, structure, syntax, grammar, and both the immediate and remote context. Again there is only one cause for divorce and that is fornication and an innocent mate, according to Jesus, can be put away and not allowed marriage to another (Matt. 19: 9). Joe Price and Mike Willis are teaching error and others involved with them in the Guardian of Truth Foundation are fellowshipping them in their error. Again, such error cannot find refuge in Romans 14, as Joe persists in claiming. What is this procedure that I am binding, anyway? I am opposed to mental divorce because I believe that while biblical divorcement involves mental resolve, it entails more. I am persuaded that in addition to mental resolve, there is declaration of intent. I also believe that when the society in which one lives has a civil protocol pertaining to the divorcement act that compliance to that germane circumstance is part of the putting away or repudiation act (cp. I Pet. 2: 13). I have said that Romans 14 contains universal teaching for Christians today. However, I have also said that to exactly duplicate the circumstance of Romans 14 would be difficult if not impossible to do today. I have also offered other pertinent verses pertaining to unity, such as I Corinthians 1: 10 and Ephesians 4: 3-6. I suggest that if we all started "speaking the same thing," we would not be hearing talk of multiple causes for divorce and the put away putting away and being able to later marry another. We would not be speaking such because such concepts and language are foreign to the teaching of the New Testament. Joe wrote: He has charged me with trying to protect error by using Romans 14. That is not an accurate assessment of what I have written. Don is mistaken. Don replies: Again, Joe has argued for multiple causes for divorce and such is error. Joe has insisted that such differences in teaching fall under the influence of Romans 14. Hence, Joe has attempted to force error into the umbrella of Romans 14. Some, it appears Joe included, reason that it is permissible to teach multiple causes for divorce just as long as you do not advocate subsequent marriage to another. However, keep in mind that divorce itself without any consideration regarding subsequent matters is not allowed, except for fornication (Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9, I Cor. 7: 2ff.). I do not say this about Joe or Mike Willis, but I do know based on debates that I have had in the past that have involved men embracing the same teaching who go on to reason after this fashion: Jack put away Jane (no fornication) because Jane ran up some bills (one of Mike Willis multiple reasons for divorce). Jack was told that he could not marry another. However, when Jane married another, Jack could then put away Jane because she had committed adultery. Such as just mentioned is perhaps one reason divorce is only allowed for fornication. Also, Jesus' teaching precluded any form of a waiting game practice when it allowed divorce only for fornication and taught that the put away, whether guilty or innocent, is not allowed marriage to another. I realize that my reply is much shorter than Joe's response. What I would like to see happen is this: I would like to see Joe come back within a short time (not days) and address these two matters: (1). Multiple causes for divorce as opposed to fornication only. (2). May a put away person subsequently put away and be able to marry another. These matters are involved in Joe's contention regarding the activation of Romans 14 (his numbers 2 and 6 inclusion). I firmly believe that to advocate either multiple reasons for divorce or that the put away may put away and marry another are false doctrines that eventuate in adultery and fornication. Joe, I for one would like to see you respond and deal with these issues. I, in closing this reply, want you, Joe, to know that I am not your enemy and I am not out to "get you." You have taught error and, as your friend, I must challenge you to cease such. I believe you want unity, but I think you have gotten off track and are now pleading for unity based on compromise of truth. I look forward to your timely and responsible reply. Here are a couple of questions that shift the discussion from personal matters to face the issue: (1). Joe, do you allow such causes as Mike Willis does for divorce such as, a mate incurring bills with a credit card that they cannot pay and spiritual incompatibility to the point that one is spiritually discouraged? What all extra reasons (in addition to fornication) for divorce do you allow? (2). Is the innocent mate who is passive while the other mate mentally resolves to divorce, makes known desire and complies with all applicable civil protocol really a put away person or can she/he later put away and marry another when the other mate marries? Cordially, Don Martin dmartin5@concentric.net Check out our Web sites: http://www.bibletruths.net Ask a question 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 dmartin5 at concentric.net Wed Oct 13 11:47:48 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Wed Oct 13 13:18:56 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Question/answer regarding those in remote places Message-ID: <00d801c4b144$601ca900$b4306a43@concentric.net> Hello Serena, Thank you so much for your question and for making use of Bible Questions. Please do so again. http://www.biblequestions.org Please check out Bible Truths http://www.bibletruths.net Go to the archives section of these sites for material and also go to the archives search page and type in any subject or word you wish to explore. New material is constantly being added to both sites. Any help you can give us in telling others of these sites will be greatly appreciated. If you are interested in really learning more about the Bible, there is an online Bible study course located in Bible Truths. While on the home page, scroll down and enter. While on the Map Site Page, click on "Online Bible Study Course" in the table. Click on http://www.bibletruths.net to go there. You asked: Are people that have never heard the word of God or of Jesus, (due to their circumstances, i.e.. tribes, desolate individuals, groups in Africa or other countries) ... are they simply not saved? Reply: Jesus commissioned the gospel to be preached to the whole world (Matt. 28: 19, 20, Mk. 16: 15, 16). The Great Commission was fulfilled within about twenty-three years after it was given (Rom. 10: 18). The Bible is everywhere and virtually available to all who really want it. Nations that are considered extremely backward and disadvantaged actually had the gospel first, but rejected its influence in their culture. "And to you that are troubled rest with us," Paul writes regarding Jesus' return, "when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power..." (2 Thes. 1: 7-9). Ignorance is not over-looked, the scriptures teach (Acts 17: 30, 31). Those who will not know the Lord's will when he returns shall be in a better position, if you will, than those who knew but refused to do (Lk. 12: 47, 48). However, both shall be punished. In this respect, there will be "difference in judgment." An article of particular interest could be "Hell" which is located in Bible Truths. Simply click on http://www.bibletruths.net and while on the home page, click on the "Great Truths" button. Scroll down until you come to the subject and click on the "click here." Thanks again for your good question and for your interest in spiritual matters. I recommend that you print out this email for future reference (web addresses, etc.). You may print out any material you desire in both Bible Questions and Bible Truths (see the copyright provision at the bottom of the home page in Bible Truths). Cordially, Don Martin From onealmartin at msn.com Wed Oct 13 12:31:44 2004 From: onealmartin at msn.com (ONeal Martin) Date: Wed Oct 13 13:18:56 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Teach What You Believe every where? Message-ID: O'Neal Martin Here: I do not post much to the list and I'm aware that there are various preachers whom I know, and know of that believes that there is more than one reason for divorce. I believe there is one (1) as given in Matthew 19:9. So, my question is why do these men not just come out and be very plain about their position. Teach it where they preach, and where they hold Gospel Meetings, and in their religious papers, and on the various lists. If they believe they have the truth, what is their problem? Jude 3 tells us, 'to earnest contend for the faith once delivered.' Is MDR not of the faith? Paul said I'm set for the defense of the gospel. Phil. 1:17. Are you set to defend what you believe and teach and have it examined in the light of God's Word by any and all. It does not appear as if all are willing to do that. Why keep quite on what you believe and teach at some places and not others, and then with so much explaining that it almost takes a lawyer to tell what you believe, If you have believed more than one reason for MDR why has a lot of you not been teaching this for the past 60 years of my lifetime. Now, I'm aware some of you are younger than my 70 years. To some extent some may have taught different from Matt. 19:9 'one reason fornication,' but nothing compared to what I'm seeing now? Some I believe have strayed from the truth on Matt. 19:9. And some of these men are older than I. Which does not prove who has the truth on anything. Many of my brethren can see the dangers the Lord's church is facing with this issue on MDR, and several other issues that have cone along in the past 15 or 20 years or so, and still others JUST go along with the so called big preachers and many of you know I'm right on this. Comprise is not one of my problems! A few of you who know me may consider this post but most will just pass it off as a nut case. So be it! May God help us if we as His people want to go to Heaven to get back to His Word, and kick opinions out the door. And strive with all our being to unite on God's Word on any and all issues! We need to please God not man. God and the world are looking at us, and woe unto us if we a the Lord's people do not make changes so as to please God, and be a light to the world. O'Neal Martin 102 Gum Branch Rd Manchester, KY 40962-6436 Telephone 1-606-598-2531 onealmartin@msn.com ( Scanned by Norton's Anti Virus) Will you admit God is right? 1 From marcshotts at rnetinc.net Wed Oct 13 15:03:15 2004 From: marcshotts at rnetinc.net (Marc Shotts) Date: Wed Oct 13 14:51:58 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Moses Sermon Message-ID: <1097697795.416d8a030a134@webmail.rnetinc.net> Marc Shotts here with a sermon on Moses and the choices he made. Josephus gives insight into how much Moses gave up (from the world's viewpoint)when he choose God. In Him, Marc Shotts Martinsville, Indiana ?Life Changing Choices? (Hebrews 11:24-26) Deuteronomy 34:10-12 (Acts 7:20-22) Moses ? Greek word for ?exceeding fair? indicates physical prowess and beauty or handsome. Josephus wrote that people would try to ?get a look at? Moses when he passed by. ? He had power with words and actions. A skill that allowed him to command respect and communicate and direct people. ? Josephus describes ?Moses the General?. When the Ethiopians attacked Egypt and were on the verge of defeating them, Pharoah appointed Moses as general over the Egyptian army and under his leadership forced them back and defeated the Ethiopians. Somehow Moses became aware of his divine purpose. Moses decides to identify with and free his people (Acts 7:23-29, Hebrews 11:24-26). In doing so he had to make three choices: ? Slavery verses Royalty ? Suffering verses Pleasure ? Spiritual Rewards verses Earthly Rewards. Lessons For Today: I. Must Use Our Talents/Opportunities To Serve God. A. Our time and talents (Luke 12:48a, Ephesians 2:10). B. Opportunities (1 Corinthians 16:5-9; 2 Corinthians 2:12). C. Our treasures (Acts 2:44-45; Philipians 4:15-19). II. Must Make Choices To Put God First (Matthew 6:33). A. God before family (Matthew 5:43-48). B. God before riches (Matthew 19:16-24). C. God before our own physical life (Acts 20:17-24; Revelation 2:10). D. God before our own will (Colossians 1:9-11, Galatians 2:20). E. May suffer rejection because of these choices (Luke 14:25-26). F. Sacrifices for our good (Hebrews 12:7-11, Philipians 1:12-14; James 1:3-4). III. God Wants Us To See Beyond This Life/Physical To Eternity/Spiritual. A. Hebrews 11:10, 13-16a B. Song: ?This World is not My Home? ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through RNet Inc. WebMail From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Oct 14 05:41:35 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Thu Oct 14 11:11:04 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) "WHAT DO YOU SEEK?" Message-ID: <100.394b791.2e9fb1df@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Thursday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with an edifying day. Here is an article that recently came my way: "WHAT DO YOU SEEK?" "Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, 'What do you seek?'" -- Jno. 1:38. How would you answer if Jesus were to ask you this question? Perhaps you would ask for better health, a higher paying job or financial security. Would you ask for a happier marriage or an ex- planation of some difficult passage of Scripture? For the two disciples of John the Baptist, Jesus was the one they were seeking. One day while John was standing with these two disciples (Jno. 1:35), Jesus walked by and John proclaimed, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" After these two disciples heard John say this of Jesus, they started following after Him. When Jesus saw them, He asked, "What do you seek?" (vs. 38). John had been teaching his disciples about one who was com- ing after him. John was preaching, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose" (Mk. 1:7). John's disciples were looking for this "One". When John saw Jesus and identified Him by saying "Behold, the Lamb of God," these disciples did not hesitate to turn and follow Jesus. These two disciples, in response to Jesus' question, wanted to know where He was staying. Not only did Jesus show them the place, He spent the remainder of the day with them. I wonder how often we miss the opportunity to spend time with Jesus because we are busy seeking things of this world. The more time I spend with the Lord, the more I realize that other mat- ters are far less important. What do you seek? If it is the Lord, He is there to be found. He desires above all that we seek after Him. "Come to Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matt. 11:28-30). ------Shane Williams in The Lilbourn Light, Vol. 5, No. 6, Sept. 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041014/9f2ce13e/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Oct 14 05:41:38 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Thu Oct 14 11:11:05 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) HAVE WE GOTTEN TOO COMFORTABLE? Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study that rec- ently came my way. Use to the glory of God. HAVE WE GOTTEN TOO COMFORTABLE? Why has not the church of the 21st century been accused of turning the world upside down? Do you remember the charge leveled against certain Christians in Acts 17:6? Certain ones were charged with being "those who have turned the world upside down." What an interesting con- cept. I have never in my life, though admittedly a short one, heard that accusation made against the church of today. Why do you suppose that charge has never been leveled against us 21st cent- ury Christians? If we look in vss. 2,3 of Acts 17, we read that Paul reasoned, explained, and demonstrated from the Scriptures. Could it be that we simply do not reason, explain, and demonstrate like Paul and other first century Christians? In all honesty, I believe we would have to admit that we are not as zealous as first century Christians. The question we need to ask ourselves is, "why?" I have asked myself this question on numerous occasions over the past year. I have talked to fellow preachers about it. I have talked to elders about it and we all lament the fact that the fervor is just not there. Then we preach a lesson or two on the need for zeal in evangelism and personal work. We feel good about having preached it, many in the congregation will claim that was exactly what they needed to hear, the elders may commend the lesson, and for the next few days or so we all resolve to be more zealous and to evangelize our communities and workplaces. By Wednes- day we have all fallen back into the normal routine and that is pre- cisely what I believe the problem to be. It is routine. We are sim- ply becoming too comfortable. It is sad that so much of church "growth" today comes from "church-hoppers." People leave one congregation to go to another because they did not like something or someone at the previous congregation. We often call that growth, but that is not what it really is. Sure, we may have an ex- tra body in the pew but we are not growing spiritually. You know, the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, and even the Muslims, have beaten us soundly when it comes to evangelism. They are out and about, in their own particular way, knocking on doors, talking to people at their worksights or places of business, setting up studies, and meeting people face to face. It has been said that the time of knocking on doors is past. It has been said that people aren't receptive to Bible studies when you bother them by just showing up at their home. I wonder who forgot to tell the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons, who are converting people with false doctrine by leaps and bounds, that the process they are using is all wrong? Consider the power of the truth (Heb. 4:12). Now consider if we had even nearly the same work ethic as the two denominations mentioned. I believe the results would be absolutely amazing. I do not intend for this charge to include the entire brotherhood. There are brethren who are zealous and evan- gelistic. However, it has been my experience that their zeal is by no means the "norm," and those zealous brethren are increasingly becoming few and far between. Please understand, I am not saying that the only way to be evangelistic is to go around knocking on doors. Although, once a congregation gets into the habit of actually getting out and doing something more than simply sealing an envelope or licking a stamp, you can quite literally see the energy of that congregation increasing. But evangelism is much more than that. It is speaking to our neighbors, speaking to our co-workers, speaking to our fam- ily members, setting the right example in everything that we do, remembering that we "are the salt of the earth and light of the world" (Matt. 5:13-16). A very familiar passage of Scripture is Eph. 6:10-17. It deals with the "armor of God." Isn't it interesting that every piece of equipment that is mentioned is something that goes on the front? What does that tell us? It tells us that we need to be moving for- ward, not backward or sitting still. Brethren, isn't it about time we stopped talking about being zealous and actually do something about it? Let's get out of our comfort zone! ---- Adam Litmer in Biblical Insights, Vol. 4, No. 9, Sept. 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041014/2fcbc16c/attachment-0001.htm From JeffBelknap at charter.net Thu Oct 14 08:42:32 2004 From: JeffBelknap at charter.net (Jeff Belknap) Date: Thu Oct 14 11:11:05 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) The 14 Camels of Romans 14 Message-ID: <001a01c4b1f3$a8533090$6500a8c0@Worker> Dear brethren, Jeff Belknap wishing everyone a good day. There are four NEW posts to the Mental Divorce website at: www.MentalDivorce.com THE 14 CAMELS OF ROMANS 14 By Jeff Belknap In the beginning of Matthew 23, the Lord commended much of the Pharisee's teaching. However, in verse 24, He draws attention to one of their major flaws. It was their ironic ability to consume whole camels, while simultaneously possessing the talent to "strain" even the smallest defilement. We today, as the Pharisees of old, can swallow camels of magnanimous proportions in failing to rightly divide the truth, by (mis)using one divinely inspired passage to contradict another. The focus of this article is to compare what Paul has written in Romans 14 with various other New Testament scriptures. These comparisons provide several compelling reasons that Romans 14 cannot involve matters of immorality and / or fallacious doctrine! Camel # 1: Receive Ye vs. Receive Him Not In Romans 14:1, the brethren were commanded to receive one another, in spite of their differences. However, in numerous other places we are charged NOT to "receive" the immoral, or those in doctrinal error. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 5:9, that we are "not to company with fornicators" (cp. w. I Cor. 6:9+10; Heb. 13:4). Does Romans 14 include the reception of homosexuals or those living in adultery? What about those who do not teach "the doctrine of Christ"? In II John 9-11, John commanded that we "receive him not", lest we be a "partaker of his evil deeds." Cp. w. Romans 16:17; Titus 3:10. Camel # 2: No Disputations vs. Disputation / Disputing Romans 14:1 instructed Christians to "receive" one another despite dissimilar views in matters of opinion, and prohibited them from disputations regarding these things. However, elsewhere in scripture, we learn that we must "dispute" with our brethren over doctrinal error! In Acts 15:2 when men sought to bind circumcision, "Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them" (cp. w. Acts 15:7; 19:8). Camel # 3: No Judging vs. Judge In Romans 14 (vs. 3, 4, 10, 13), the Romans were instructed not to judge (condemn) one another! However, we are commanded to judge (condemn) immorality and false doctrine! In I Corinthians 5:12+13 Paul wrote: "...do not ye judge them that are within?...Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person." Not only were the Corinthians to condemn adultery; they were to exclude it from their fellowship. The same was true concerning those who taught error regarding the resurrection (I Cor. 15:33ff). The difference is clear! In matters of indifference to God, we are not to judge (cp. Rom. 12:16)! Yet, when it comes to divine law, we must judge and discipline brethren who walk disorderly (II Thess. 3:6, 14). Camel # 4: God Hath Received Him vs. Reception is Conditional Paul said, "God hath received" the individuals in Romans 14:3. From this passage, some contend that God will receive the immoral person and teachers of error! Yet, God's reception of us is dependant upon our walking in the light (I Jn. 1:6-7). In II Corinthians 6:14-18, He says, "...touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you...". Furthermore, Galatians 1:6-9 says that men are "removed" from God for preaching a perverted gospel. Camel # 5: God Will Make Him Stand vs. Standing is Conditional >From Romans 14:4, we can conclude that the text is referring only to lawful activities, since Paul says that "God is able to make him stand." Contrariwise, the immoral can never "stand" before God. In no uncertain terms, I Corinthians 6:9+10 says, "...Be not deceived: neither fornicators...nor adulterers...shall inherit the kingdom of God." In II Corinthians 10:8-12 we are warned, "Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell...Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." Similarly, will the false teacher "stand", or fall into the ditch (Mt. 15:14; II P. 3:17)? Camel # 6: Man is To Decide vs. God is To Decide Who is to decide what's right and / or wrong in matters of indifference toward God? We are, individually! In Romans 14:5 Paul says, "...Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." In contrast, who is to make decisions as to what is right or wrong in matters of moral and / or doctrinal import? God Is! Concerning doctrinal issues, we are to persuade men to comply with the Word (cp. Acts 19:8; II Cor. 5:11; Gal. 1:10)! Camel # 7: Do Unto The Lord vs. No Sinning Unto The Lord In v. 6 of Romans 14, all is to be done "unto the Lord". In following God's commands, as well as in matters of personal conscience, all we do is unto God (Col. 3:23; I Jn. 3:20). However, false teaching and disobedience can never be done "unto the Lord"! Camel # 8: No Stumbling Blocks / Offence vs. A Stumbling Block / Rock of Offence In Romans 14, we are instructed NOT to put a stumbling block or offence in our brother's way (vs. 13, 20, 21)! Yet, in matters of the faith, we preach Christ "a stumblingblock" and a "rock of offence" (Rom. 9:33; I Cor. 1:23; I P. 2:8). How can we harmonize these scriptures? Regarding matters of opinion we are to liberally grant concessions, but in matters of the faith we are to make none (cp. Gal. 4:16; Jude 3)! Camel # 9: Nothing Unclean of Itself vs. Unclean Things Of the things dealt with in Romans 14, nothing was unclean in and of itself (v. 14)! Obviously, this is not the case with fornication and erroneous doctrines. In II Corinthians 6:14-18, Paul wrote, "...touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you..." (cp. w. I Cor. 7:14; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:5). Camel # 10: Not To Grieve vs. May Grieve People In the context of personal opinion, we are not to grieve our brother by pressing our private convictions (Rom. 14:15). Yet, the truth (which must be preached) will grieve those who do not want to hear it (Mk. 10:17-23; Acts 4:1-2). Brethren, while we must be willing to yield in the context of Romans 14; at no time can we compromise the will of God to placate men (Gal. 1:10)! Camel # 11: Not About The Kingdom vs. About The Kingdom Obviously, Romans 14:17 refers to matters of liberty, in its declaration that "the kingdom of God" is not about "meat and drink" [things which do not commend us to God (I Cor. 8:8-9)]. Rather, the King's dominion deals with things which are decreed in His Word. God imposed no dietary restrictions in the New Testament, and has even given us permission to "regard" a day (Rom. 14:6), if we do so without religious significance (cp. Acts 18:21; 28:17). This is a far cry from taking liberties with His dictates, and fellowshipping doctrinal error. Camel # 12: Make For Peace vs. Fight The Good Fight of Faith In Romans 14, we are to follow things that make for peace (v. 19)! In other words, we are to allow our beloved brethren to keep their conscientious scruples. Paul made no attempt to try and change the "weak" brother's position in this context, because their difference was of no spiritual consequence! Therefore, peace could prevail, for all things in this context were pure (v. 20)! James 3:17 states, "The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable". We can make no "peace" when brethren hold to a false doctrine, or to immorality (cp. Jer. 6:14)! When it comes to intrusions of God's command, we must "earnestly contend" for the truth (Prov. 28:4; Jude 3; also note Lk. 12:51). Camel # 13: All Things Are Pure vs. Many Things Impure In verse 20 of our study, "All things indeed are pure." Can fornication and doctrinal error be included in this reference? Cp. w. Proverbs 30:12. Camel # 14: Keep This Faith To Yourself vs. Preach The Faith The faith that Romans 14 deals with is to be kept to ourselves (vs. 22-23)! However, some seek to "wrest" this verse and apply it to matters of "the faith" (II P. 3:16). If such was the case, it would contradict the Lord's solemn charge to sound out the faith (Mt. 28:19-20; Mk. 16:15-16; cp. w. Gal. 1:23; I Thess. 1:8)! My beloved brethren, we must harmonize all scripture (II Tim. 2:15) to distinguish the colossal difference between how matters of personal faith (Rom. 14) and matters of the faith (Jude 3) are to be handled, unless we can swallow camels. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041014/ff35ab89/attachment-0001.htm From joe at bibleanswer.com Thu Oct 14 09:04:57 2004 From: joe at bibleanswer.com (Joe R. Price) Date: Thu Oct 14 11:11:06 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] "A review of Joe Price's material, my reply to Don's 2nd rebuttal In-Reply-To: <000b01c4b140$21140540$b4306a43@concentric.net> References: <000b01c4b140$21140540$b4306a43@concentric.net> Message-ID: <416E8789.7050407@bibleanswer.com> October 14, 2004 Joe Price to the list, I continue to thank you for considering God?s word with me, the Bible Matters list for providing this forum, and Don Martin for his part in this discussion. In light of Don?s statement that I have been taking ?days? to respond, I will point out that this reply to Don?s last rebuttal is being offered within the ?one post a day? timeframe as allowed by the rules of this list, just as was my previous rebuttal. My previous articles are perfectly clear as to my stand which allows divorce and remarriage only to an innocent mate who puts away a fornicator. I have consistently taught this great truth throughout my preaching life and I am determined to teach it as long as I live. Repeating this stand over and over to Don will not make it any clearer. Neither Don nor I can write a set of rules beyond that point, because it reflects exactly what the New Testament of Jesus Christ teaches in Matthew 5:31-32; 19:6-9; Mark 10:10-12 and Luke 16:18. Neither will it do for Don to say I have dodged his concerns. My previous two articles have adequately addressed those concerns, as thoughtful readers will see. I do not claim to be able to arbitrate every difficult case or nuance to the satisfaction of Don (or anyone else). This realistic admission of my limitations has nothing to do with a spirit of compromise. As God is my helper, I will continue to preach and press the demands of truth on marriage, divorce and remarriage as I have done throughout my preaching life. Therefore, I will not continue this exchange beyond this present post. I will offer these comments for your examination of Don?s egregious charges, misrepresentations and accusations against me. New and repeated allegations from Don without evidence include the following: 1. Don insinuates that I have been less than candid and honest about differences between us while accepting support from the Holly Street church. The point should be noted that my support comes from the Holly Street church, not from one person (namely, Don Martin). I did not make the matters we have been discussing over the past several months a test of fellowship. Yet, Don paints a very ugly picture of me and my intentions throughout this period. That is wrong, and he is wrong, and he should apologize. If the elders of the Holly Street church decide that the church there can no longer support me, that is their right. I await their decision. 2. According to Don, Joe now ?defends,? ?argues for? and is ?brazenly advocating? multiple causes for divorce. That is just not so; Don knows it and our readers know it. I have always taught and continue to teach that putting away (apoluo) is against the will of God (sin). In an effort to address the concerns Don raised in his review, I commented on the possibility of obtaining protection or relief from civil authorities in order to maintain faithfulness to Christ. Don agrees with that, for he said: ?I myself have taught that a wife, for instance, could be in a situation in which she could appeal to the power that be for relief (sever physical beatings) and could even be in a plight where such could be require of her (drugs being sold from the home, etc.).? I suggested (not ?advocated?) that such relief might reach to the need for a writing of divorcement. Don disagrees with that. And for that, I am now (supposedly) an advocate of ?multiple causes of divorce.? Incredible! Don is certainly trying hard to cast me (and others) in the worst light possible. That is a debating tactic in the worst sense of the term, unlike the honorable debating of Jesus and Paul, and is not ?endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace? (Eph. 4:3). I would have hoped for better from him. I have never ?advocated? divorce and have not done so now. It is pretty obvious from his previous review and his latest rebuttal that he is anxious to pin on me the label of ?multiple causes for divorce.? He is wrong to do so. And, he will be wrong every time he continues to do so. Don wants me to give him a list of causes for divorce that I ?allow.? I am an advocate of marriage, not divorce. I will not go down the hypothetical highway with Don; I will not be put out on a theoretical limb. Don has assumed upon me things that I have not affirmed and do not advocate, and now he tries to prod me into a corner. I am not going to take the bait. Marriage is for life and there is one exception for putting away and remarrying, that exception being fornication (Matt. 19:9). That is what I ?advocate?; that is what I ?defend.? Don can make of that whatever he wishes. Inasmuch as he repeatedly puts words into my mouth in his latest rebuttal, it is sadly apparent that he will most likely continue to do so. I urge him to stop doing so. 3. Don says, ?To Joe, multiple causes for divorce is a doctrine comparable to the days, meat issue, and oinos concern of Romans 14.? Again, Don has put words in my mouth. I have not put moral or doctrinal matters into Romans 14. I have addressed the extent of judicial relief and/or protection obtained by a faithful Christian. Christians who agree there is one cause for divorce disagree on the extent of such protection from time to time, as particular situations arise. But, I am not going to rush out and charge them with believing and defending ?multiple causes of divorce? as a result. Apparently, Don has no compunction doing so. 4. Don said I repeatedly charged him with not understanding Romans 14. I did not charge Don with ?not understanding? Romans 14. I charged him with not applying Romans 14 today. I said we agree that ?the subject matter of Romans 14 does not involve sin? but that it does find application in areas of conscientious scruples -- such as the extent of judicial relief that is available to an abused spouse. I continue to lament his evident inability to apply God?s word in such areas of conscience. But, I will repeat my question: Will Brother Martin clearly tell us whether he believes Romans 14 applies in this present age? And, if it does, will he list for us issues of conscience among brethren today that fit Romans 14? That is the issue my article on Romans 14 sought to address. Don?s charge that I place ?blatant error? under ?the protective umbrella of Romans 14? rings hollow because it is false. 5. Don asks, ?What is the procedure that I am binding, anyway?? The procedure you bind on one who is innocent of fornication is that when the _fornicator_ initiates and obtains the writing of divorcement, the innocent one becomes a ?put away person? without the right of remarriage. BTW, whose definition of ?passive? and ?active? involvement will we apply to such situations: Don?s? Mine? You see, that is just such an area where we must be careful not to bind personal scruples on others. That is not a call to allow all manner of divorce. 6. Don plants the seed of doubt about me by presenting a ?fornication after the putting away? scenario he has debated in the past. Don wrote: ?I do not say this about Joe or Mike Willis, but I do know based on debates that I have had in the past that have involved men embracing the same teaching who go on to reason after this fashion:?? Then, why say it at all, Don? You never did tell us why you said it. I can only conclude that you want to leave the impression that that is where I am headed. That is not where I am headed. I have answered Don?s (1) and (2) about divorce and remarriage in this as well as in my previous post. I have also dealt with his final (1) and (2) in this post. Don has written a review of my article and a rebuttal. I, too, have now offered two rebuttals in reply. I have answered his concerns and his charges. Therefore, I will now close my portion of this exchange lest I become involved in ?striving about words to no profit, to thee ruin of the hearers? (2 Tim. 2:14). If Don chooses to continue to multiply his charges of ?rank error? against me, assigning to me positions I have not taken, and impugning my motives, I trust that thoughtful readers will see through it. Repeatedly assigning such things to me does not make them true. On the other hand, as Don?s friend and brother, I urge him to give this matter a rest, reread our exchange, and reconsider. Yes, in this matter Don and I urgently need to apply Romans 15:7, ?Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.? We need to join hands in upholding the truth and opposing false doctrine as we have done through the years. Upon running the risk of repeating myself, I do not plan to continue repeating myself over and over, thereby becoming embroiled in endless ?disputes over doubtful things.? I would ask that each of us diligently study all of these things in the light of God?s word so that we may be approved workmen in His sight, shunning error and departing from iniquity (2 Tim. 2:15-19). Regards in Christ, Joe Price ********************************************** Joe R Price Email: joe@bibleanswer.com Web Sites: Bible Answers: http://www.bibleanswer.com Mt. Baker church of Christ: http://www.mtbakercofc.org Fax: 775.878.4823 ********************************************** From kthomas at ntslink.net Thu Oct 14 14:57:54 2004 From: kthomas at ntslink.net (Kenneth E. Thomas) Date: Thu Oct 14 17:06:31 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] "Paul's Apostleship" Message-ID: <416EDA42.8BEF87B4@ntslink.net> Kenneth E. Thomas to the list: The following may be of interest to some. I wrote this after a discussion with a disgruntled member of the body of Christ who denied Paul's apostleship. Use it if you think it usable. KET ?Contending For The Faith? Paul?s Apostleship (Jude 3; 1 Thess. 5:21) By Kenneth E. Thomas Many are the times that what I preach and or write, stems from conversations I have had, or remarks others have made while I was engaged in ?contending for the faith once delivered? (Jude 3). I make no apologies for this; What this shows is about three things at least: 1). It is good for me to engage in Biblical discussions for only then do I find out how well equipped I am to see that the truth isn?t trampled underfoot by those objecting to the Biblical standard of truth. 2). I have the opportunity to convert some precious soul to Christ, or to ?teach them the way of the Lord more perfectly? (Acts 18:26; Acts 26:28-29). 3). I learn what needs to be taught more fervently when I see in others a lack of knowledge on a given subject, whether they be alien sinners or brethren in Christ. Paul once wrote of those who were attempting to bind portions of the Law of Moses on followers of Christ in the following language: ?...false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you? (Galatians 2:4-5). Evangelist are charged with the task of preaching and teaching the word ?in season and out of season? (2 Timothy 4:1-5). We are charged to ?take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself, and them that hear thee? (1 Timothy 4:16). Since only the TRUTH has the capacity to ?make one free? (John 8:31-32), any fact about which one is ignorant may well be detrimental to one?s soul if this deficiency isn?t remedied before it is too late (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12; 1 Timothy 2:1-4; 1 Peter 1:22-25). Was Paul Really An Apostle? Are Paul?s Writings Scripture? Some of his (our) own brethren in the first century doubted or even denied Paul?s apostleship, a point we will show later in our defense of the same. This study is intended to defend Paul?s apostleship and hence his writings as Scripture, being just as binding on followers of Christ as are the very words which Christ spoke. (2 Corinthians 5:20) The occasion for me to prepare and subsequently deliver this lesson was a discussion I had recently with a disgruntled member of the body of Christ who adamantly denied Paul?s apostleship and consequently about two thirds of the New Testament as being valid and worthy of believing and following today. If this revelation shocks you, be assured that this was my reaction as well. And now to some reasons why I believe Paul was indeed a special apostle chosen directly by Christ for a special mission among the Gentiles, and was of no lesser an authority than was the apostle Peter and others whom Christ chose while living among them (Matthew 10:1-5; Matthew 18:18; 2 Corinthians 11:5). My antagonist would not accept the fact that Christ appeared to Saul on the Damascus road to qualify him as an apostle, as one who had seen the resurrected Messiah and had heard His voice. (Acts 22:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:8, 9) She would only ?claim? to accept the twelve as listed in the scriptures just cited in Matthew ten. This means she could not accept Matthais, because they cast lots and prayed to Jesus to show them which of the two nominated He wanted to be Judas? replacement (Acts 1:15-26). If Jesus chose Judas? replacement, certainly it should not be a stretch to believe that He chose Saul. Luke recorded the following in (Acts 9:1-22 ; Acts 22:1-16 see verses 14,15; Acts 26:1-29). My antagonist likened Saul?s claim to have seen the resurrected Messiah and hearing His voice on the Damascus road to the ?claims? made by Joseph Smith the founder of the Mormon church and the appearance to him of the angel Moroni. Why I Accept Paul?s Apostleship: Because of Paul?s own claims of being an apostle of Christ in the introduction to most of the epistles attributed to him. Romans- 1 and 2 Corinthians- Galatians-Ephesians-Philippians- Colossians- 1 and 2 Thessalonians-1 and 2 Timothy- Titus- Philemon, (some believe Hebrews was written by Paul). These original letters no doubt were signed and hand delivered to the congregations and individuals by messengers who could attest to their authenticity. Besides, in the early congregations there were to be found men upon whom an apostle had laid his hands thereby imparting spiritual gifts, one of which was ?the discerning of Spirits? (1 Corinthians 12:10), which in my opinion would enable one to determine the validity of a document claiming apostolic origin as well as knowing when one spoke claiming to be Spirit guided, whether he was truly Spirit guided or was a fake. Another Reason I Accept Paul?s Apostleship: Paul?s defense of his apostleship to some who denied the same: He began his defense of his apostleship to the Corinthians in the following language: ?Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord? If I be not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.?(1 Corinthians 9:1-2). In this context Paul is showing his right to be financially supported just as were Peter and other apostles. Later in the same chapter he shows how he was ?called and chosen by Christ? and how he stood between ?go and woe? due to his special appointment by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (1 Corinthians 9:16-17). Another Reason I Accept Paul?s Apostleship: Paul could impart spiritual gifts to his converts, something only an apostle could do (Acts 19:6, 7; Romans 1:11; 2 Timothy 1:6). That only apostles (those baptized with the Holy Spirit) could impart spiritual gifts on their converts may be seen by reading (Acts 8:14-21). My antagonist accepted Luke?s record, and Dr. Luke often traveled with Paul on his preaching tours and told the results in the book of the acts of the apostles of which he is author as guided by the Holy Spirit. In addition to ?having perfect understanding of all things from the very first..? He was speaking of the ?things most surely believed among us? (Luke 1:1, 3). Luke recorded the three cases concerning Saul?s conversion as well as Christ choosing him as a special apostle to the Gentiles. We noted those in (Acts 9-22-26) above. Another Reason I Accept Paul?s Apostleship: Another reason I know Paul was an apostle and that his writings are holy Spirit given in addition to his own claims in such passages as (Galatians 1:11; 1 Corinthians 2:1-13; 2 Corinthians 3:1-18), is the fact that the apostle Peter spoke of brother Paul?s writings on some difficult things as Scriptures just like the other Scriptures, which if one should twist it will be to their own destruction. Let us read the passages in total: ?And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom (divine revelation ket) given unto him hath written to you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things which are hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest (twist) as they do also the other Scriptures, to their own destruction? (2 Peter 3:15-16). Peter who was indeed an apostle was certainly qualified to know if Paul was or wasn?t, and to know if what Paul wrote was as much Scripture as was his own and he so stated, giving Paul?s writings the same credence as his own and as that of any other apostle of Jesus Christ. Peter also attributed to Paul ?all of his epistles? indicating a number of inspired letters as coming through Paul?s pen. My antagonist against Paul?s apostleship also implied, if not stated outright, that Paul was a homosexual. This was due to his closeness with Timothy and Titus and because of having circumcised Timothy Acts 16:3, claiming that he personally circumcised them both, when in fact it was only Timothy, and that was to remove a problem when trying to teach Jews. It was a part of ?becoming all things to all men in order to gain the more? (1 Corinthians 9:19-23). The fact is, he refused to have Titus circumcised when some would have made it a matter of the faith.(Galatians 2:3-4). My antagonist actually said that Paul personally circumcised them both, then asked, ?now what do you think was going on there?? The next arguments she advanced claimed that King James was also a ?rip roaring homosexual.? I don?t know about that, but I know Paul was not. How do I know? Because his own inspired writings which are indeed Scripture, teach against it and indicates clearly that those who continue in such a practice cannot go to heaven (Romans 1:21-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:16-21). I know from the fact that he had ?kept the faith? and looked forward to the ?crown of life? (2 Timothy 4:1-8). I know in addition by the fact that Paul taught that the way to avoid fornication was for both man and woman to have their own wife or husband (1 Corinthians 7:1-2). If, as some believe, Paul wrote Hebrews, then more evidence from his pen would be Hebrews 13:4. Here the writer of Hebrews wrote: ?Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge?. Another Reason I Accept Paul?s Apostleship: Because of what he had to give up to accept Christ as his Lord and Master. Paul had been taught by a respected teacher of the law of Moses named Gamaliel. Paul wrote: ?My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope?s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.? (Acts 26:4-7). I wonder? Would an imposter actually give up what Saul did and undergo such loss of reputation and financial remuneration etc., unless he was truly what he claimed to be, a Chosen apostle of Christ? (See Galatians 1:11-24; Philippians 3:7-14). Also Paul listed many of the things which befell him for ?preaching Christ? and the resurrection in (2 Corinthians 11:12-33). What ever else one may think of Paul, one must know that he believed with all of his heart that he was a chosen ambassador for Christ and so lived his life in total commitment to Jesus-walking in the light of divine revelation just about as perfectly as any man of whom we have ever read, save the Son of God Himself who never sinned. If Paul wasn?t an apostle of Jesus Christ; if Paul did not receive the word of Christ by divine inspiration as he claimed in the letters he wrote, I am deceived and ?am of all men most to be pitied?, for I have accepted his claims unreservedly and without equivocation. My life has been lived largely by what Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ wrote in his epistles, along with the gospel accounts and the other inspired epistles written to churches and to individuals. By the grace of Christ I am what I am and with confidence I will soon face the Judge of all the earth to hear that final sentence, ?come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:? (Matthew 25:34). For my antagonist and all who reject the truth the following awaits unless they repent and accept the truth or come back to the Lord before it is everlastingly too late: ?Depart form Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels?. (Matthew 25:41, 46; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10) How sad to hear people blaspheme the word of Christ and to reject about two thirds of the inspired instruction which came through one of Christ?s greatest and most prolific writers and ardent workers In fact to reject Paul?s apostleship and thereby his inspired writing is to reject Christ and the rest of His apostles and their writing (See John 16:12-13; 2 Peter 1:3; 2 Timothy 3;16-16; James 1:25; Galatians 1:1-11; Romans 16:16-18; 2 John 9-11; Revelation 22;18-19). To the Corinthians Paul once stated, ?...the things I write unto you, are the commandments of the Lord? (1 Corinthians 14:36b). I believe it how about YOU? Sincerely, Kenneth E. Thomas Pekin church of Christ in Pekin, Il 1 (309) 347-5645-Home 1 (309) 347-3582-Office -- Kenneth E. Thomas kthomas@ntslink.net "A word to the wise is sufficient." Pekin church home page address: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/7017/pekin_ch.html -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041014/83d3bdff/attachment.htm From list_mail at mhallen.com Thu Oct 14 17:16:53 2004 From: list_mail at mhallen.com (Matthew Allen) Date: Fri Oct 15 10:21:48 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] The Christian and the United Way Message-ID: <024901c4b23b$86406c00$2001a8c0@PREACHER> Hello everyone... Matthew Allen, Brownsburg, IN here. Here's an article that will appear in this week's edition of New Living, a work of Brownsburg church of Christ. For this and other articles/sermon outlines - check out my website at www.mhallen.com Enjoy! __________________________________________ The Christian & The United Way As we approach the holiday season once again, we?ll hear countless pleas to help the needy in our community. Here?s some encouragement for each of us to respond to these opportunities as we have the ability. Christians have a moral responsibility to be good neighbors and relieve the suffering of those who are less fortunate (Luke 10:25-37). But what about donating to the United Way? The United Way got its start in 1887 in Denver, CO by religious leaders who raised funds for twenty-two separate charities. From these humble beginnings, the United Way of America has grown into perhaps the most well known charitable organization in our country. Today, it consists of over 1,400 independent United Ways throughout the country. Their work is simple. Each local chapter of the United Way serves as a fundraising apparatus for a number of community charity organizations. The number and focus of these organizations varies by each community. The member agencies share in the budget of the local United Way, and United Way donations can become a primary source of their funding. It is very simple to donate to the local United Way using payroll deduction. Even though the United Way says it is a person?s individual choice to donate, employers often encourage/pressure their associates to donate?wanting 100% participation. Some can testify to intense peer pressure to give. Others speak of being placed on ?guilt trips? when refusing to donate. When one gives to the United Way, his money is deposited into a general fund that is divided proportionally among the member agencies. The decision on how these funds are spent is determined by a board of directors made up of local business and community leaders. Their decisions can be influenced by political and social issues of the day. Some think that if they ?designate? their United Way donation to go directly to the agency they desire they can get out of supporting charities they disagree with. But, why should one do this when he can give directly to the charitable organization he wishes to support? Documentation has proven that while some local United Ways claim to allow persons to ?designate? funds for certain member agencies?money is still placed into the general fund and dolled out proportionately. The ?designation? is nothing more than a play on words. Some local chapters of the United Way have generated great controversy over the last few years over funding certain organizations. For example: ? The Boy Scouts of America cumulatively receives more than $80 million from local United Way offices across the country, but some of those offices have pulled their funding over the Boy Scout?s policy of not admitting homosexuals as members or leaders. (www.family.org/cforum/feature/a0012664.cfm) The United Way of Central Indiana (UWCI) supports local boy scout councils in the six county metro area (www.uwci.org/agencies.htm). UWCI says their board has spent hundreds of hours discussing an issue which ?has no easy answers.? They will continue to support the boy scouts ?because of the good done for the youth of our communities here in Central Indiana.? Could UWCI?s statement of there being ?no easy answer? give us some insight on how far political correctness has taken over our society? ? The United Way is a primary source of funding for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA), a mentoring program for troubled youth. BBBSA recently required all 490 local chapters to accept homosexuals as mentors for children. (www.family.org/welcome/press/a0024745.cfm) Locally, the United Way supports Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana. Should the Christian choose to contribute knowing part of his donation will go to an organization that assists in pushing the homosexual agenda? ? Some local United Way organizations support Planned Parenthood. While actual abortion procedures are not funded, Planned Parenthood initiatives such as communicable disease prevention, family planning, and public awareness campaigns are funded. Nationally in 1999, local United Ways distributed an estimated $3 million to Planned Parenthood agencies. Of that total, approximately one third of these dollars were designated to the agency by individuals. (national.unitedway.org/aboutuwa/pos_pp.cfm) The United Way of Central Indiana does not support any planned parenthood agencies (www.uwci.org/agencies.htm). ? The United Way of Central Indiana DOES contribute money to a variety of religious based charities in our community. These include, The Salvation Army, Lutheran Child & Family Services, Catholic Social Services, and the Catholic Youth Organization. In all good conscience, should a New Testament Christian financially support a religious organization he is doctrinally opposed to? Although these religious organizations are out in the community doing good, they are also busy teaching those who use the charity their religious practices and doctrine. 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 calls for us to come out and be separate which means we should have no fellowship with religious bodies that do not adhere to the doctrine of Christ (2 Jhn 9). This would include making financial contributions to these organizations. So what to do? We understand the moral responsibility we have to help others. We are incredibly blessed and know that by helping others we can demonstrate the love of Christ (1 Jhn 3:17-18). When you feel compelled to give, make your donation directly to your favorite charity. This ensures your funds will not be sent to organizations you cannot conscientiously support. This also allows 100% of your donation to go to the charity and not have a portion lost in funding the bureaucracy of the United Way. While the idea of the United Way is commendable, and it is undeniable that they do good in the community, the Christian should refrain from giving to an organization that supports charities that embrace religious and moral error. Matthew (Matt) Allen Minister - Brownsburg church of Christ 2100 S. Hornaday Rd., Brownsburg, IN 46112 Office: (317) 852-4645 Mobile: (317) 797-5324 mhallen@sbcglobal.net sdrazorback@yahoo.com matthew@mhallen.com For the latest news from Mariupol, Ukraine go to www.mhallen.com/ukraine -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041014/d79e0ad4/attachment-0001.htm From dmartin5 at concentric.net Thu Oct 14 22:18:42 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Fri Oct 15 10:21:48 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] My reply to Joe Price's last rebuttal Message-ID: <000901c4b265$ad7e67c0$92306a43@concentric.net> Don Martin to the list: Again, I commend you, the reader, for your interest and desire to sort through this current MDR and Romans 14 issue involving multiple causes for divorce and the put away being allowed to subsequently put away and marry another, all contrary to the teaching of Matthew 5: 32, 19: 9, and I Corinthians 7: 2ff. This exchange all started as a result of Joe Price publishing an article to the list titled, "The 'Forgotten Side' of Romans 14." While Joe taught a number of truths in his material, he also quoted an article by Keith Greer that offered the following two matters that Keith and then Joe believe should and must be placed in the protective umbrella of Romans 14: 2. Can an adulterous mate execute a civil divorce against a faithful mate, and the faithful mate be prohibited from remarrying because he/she is the "put-away" mate? 6. Can a Christian put away his mate for the "kingdom's sake" and remain unmarried or be reconciled? ("Are We Doomed to Divide?", Keith Greer, Knollwood Messenger, July 2004) I took strong issue with Joe and I have charged Joe with teaching "rank error." I have so done because the scriptures teach that an innocent mate can be put away and not allowed marriage to another regardless of the subsequent actions of the other mate (cp. Matt. 19: 9). Also, I have shown from the scriptures that there is only one cause for acceptable divorce and that one cause is fornication (Ibid., I Corinthians 7: 2ff.). I am pleased that in Joe's second rebuttal he came back in a timely and concise manner. I shall herein address his arguments. First, let me say again that I appreciate the list owners providing this forum in which Joe and I could discuss our doctrinal differences. I have had about eight debates the last three years on this newest MDR deviation that Joe and others are teaching. While I have nothing personal against these men whom I have debated, I do detest their false teaching that both perverts the truth and offers people false hope in their adultery. Are these strong words? Yes, but they are commensurate with the enormity of false doctrine being propagated on MDR. I have been described by some as doctrinally aggressive and I humbly accept this depiction. I believe that I love the truth and that I love the souls of all men, including errorists. I do not want to see people misled and I believe Joe is doing precisely this very thing in his teaching on MDR, all friendship and past fellowship aside, notwithstanding. Alas, I am saddened that Joe has elected to end his part in this exchange. Joe wrote: Don has written a review of my article and a rebuttal. I, too, have now offered two rebuttals in reply. I have answered his concerns and his charges. Therefore, I will now close my portion of this exchange...." Don comments: I had sincerely hoped that Joe would continue with the exchange and that we might have a profitable discussion and study as to our actual differences on MDR. However, Joe has done what most of these fellows have not: he, at least, has briefly discussed his convictions and teaching and for this, I am grateful. I have urged Ron Halbrook for years to discuss with me in an open forum his teaching on MDR and he refuses. Mike Willis has also refused such offers. Thus, I commend Joe's limited and brief participation in this matter. I have been very disappointed in Joe Price, first, his defense of Mike Willis' doctrine of multiple causes for divorce and then the fact that Joe himself now has accepted and is presently teaching multiple causes (more later). However, the thing that disappoints me the most is that Joe has thought Holly Street and I have taken an unscriptural stand on MDR for sometime, yet he has said not a word to us while he has continued to accept our financial support. I am personally hurt over this. Joe wrote while taking our support: "...The problem arises when Don binds and demands a procedure that the innocent person must follow in order to have a right to remarry. Don has changed the right of divorce and remarriage from the presence of the cause of fornication to the procedure by which one puts away his/her mate. And that illustrates the point that my article on Romans 14 warned against: binding where the Lord has not bound." Don comments: Sounds pretty serious, changing the teaching of the scriptures, and "binding where the Lord has not bound." People who do such things are in sin and not to be fellowshipped (Rev. 22: 18, 19, 2 Jn. 9-11). Notwithstanding, Joe brags about fellowshipping us. Brethren, I just do not understand such! Of course, I suppose Joe can place such in Romans 14, along with the other matters he has crammed into Romans 14 with great violence to the text. As soon as we (the elders) observed that Joe was placing himself in a position of bad association (the Guardian of Truth Foundation), we talked with him. We then became plainer a few months ago about his specific association and fellowship with Mike Willis. Joe, though, defended Mike's teaching of multiple causes for divorce. Now, alas, Joe himself is teaching multiple causes for divorce. Consider Joe's own words: "Paul shows us in this passage (verses 12-15) there can be occasions when an unbeliever departs (chorizo, put asunder) a marriage. It is conceivable that a believer in such a special case must seek relief and/or protection through the judicial system, even to the point of a writing of divorcement, from that unbelieving, unwilling mate. Such 'appeals to Caesar,' as I understand it, is the force of number 6 above. There is no Scriptural right for remarriage in such cases because of 1 Cor. 7:10-11." Don recapitulates: Joe said: 1. The unbeliever leaves the marriage. 2. "It is conceivable that a believer...must seek relief...even to the point of a writing of divorcement...." Joe said the above in the defense of the teaching of divorce for a cause other than fornication. I have pointed out in this exchange with Joe that this whole MDR and Romans 14 issue is characterized by the worst case of word ambiguity and equivocation of any subject that I have ever debated, almost to the point of entering the state of insanity. I wrote: "We are hearing strange language today from some, language that is both ambiguous and equivocal. These men are heard repeating in unison, 'We must accept the truth but allow differences in application.' What does such mean when used in the climate of right and wrong? They have a put away person being able to put away. They have a put away person being able to subsequently put away and marry another (the death of a mate is not being discussed, Rom. 7: 3, 4). All of this is totally antithetical to the plain teaching of such verses as Matthew 5: 32, 19: 9, Luke. 16: 18. Now, some, including Joe, are telling us that one may divorce for reasons other than fornication, just as long as they do not marry another (see I Cor. 7: 2-15). After they finish telling us all of this, they say, 'You must accept or at least allow us to teach all of this because of Romans 14!'" Don continues: After Joe said that one might elect to divorce for a cause other than fornication in my above word for word quote, Joe then turns around and now says: "According to Don, Joe now 'defends,' 'argues for' and is 'brazenly advocating' multiple causes for divorce. That is just not so; Don knows it and our readers know it. I have always taught and continue to teach that putting away (apoluo) is against the will of God (sin). In an effort to address the concerns Don raised in his review, I commented on the possibility of obtaining protection or relief from civil authorities in order to maintain faithfulness to Christ. Don agrees with that, for he said: "I myself have taught that a wife, for instance, could be in a situation in which she could appeal to the power that be for relief (sever physical beatings) and could even be in a plight where such could be require of her (drugs being sold from the home, etc.)." I suggested (not "advocated") that such relief might reach to the need for a writing of divorcement. Don disagrees with that. And for that, I am now (supposedly) an advocate of "multiple causes of divorce." Incredible! Don observes: More word games! Joe says, "I suggested (not 'advocated') that such relief might reach to the need for a writing of divorcement." Brethren, in the name of honesty, intelligibility, and scriptural accountability, it is past time that we cease such word games! Joe is now teaching that divorce can be effected for a reason other than fornication, plain and simple. Joe wrote: Don is certainly trying hard to cast me (and others) in the worst light possible. Joe, my old friend and past fellow-worker, you are casting yourself in the worst light possible with your defense of Mike Willis' teaching, now accepting and teaching multiple causes yourself, your insistence that a put away may later put away and be able to marry another, and, finally, that all of this, even if you are wrong, must be allowed because it goes into the umbrella of Romans 14! Joe, you are wrong. Yet, Joe went on to say: Don's egregious charges, misrepresentations and accusations against me. Joe, I have accurately presented your teaching in your own words. Falsely charging me does not change the fact and reality of your teaching. This whole MDR departure and Romans 14 perversion is characterized by denial and apparent surreal thinking. Joe complained: It is pretty obvious from his previous review and his latest rebuttal that he is anxious to pin on me the label of "multiple causes for divorce." He is wrong to do so. And, he will be wrong every time he continues to do so. Don wants me to give him a list of causes for divorce that I "allow." I am an advocate of marriage, not divorce. I will not go down the hypothetical highway with Don; I will not be put out on a theoretical limb. Don has assumed upon me things that I have not affirmed and do not advocate, and now he tries to prod me into a corner. I am not going to take the bait. Don responds: Joe has provided one cause in addition to fornication, the matter of one leaving the marriage and the remaining being able to obtain a divorcement. According to Joe, he believes in multiple causes. This fact is beyond disputing, I just wanted to know what other reasons he offers. The one whom he started off defending, Mike Willis, lists about six different reasons for divorce in addition to fornication. Included in MIke's list are a mate running up bills and spiritual incompatibility to the point of causing one to be spiritually discouraged. Joe, since you have opened the door to multiple causes for divorce, do you have more than two, perhaps you have more than Mike? You see, Joe and beloved, if we are allowed to have more than the stated cause of fornication, where does it stop, two (Joe has stated two), six (Willis position), or twenty? Joe continues with the word games all these fellows who advocate the doctrine that Joe has now espoused play. Listen to Joe: Marriage is for life and there is one exception for putting away and remarrying, that exception being fornication (Matt. 19:9). That is what I "advocate"; that is what I "defend." Don reflects: Joe says the above even in the context of "allowing" a divorce based on desertion and not fornication. Brethren, I am at a total loss to understand such word gymnastics. What Joe "defends" is Mike Willis' multiple causes, which Joe also now teaches (we know he has at least two causes). Joe assigns too much credit to me when he wrote: Inasmuch as he repeatedly puts words into my mouth. Joe has said there are two causes for divorcement, fornication and one leaving the marriage. I have not put these words into Joe's mouth, he did so. Yet, he accuses me! In the same vain, Joe continued: Again, Don has put words in my mouth. I have not put moral or doctrinal matters into Romans 14. Don comments: Joe has defended Keith Greer's number two and six being placed into the asylum of Romans 14. Multiple causes for divorce and the put away being able to later put away and marry another are false doctrines. Joe has, indeed, placed doctrinal error into Romans 14. Joe wrote in his final rebuttal: 5. Don asks, "What is the procedure that I am binding, anyway?" The procedure you bind on one who is innocent of fornication is that when the _fornicator_ initiates and obtains the writing of divorcement, the innocent one becomes a "put away person" without the right of remarriage. BTW, whose definition of "passive" and "active" involvement will we apply to such situations: Don's? Mine? You see, that is just such an area where we must be careful not to bind personal scruples on others. That is not a call to allow all manner of divorce. Don answers: I like to debate capable men who know how to apply the heat to my teaching and test it to the limit. I want this done so that you, the reader, can compare positions and thus arrive at the truth. Joe makes his best point in the immediately above because it is emotional and appeals to our sense of "fair play." While I matter-of-factly teach and debate on MDR, I spend much time grieving over the plight of various people whom I have known in the past. However, I must lay aside my emotions and only teach the truth. In a scenario involving the presence of fornication, the innocent mate can be put away if they do not put away. As to who does the putting away FIRST can often be another exercise in word games. Those who believe in the now common doctrine of mental only divorce, it becomes who beats the other to mentally divorcing (imagine all the attendant chaos involved in an attempt to practically apply this doctrine). In the case of the mental and I repudiated you first doctrine, it becomes a race to verbal only repudiation. The fact of the matter is that regardless of how one defines biblical putting away and what one includes in the definition, the innocent mate must put away! There have, no doubt, been cases where the innocent mate did not want to put away (I have known of some cases). They say to their guilty mate, "I want the marriage to continue," while the other mate says, "I am sick of you and I do not want to continue this marriage, I have another one with whom I am in love." The innocent mate continues to want the marriage, even when the other mate petitions the court for divorce. During the waiting period (commonly six months), the innocent mate begs the other to return to the marriage and again repeats, "I do not want a divorce." At an announced date, the court pronounces the marriage dissolved. Now, who is the put away person? Jesus said an innocent mate can be (not "may be") put away and not allowed marriage to another (Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9). All, the mental divorcer, the mental accompanied with a statement, and the mental, declaration and repudiation that includes civil protocol (my position) would have to say to be accurate that the innocent mate is the put away mate in the scenario. She was clearly "passive" and did not ever seek to put away, all the way through the whole process. Joe begins to close the exchange: 6. Don plants the seed of doubt about me by presenting a "fornication after the putting away" scenario he has debated in the past. Don wrote: "I do not say this about Joe or Mike Willis, but I do know based on debates that I have had in the past that have involved men embracing the same teaching who go on to reason after this fashion:." Then, why say it at all, Don? You never did tell us why you said it. I can only conclude that you want to leave the impression that that is where I am headed. That is not where I am headed. Don begins to close: Joe, I seriously wonder if you realize what you have affirmed and denied. I am not trying to be rude, but based on all your double-talk, I must say this. You, when we (the elders at Holly Street) first began talking with you about Mike Willis and your new association with Mike in the Guardian of Truth Foundation, said that you disagreed with multiple causes for divorce, but then you started defending Mike's teaching. Then you started yourself teaching more than one reason for divorce (in this exchange). Now, you say you have never taught more than one cause for divorce. Joe, I can safely make the following prediction: Joe Price will, based on his progression of doctrinal error and denial, graduate to the teaching that Jack may divorce Jill because of her desertion of the marriage (no fornication) and then when Jill marries another, Jack may marry another and be right with God and in scriptural fellowship with the brethren, and, furthermore, divisive men such as Don Martin must keep their mouth shut, based on Romans 14." Joe, please remember my prediction in the days, months, and years to come. In closing, Joe make me to be wrong in my prediction. Denounce the course you have taken and return to the old Joe Price, the teacher and defender of truth on all subjects, including MDR, that others and I used to know! I finally add, we have been patient with Joe and have allowed him time to study his doctrinal plight. We have not abruptly withdrawn our financial help from Joe, but have offered time for study and talk. Rather than recant, Joe has proceeded to teach error, even on this list with his recent article and in this exchange. To date, much time in general has been offered in this MDR matter and it is now time for brethren to start deciding where they stand. I close with Joshua's famous statement: "choose you this day whom ye will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Josh. 24: 15). Cordially, Don Martin dmartin5@concentric.net Check out our Web sites: http://www.bibletruths.net Ask a question 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 thomasc at msu.edu Fri Oct 15 06:13:30 2004 From: thomasc at msu.edu (Craig Thomas) Date: Fri Oct 15 10:21:49 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A>What Saith the Scriptures, Vol. 2, No. 39 Message-ID: <6.0.3.0.0.20041015071051.02793ad0@mail.msu.edu> "What Saith the Scripture?" Vol. 2, No. 39 Counsel For Better Living The Bible says Solomon was one of the wisest men that ever lived. Upon examining Solomon, the Queen of Sheba was so astounded she said, "indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard." (1 Kgs. 10:7). Ecclesiastes records Solomon's search for wisdom and in the course of his search Solomon counsels us toward better living. 1) Honor is better than luxury. "A good name is better than precious ointment" (Eccl. 7:1). Our reputation is much more valuable than our possessions. It takes many years to build a good and honest reputation but only a few seconds to destroy it. Thus, "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches" (Prov. 22:1). Also, riches are fleeting. When we die we don't know if the next generation will use them wisely or not (Eccl. 2:18-19). No wonder Jesus said, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." (Lk. 12:15) Thus, we need to work more on our character than on our bank accounts. 2) Our death day is better than our birthday. Solomon adds, "And the day of death [is better] than the day of one's birth" (Eccl. 7:1). Sounds like odd advice. But, one's death is better if he/she has lived an honorable life in God's sight. Job said, "Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble." (Job 14:1) But if we follow God's will and live righteously we have the promise that we shall go to heaven where "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain" (Rev 21:4). Beware! Solomon's wisdom here only applies if we've faithfully served God by His word (Mt. 7:21-23). 3) It is better to go to a funeral than to a party. Solomon said, "Better to go to the house of mourning Than to go to the house of feasting" (Eccl. 7:2). Most folks prefer parties over funerals, but Solomon advises the opposite. Why? He adds, "For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart." (Eccl. 7:2) If we are truly wise when attending a funeral we will reflect upon our own mortality. We need to be oft reminded that life is brief (Jas. 4:14) and that "it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment" (Heb 9:27). Do you live recognizing these sobering and inevitable facts? Our appointment with death and judgment is inescapable! 4) Patience is better than pride. "The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit." (Eccl. 7:8). Pride is about trusting in self. Instead we must put God first, patiently running life's race by His will (Heb. 12:1-2). 5) The present is better than the past. "Do not say, 'Why were the former days better than these?' For you do not inquire wisely concerning this." (Eccl 7:10) Paul adds we must forget "those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead" and thus "press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil 3:13-14) Why live in the times we cannot change? Sound advice all need to take to heart. "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58) ******************************************************************** MM MM III Craig V. Thomas M M M M I church of Christ M M M M I Building Location: 2556 Maple Street M M M M I Deckerville, MI 48427 M M M III Mailing address: 350 Pineridge Lane Sandusky, MI 48471-1295 Services: Bible Study-10AM Sunday & 7:00PM Wednesday Worship-11AM Sunday E-mail: churchcr@greatlakes.net WWW: www.greatlakes.net/~churchcr Call 810-648-5009 for more information ******************************************************************* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041015/00a38161/attachment-0001.htm From thomasc at msu.edu Fri Oct 15 06:22:41 2004 From: thomasc at msu.edu (Craig Thomas) Date: Fri Oct 15 10:21:49 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A>What Saith the Scriptures, Vol. 2, No. 40 Message-ID: <6.0.3.0.0.20041015072118.02773660@mail.msu.edu> ?What Saith the Scripture?? Vol. 2, No. 40 Gambling Over 90% of Americans participate in gambling during their lifetime. Rates are rising with 38 state lotteries, casino gambling, and on-line gambling growing fast. Many also bet on horses, athletic events, or participate in raffles, office ?pools?, and other forms of gambling. Gambling has become socially acceptable and legal, but it is not approved by God. Gambling 1) Violates the principles of love and the golden rule. God teaches us to ?love thy neighbour as thyself? (Mt. 22:39) and ?whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them? (Mt. 7:12). ?Love? here is of the highest form based on principles of truth and right, seeking only the best interests of its object not self-gratification. Gambling exploits others seeking gain at their loss. One cannot ?love thy neighbor as thyself? (Mt. 22:39) while seeking to take what they have, giving nothing in return. No gambler wants to lose, so gambler?s cannot observe the ?golden rule? (Mt. 7:12). Gambling is merely ?stealing by consent?. 2) Involves covetousness. At its core gambling is covetousness, an inordinate desire for gain without giving anything of equal value. Gambling?s aim is gain at the expense of others, ?something for nothing?. God warns us to ?put to death? such desires for they are ?idolatry? (Col. 3:5-6). The love for such gain is ?the root of all evil? causing us to stray ?from the faith? (1 Tim. 6:10). Man?s desires cannot justify immoral and sinful acts. 3) Is addictive. The fact that a toll free number for the problem gambler?s hotline appears on many lottery tickets proves the point. The rise in gambling opportunities is causing this problem to skyrocket. We are to live in self-control (2 Pet. 1:6), not even allowing lawful things to enslave us (1 Cor. 6:12). Habitual gambling leads to even more sin. Gambling addicts are responsible for $1.5 billion/year in insurance fraud to support their habit. Anyone with a dash of Bible knowledge and lick of common sense can see the sinfulness of such! 4) Is bad stewardship. Even a casual study of the ?odds? for any form of gambling proves most will lose. You are literally ?throwing your money away.? God expects us to be good stewards of what He has given us (1 Cor. 4:2; Prov. 28:20). Gambling causes us to lose our wealth, our reputation, and our good influence. Would you want your children influenced by the character of a Pete Rose? 5) Violates the legitimate means for acquiring and transferring wealth. The Bible specifies four ways wealth can be acquired or transferred: labor (Eph. 4:28), fair exchange (Acts 4:32-37), gift (Mt. 7:11), or investment (Mt. 25:14-30). Gambling fits none of these. There are no winners in gambling, whether it be in casinos, at the races, in bingo halls, in lotteries or in an office pool or a raffle. No such activities meet the tests of God?s word. "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58) ******************************************************************** MM MM III Craig V. Thomas M M M M I church of Christ M M M M I Building Location: 2556 Maple Street M M M M I Deckerville, MI 48427 M M M III Mailing address: 350 Pineridge Lane Sandusky, MI 48471-1295 Services: Bible Study-10AM Sunday & 7:00PM Wednesday Worship-11AM Sunday E-mail: churchcr@greatlakes.net WWW: www.greatlakes.net/~churchcr Call 810-648-5009 for more information ******************************************************************* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041015/57877e68/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Oct 15 06:36:00 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Fri Oct 15 10:21:50 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) MATERIALISM / MONEY Message-ID: <7a.638b81b8.2ea11020@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Friday morn- ing to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with a most rewarding day. Here are some thoughts from my files: MATERIALISM / MONEY I. Money -- The Bible Declares Its Purpose: -- Support self / family: -- Acts 20:35. Provide for own family: -- 1 Tim. 5:6. Help the poor: -- Eph. 4:28. Spread the gospel / teach truth: -- Matt. 28:18-20. Help others teach the gospel: -- 1 Tim. 1:5,6. II. Love Of Money Is A Root Of All Kinds Of Evil: -- 1 Tim. 6:10 Lay up treasures in heaven rather than upon earth: -- Matt. 6: 19,20. We brought nothing into this world and will not take anything out: -- 1 Tim. 6:7. III. How Others Have Handled Money / Possessions:-- The good Samaritan gave to the needy: -- Lk. 10:25-27. Christians gave their possessions when needed: -- Acts 4:34- 37. Ananias and Sapphira gave some but wanted glory for all: -- Acts 5:1-11. Demas love this present world more than he did God: -- 2 Tim. 4:10. Some use their possessions in the right way, others do not: -- Matt. 25:14-30. Christ gave His ALL: -- Phil. 2:6-8. IV. God Owns Everything: -- The earth is the Lord's: -- Psa. 24:1. We are His stewards: -- 1 Pet. 4:10. We must be faithful stewards: -- 1 Cor. 4:2. V. Think About -- Life, Soul, And Eternity: -- Our soul is our most valuable possession: -- Matt. 16:26. Life is as a vapor, that fadeth away, it is brief: --Jas. 4:14. Death is certain, it is an appointment that all will keep: -- Heb. 9:27. The earth and everything in it is to be burned up at the return of Christ to gather His own: -- 2 Pet. 3:9,10. We are to set our affections (cares) on spiritual things and not upon things of the earth: -- Col. 3:1-3. These thoughts are adapted from Ready Reference by Paul Sain. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041015/97a21984/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Oct 15 06:36:06 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Fri Oct 15 10:21:50 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) A GENEROUS GOD Message-ID: <15a.40e65896.2ea11026@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study that rec- ently came my way. Use to the glory of God. A GENEROUS GOD What is the most generous thing you have ever seen? Maybe it was a large donation to a charitable cause. Perhaps it was the great sacrifice of a kidney to save another person's life. Or maybe it was the time your parents spent their last dollar on something for you, when they had gone without for so long. We are familiar with generosity in our time. As generous as man can be, he is no match for God. "Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Of if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!" (Matt. 7:9-11). Jesus mentions the generosity of man. He reminds us that our earthly fathers were good at giving us what we needed and asked for. Our parents did this, in spite of the fact they are not perfect. God is perfect. How much greater will be the generosity of our Father in heaven? God is generous in so many ways. God Is Generous In Life: -- Paul tells Timothy that God "gives life to all things" (1 Tim. 6:13). God is the Creator of all life, including yours and mine. We exist because God chose to make it happen. Without God none of us would have anything, including life itself. That is what Paul told the philosophers of Athens. "The God who made the world and all things in it" (Acts 17:24). God made the world and all that is in the world. Moreover, without God life would not go on. "Since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things" (Acts 17:25). Not only did God create us by giving us life, but He also sustains us in this life. God is generous in that He provides us a world in which to live so well. In fact, God wants us to have more than life, He wants us to have life abundantly. Jesus said, "I come that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (Jno. 10;10). God didn't just pro- vide us with life, He sent His Son so we could have an abundant, happy, fulfilled life. God is generous with so many material bless- ings just so we can enjoy life to the fullest. God Is Generous With Resources: -- As we have seen, God gives us "life and breath and all things" (Acts 17:25). God not only gives us life, but He provides the resources we need to live life. God wants us to know He is there and will take care of us by giving us the things we need to sustain life. "Be anxious for not- hing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanks- giving let your requests be made known to God" (Phil. 4:6). Paul says we are free to bring anything to God's attention and He will hear. Whatever our needs, God will listen and provide. As Paul wrote about taking our requests to the Lord, he was in prison in Rome. He was not sure he would ever get out of jail. But, the apostle was well cared for, since God would provide what he needed. "Not that I speak from want, for I have learn- ed to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:11-13). Paul had seen God provide for him many times. But, even better, he had learned that God would provide what he needed even when Paul had to do without. So, Paul was happy when he had plenty, and he was happy when he had to do without. Paul could do that because he found his strength in God and His resources. God Is Generous With Love: -- "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). God is overwhelming in His love for us. He demonstrated this love to us by sending Jesus to die for us, while we were still sinners! God looked beyond the sin, and loved us anyway. While at our worst, God's love broke through and reached out to us. This is God's nature, in spite of our failings. "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begot- ten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 Jno. 4:7- 10). God loves us, even though we don't fully grasp what that means. God loves us so much He sent His Son to take the punish- ment for our sins. This is a love beyond our comprehension. That is how Paul describes this love. "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God" (Eph. 3:17-19). The apostle tells us this love surpasses knowledge, because it is so immense, so be- yond our minds or understanding. God is generous in love. He gives us love that we cannot grasp, and loves us in spite of our sins. God Is Generous In Mercy: -- God is generous in many ways, but He is very generous when it comes to His mercy and His grace. "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us" (Eph. 2:4). God is rich in mercy. That is, He has plenty and He wants to share it with you and with me. God desires to show mercy and wants to forgive every one of us. Paul reminds Timothy that God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:4). God wants your salvation so much, He will extend the mrecy you need in order to be saved. And once you are saved, God will continue to be generous with His mercy. "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? he who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" (Rom. 8:31,32). God tells us that if He paid the ultimate price in allowing Jesus to die for you, do you think He will become stingy now and withhold what you need? God proved He is generous in mercy when Jesus died for you. God will continue to be rich in mercy toward you once you are His child. So, we have confidence to come to God, knowing He is rich in mercy. "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16). We can approach God, even when we need mercy and grace, and we can know He will be there. What this means is that in spite of our failings we can come to God, because He is rich in mercy and grace toward us. God Is Generous With New Life: -- When you come to this loving, merciful God, you can count on Him to give you a wonder- ful new life. "Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we we too might walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:3,4). When you die to sin and are buried into the death of Jesus through baptism, you will be raised to walk in new- ness of life. Now, the abundant life Jesus promises (Jno. 10:10), is yours completely. The old way of life is gone, and you can ex- perience a powerful new wayto face the world. "For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things are passed away; behold, new things have come" (2 Cor. 5:14-17). When you surrender to God, you will no longer be controlled by sin, but by the wonder- ful love of God in Jesus. he died so we can become new creat- ures and can, as new creatures, see everything differently. We see Jesus differently, and we will see the world differently. Jesus didn't ke so you would be stuck with your old life. He died to creat in you a new life that can change everything about you. God Is Generous With Eternal Life: -- God is generous beyond this life. He promises eternal life to those who trust in Jesus for their salvation. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (Jno. 3;16). God is so generous with His love that He offers you and me a chance at eternal life. This hope allows us to look beyond this life and see what God promises for the next life (to those who obey Him). All this is in spite of what we deserved. "But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 6:22,23). We deserved death, but God's generous love and mercy offers us eternal life. Accept God's Generosity: -- Some people just don't like to accept gifts. They are afraid there are strings attached. Some- times, when we see people being generous, we are skeptical of their motives. Whatever your view of the generosity of people, do not turn away from the generosity of God. No matter what you have done, God loves you and He will be merciful. No matter how badly you have done, God will give you new life. And, He will do it all generously. Won't you accept the wonderful gifts of God (on His terms, meeting His conditions, JWS)? ---David Thurman in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 53, No. 42, Oct. 15, 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041015/11aa5af5/attachment-0001.htm From dmartin5 at concentric.net Fri Oct 15 07:55:18 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Fri Oct 15 10:21:50 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A study regarding desertion as cause for divorce Message-ID: <010801c4b2b6$39be95c0$3d306a43@concentric.net> Don Martin to the list: As you are aware, there is a movement that is pushing for multiple causes for divorce. The reasoning is usually based on I Corinthians 7: 11ff. I shall publish a couple articles from the archives of www.bibletruths.net that examine this abused text: "But and if" in I Corinthians 7: 11 Let us more closely examine the first three words of I Corinthians 7: 11, "But and if" ("But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife," KJV). It has been said many times that a word, verse, or extended thought must be considered in its setting or context, with this I totally agree. Paul has just taught in no unmistakable terms, "Defraud ye not one the other..." (vs. 5). He has discussed in plain words the matter of the conjugal responsibility of the husband and wife and the matter of the avoidance of fornication (vs. 2-5). On the heels of this teaching and reaching the apex of the teaching we read, "...Let not the wife depart from her husband" (vs. 10). Notwithstanding the powerful context in which "departure" from the marriage bed is forbidden, some have believed they have found justification for divorce for other causes than fornication in, of all verses, verse 11. Let us look again at "but and if." I submit to you that "but and if" (ean de kai) is not simply introducing another verse, if you will, but is considering the plight of those who violate the command (yes, command) "let not the wife depart from her husband" (vs. 10). Paul was total in his dialectic process and exploration. Hence, what will happen if the wife decides to disobey the command of verse 10, this is his thought and this is what "but and if" syntactically means. She should know that she has forfeited all hope of marriage and a home, unless she is reconciled to her husband whom she left, this is Paul's answer. Not a very encouraging picture, is it? Therefore, rather than offering permission for divorce for multiple causes and for celibacy, Paul is only seeking to dissuade such rejection of God's commands. Please consider the explanation of the German commentator and grammarian Peter Lange regarding "but and if:" "This and the dependent clauses are a parenthesis, so that what follows is in direct connection with what precedes. The words ean de kai choristhe ("but and if she depart," dm.) point to some possible case of divorce occurring hereafter contrary to the command of Christ....The kai ("and," dm) does not belong to the whole clause, making it equivalent to 'even if,' etc., but simply to the verb, and may be translated by 'actually,' or 'in fact" (see ASV, dm.). ['This is not intended as an exception to the law, but it contemplates a case which may occur in spite of the law...']...." (Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Vol. 10, pg. 143). The absolute and incontrovertible point is: "But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried..." is not providing additional exceptions for divorce to the exception Jesus stated, fornication (Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9). Any use of I Corinthians 7: 11 to attempt to justify divorce for other causes and then permission to remain estranged from one's mate, is a patent misuse of the verse and forces verse 11 to contradict verses 2-5 and the immediately preceding verse, verse 10. Jesus reinstated God's original universal moral law relative to marriage when he 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" (Matt. 19: 5, 6, cp. Gen. 2: 24). Moreover, the belief that I Corinthians 7: 11 is granting permission to divorce (no fornication) and remain unmarried is a prolific sponsor of the waiting game philosophy. Here is why: (1). First, divorce for different cases has to be advocated in order to "separate people." Many who are deprived of the conjugal rights of marriage, begin to long for physical fulfillment. Hence, temptation sets in. As soon as there is opportunity, adultery is committed. (2). Second, the question is raised: "Are not the two, while not married, still maritally bound by God when the estranged mate commits adultery?" Of course, the answer is, yes. (3). Third: Enter the strange, twisted logic of the mental divorcement theorists: "Since the bond is in tact, adultery has now been committed; hence, the innocent mate now has the right to not only 'divorce' on paper, but to also put away in one's heart the guilty mate." They now maintain that the "real" divorce is biblical and must be recognized as the putting away of Matthew 5: 32 and 19: 9. (4). Fourth: "Since the divorce is now the divorce that Jesus taught," they continue to reason, "the mate who put away for fornication is now free to remarry whom she desires!" Beloved, all this twisted logic, strange induction and deduction, and warped application all was set up by the teaching: "One can divorce for any reason, they just must not remarry...." The rest of the omitted sentence is: "One can divorce for any reason, they just must not remarry, unless the one to whom they remain bound commits adultery and allows them to put away on grounds of adultery...." I believe the foregoing as well as many other matters, is why Jesus taught that the divorce itself must be for the cause of fornication. If the divorce itself is not for fornication, all subsequent remarriages are wrong and place the person in the position of continuing in fornication (Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9). Notice, also, that Jesus used the term "put away" (apoluo) both for scriptural and unscriptural divorces (Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9). In addition, the put away, whether correctly or unjustly, are always condemned when they remarry. In closing, I Corinthians 7: 11 is not offering any hope for those who want to teach or practice divorcement for causes other than fornication. Cordially, Don Martin dmartin5@concentric.net Check out our Web sites: http://www.bibletruths.net Ask a question 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 dmartin5 at concentric.net Fri Oct 15 07:58:54 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Fri Oct 15 10:21:51 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Is desertion a second cause for divorce? Message-ID: <012201c4b2b6$babc2160$3d306a43@concentric.net> Don Martin with another archived article from www.bibletruths.net A Study of I Corinthians Chapter Seven The seventh chapter of Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians is a rich, intriguing chapter that has been abused and misunderstood. This misunderstanding is ironic in view of the fact that in the chapter Paul endeavored to answer their questions and correct all false views about celibacy and marriage (see vs. 1, 2). The chapter is just as timely today as when Paul penned it because it addresses matters of the avoidance of fornication and a number of marital concerns. The chapter naturally lends itself to seven topic divisions. They are: The rights and duties of married life (vs. 1-7), teaching for the unmarried (vs. 8, 9), commandments for the married (vs. 10-16, 12-16 addresses mixed marriages between believers and unbelievers), the principle of remaining in the same state (vs. 17-24), teaching regarding the unmarried, especially in view of the prevailing circumstances (vs. 25-35, see vs. 26), instructions to fathers in the "present distress" (vs. 36-38), and teaching regarding the marriage of widows (vs. 39, 40). I believe we shall find that the "present distress" very much affected Paul's special teaching regarding the unmarried and the fathers of daughters of marriage age (vs. 25-38). We shall also see that in one set of circumstances, Paul does offer some flexibility (vs. 6, 5). Hence, in these specified areas, we shall see situational teaching. The rights and duties of the married (vs. 1-7). It would appear that the "present distress" may have influenced Paul's statement, "it is good for a man not to touch a woman" (vs. 1, 26, see also vs. 25 and Gen. 2: 18). One purpose of marriage is "to avoid fornication" (vs. 2). Marriage involves duties, even conjugal rights and responsibilities. Paul expresses this in such language as, "The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband." (vs. 4). Feminists do not like such language, however, many divorces could have been avoided were it not for the selfish attitude so many husbands and wives have had. In view of the possibility of sexual temptation, Paul says, "Defraud ye not one the other.." (vs. 5). Many marriages have been destroyed because of lack of caution. Paul realized there can be different circumstances and people; hence, he allowed some choice in the matter of "defraud ye not" (see vs. 5, 6). Paul wrote by inspiration and is not denying this in verse six (compare 14: 37, see more regarding vs. 10, 12). Paul used himself as an example of continence or self-control and desired all were as he (vs. 7). Teaching for the unmarried (vs. 8, 9). Paul states it is good for the unmarried and widows to remain single (vs. 8). Under different circumstances, Paul later instructs widows to marry (I Tim. 5: 14). Even in view of the "present distress," it was better to marry than "to burn," burn with passion (Gk., vs. 9). Paul does not intend to advance the notion of celibacy as advocated by Catholicism but is issuing teaching that is especially applicable in view of the prevailing difficulties of the time (see I Tim. 4: 1-4, also I Cor. 7: 26). Commandments for the married (10-16). Paul is not pitting his authority against the Lord's when he wrote, "And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord" and "But to the rest speak I, not the Lord" (vs. 10, 12). Jesus had addressed people in general regarding God's marriage law (Matt. 19: 4-9). Notice that Paul applies Jesus' teaching to the Gentiles, those whom Paul is addressing at Corinth. Therefore, Matthew 19: 4-9 does not only apply to the Jews, but to all men. Jesus taught regarding marriage in general, however, Paul is going to be more specific. "Depart not" is consistent with "defraud not" (vs. 10, 5). The view that Paul disallows departure ("divorce," see vs. 11 "unmarried") from a mate and then permits it with certain attendant consequences is not correct (vs. 10, 11). Instead of granting permission, verse eleven shows that if there is rebellion to "depart not," then one must realize one cannot remarry (vs. 11). There is also no room for inferring that if the one from whom the mate departs remarries, then they are free to remarry on grounds of fornication. The divorce (putting away) must be for the cause of fornication; not fornication the result of the leaving (Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9, for a more complete study of verse 11, click on, "'But and if' in I Corinthians 7: 11"). In verse twelve, we begin to see the specificity that Paul adds, the case of mixed marriages. Not that Jesus' teaching did not apply to mixed marriages in general, but Paul is now going to deal with the situation of mixed marriages and all the involved special problems. Hence, the expression, "But to the rest speak I, not the Lord" (vs. 12). It would appear that one prevailing belief at Corinth was that the mixed marriage did not constitute a marriage bond. Paul proceeds to show that a marriage between a believer and unbeliever was binding (vs. 12-14). He extends hope regarding the salvation of the unbelieving mate (vs. 16). The view that these were marriages where one heard the gospel and became a Christian and the other mate did not, otherwise, they would have been instructed to leave their unbelieving mates is faulty. Paul would not have told the believer to remain in an adulterous union, regardless. Besides, the believer contributes an element of holiness to the marriage and family circumstance (vs. 14). Verse fifteen contains the so-called Pauline privilege and is believed to teach that the desertion of the unbelieving mate frees the believer to divorce and remarriage. However, the "not under bondage" cannot mean the marriage bond for a number of reasons. "Is not under bondage" is from the Greek dedoulotai. Dedoulotai is third person, singular, perfect tense, indicative mood, and passive voice. "Not in the past with the result continuing into the present time" is the meaning. Whatever "bondage" meant, it was a bondage that did not exist in the past regarding the believer. Paul had just labored to prove the believer and unbeliever were indeed maritally bound and he certainly is not now saying they had not in the past with the result continuing to the present been maritally bound. The bondage, I am convinced, refers to being reduced to slavery by man (see vs. 23, "unbeliever" usually meant a determined pagan). The unbeliever has not departed, but is in the process (present tense, vs. 15). I see the action being that the unbeliever is threatening to leave if the believer will not renounce Christ. The believer has not in the past and is not in the present under such bondage. There is only one cause for divorce and remarriage when there is a living mate, the cause of fornication (Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9). Paul is not contradicting Jesus' teaching (see the addendum). The principle of remaining in the same state (vs. 17-24). The principle of this passage of scripture is, "let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God" (vs. 24). Notice that Paul said "with God," therefore, he is not alluding to sinful situations (see 2 Jn. 9-11, and I Jn. 1: 6-9). Paul has matters in mind concerning which it can be said, "circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing" (vs. 19). To apply Paul's principles of abiding wherein called to sinful and adulterous marriages is to do total disservice and abuse to the text. As is the case now, there was then a spirit of restlessness and discontentment. It seems this discontentment was even magnified by the "present distress." Extreme and unnecessary movement and change could have been very aggravating to the present distress, of whatever nature it was and conducive to unnecessary commotion. The gospel sought to place no more attention civilly speaking on the Christian than was necessary. Hence, Christians in servitude were not to "care for it" (be anxious over the matter and seek change regardless of civil consequences). Each was to contentedly serve God in his own position or vocation (vs. 23, 24). Teaching regarding the unmarried, especially in view of the present distress (vs. 25-35). Just as in verse six, Paul again issues instruction based on circumstantial and situational matters (inspired writers never, though, taught that matters that were inherently morally or doctrinally wrong were to be practiced in certain situations). Therefore, the language, "I give my judgment" (vs. 25). It should be appreciated that Paul's judgment was not simply that of an ordinary man (vs. 25). Later, Paul writes regarding the widow and said, "But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God" (vs. 40). Again, we see the tremendous influence the "present distress" played in Paul's teaching regarding remaining in the same calling and especially his teaching regarding the unmarried. Whatever the distress was, it was severe and had many adverse consequences (vs. 29-31). Again, I stress: the present distress only influenced the matters that were not wrong within themselves. For instance, the married had no right to unscripturally divorce their mates, it mattered not about the present distress (vs. 10-12). However, in all matters not of a moral or doctrinal issue, the distress manifestly exerted tremendous influence. The distress was so major that it was better to be single and without the extra care for a mate during that time of difficulty (vs. 27-35). Teaching addressed to fathers in the climate of the present distress (vs. 36-38). It is the height of folly to imagine that Paul is saying that in view of the distress, marriage between a father and his daughter would be acceptable (cp. Lev. 18: 6 ff.). However, this is the understanding some have of verses thirty-six and thirty-eight. Rather, Paul is saying that the father, even in the distress, did not sin who allowed his daughter to marry (someone else, not the father). It would be better to allow the daughter to marry even with the attendant problems associated with the distress than to put the daughter in a situation of lust and sin (vs. 36, cp. vs. 9). However, if there were no necessity, remaining single was preferred (vs. 38). Instruction as to the marriage of widows (vs. 39, 40). The "present distress" had no impact on "The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth" (vs. 39). If one were bound to one and yet married to another, she was (is) "an adulteress" (Rom. 7: 2, 3). However, the widow could marry "only in the Lord" (vs. 39). Does the expression "only in the Lord" (monon en kurio) only apply to a widow? Does "only in the Lord" mean she must marry a Christian? If Paul had wanted to teach the widow is to marry a Christian, why did not he simply say so instead of employing an expression that does not flow with the action. Paul would literally be saying, "marry in the church." How does one "marry in the church?" The language is awkward. However, the nuance "according to the will of the Lord" smoothly flows and is in harmony with the context. Remember that Paul taught in verses 12-14 that the believer was to remain married to the unbeliever. Why would he now, in the same context, issue a command that the widow must only marry "in the church" (whatever that means) or marry a Christian, as some like to arbitrarily inject. Does it not make more sense to say that Paul is evidently teaching by the phrase "only in the Lord" that the widow (inclusive of all) must not marry one who has no right to marry, for instance? (Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9.) Even though I do all I can to encourage Christians to marry Christians, I become rather upset when I hear I Corinthians 7: 39 used to teach that a Christian must marry a Christian. Do not we realize that if this is the case, the Christian who marries a non-Christian is in fornication and is producing illegitimate children? Such "marriages" must be dissolved, to be consistent. Yet, Paul said the believer and unbeliever are to remain together. Remain in fornication, certainly not. I have witnessed the above view encourage such false doctrines as are rampant today that involve laxity toward the unscripturally married. "Yes, it is automatically a sin for a Christian to marry a non-Christian," some say, "but they can repent and remain together." Such views pervert and make a mockery out of repentance! In conclusion, we began our study of I Corinthians 7 by pointing out the rich teaching of the chapter and also suggesting how the chapter has been subjected to endless abuse. As we end our study, you should be able to clearly see the teaching and the abuse. Let us ever strive to separate the two. Addendum: I Corinthians 7: 15 contains what has been called "the Pauline Privilege." The verse reads, "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" (I Cor. 7: 15). Many religionists tell us that there are two allowable cases for divorce and remarriage when there is a living mate. Adultery and desertion, they explain based on Matthew 5: 32, 19: 9, and I Corinthians 7: 15. Is Paul actually introducing a second reason? Paul is addressing the situation of a believer and unbeliever being married (vs. 12-16). Hence, there is immediate restriction and limit regarding an application of "not under bondage." Also, remarriage is not even being discussed in the passage. "Not under bondage" is from the Greek dedoulotai. The grammar posture of dedoulotai is "3 person, singular, perfect tense, indicative mood, and passive voice" (Analytical Greek Lexicon, pg. 85). The perfect tense is, ".the tense is thus double; it implies a past action and affirms an existing result" (Moods and Tenses in New Testament Greek, by Ernest Burton, pg. 37). If "bondage" means marriage, as some insist, Paul is saying the believer is not and has not ever been in bondage (married?). Paul has argued that the believer is bound (marriage bond) to the unbeliever (vs. 12, 13). Deo, the word for the marriage bond, is used 44 times (see Rom. 7: 2, I Cor. 7: 27, 39). However, deo is not used in verse 15. Also of interest in establishing the exact scenario of the verse, "depart" is chorizetai and is present tense (ibid., pg. 440). Paul is not allowing a second reason for divorce and remarriage, but is saying that the believer has not been reduced to slavery (meaning of dedoulotai, Thayer' Greek-English Lexicon, pg. 158, see vs. 23). The use of the present tense accompanied by the other grammar contributions and the meaning of "unbeliever," presents a situation of the pagan mate attempting to cause the believing mate to depart from Christ, I am convinced. Hence, become a slave to the pagan mate. Such must not be allowed. The believer's relationship with Christ must take priority even over the demands of their mate (cp. Col. 3: 18). In such matters, the believing mate is not and has not been a slave. Cordially, Don Martin dmartin5@concentric.net Check out our Web sites: http://www.bibletruths.net Ask a question 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 dmartin5 at concentric.net Fri Oct 15 08:00:38 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Fri Oct 15 10:21:52 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Question/answer (war issue) Message-ID: <013a01c4b2b6$f8592400$3d306a43@concentric.net> Hello Georgia, Thank you so much for your question and for making use of Bible Questions. Please do so again. http://www.biblequestions.org Please check out Bible Truths http://www.bibletruths.net Go to the archives section of these sites for material and also go to the archives search page and type in any subject or word you wish to explore. New material is constantly being added to both sites. Any help you can give us in telling others of these sites will be greatly appreciated. If you are interested in really learning more about the Bible, there is an online Bible study course located in Bible Truths. While on the home page, scroll down and enter. While on the Map Site Page, click on "Online Bible Study Course" in the table. Click on http://www.bibletruths.net to go there. You asked: Does the Bible say anything about supporting or defending or fighting for the government? Reply: The carnal warfare issue is an ongoing controversy among the people of God. For the past 5, 500 years, the world has only known about 300 years of peace. Since 3, 600 B. C., there have been more than 14, 000 large and small wars in which 3. 5 billion people have been killed. In order to make a complete study for yourself of the war question, I recommend you read, "The War Issue" located in www.bibletruths.net (our reference site). When on the home page, enter through the door and click on "Archives and Index," then click on the letter "W" on the Archives page. Here is an excerpt: "...There are some subjects about which we expect to find diversity and even a plethora of views, the war issue is such a topic. Added to the variety of views, there is the relevancy of the war question. For the past 5, 500 years, the world has only known about 300 years of peace. Since 3, 600 B. C., there have been more than 14, 000 large and small wars in which 3. 5 billion people have been killed (War and Conscience by Allen Isbell, Preface). Many historians believe that the early church (first couple centuries) did not endorse the Christian actively participating in the taking of human lives in carnal warfare. However, with the event of Constantine and his baptism, there were many changes. Constantine's vision and victory over Maxentius on October 28, 312 A. D. led way to the "Imperial Church." The Imperial Church formulated an ethic of war, which became known as the "Just War Doctrine." As a result of this teaching, historians tell us that early Christians began to change their posture relative to their participation in physical warfare. Two important documents that provide us with insight as to the position and thinking of "early Christians" pertaining to the war question are "The Testament of Our Lord" (composed ca. 460 A. D.) and "The Egyptian Church Order" (written ca. 425 A. D.). In the former, it was stated that a man in the military could not even be baptized unless he left the service. In short, the document forbade the Christian from serving in the army. This was such a strong position by many professing "Christians" at the time of this document that the church was called upon to withdraw from any member who served in the military. The "Egyptian Church Order" contained similar instruction and statements....." Thanks again for your good question and for your interest in spiritual matters. I recommend that you print out this email for future reference (web addresses, etc.). You may print out any material you desire in both Bible Questions and Bible Truths (see the copyright provision at the bottom of the home page in Bible Truths). Cordially, Don Martin From rabspar at yahoo.com Fri Oct 15 01:33:04 2004 From: rabspar at yahoo.com (Roger Blackwelder) Date: Fri Oct 15 10:22:21 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] The Hazards of Email In-Reply-To: <29.62dd56f6.2e992bd2@wmconnect.com> Message-ID: <20041015063304.45167.qmail@web50008.mail.yahoo.com> I Did What? The Hazards of Email Have you ever been wrongly accused? Last year, I was. My wife, as she was checking our email, noted a post from a preacher with whom I am casually acquainted, who preaches in Pensacola, FL. Based on a warning about a computer virus, he had sent out a message to everyone in his email address book, including me, telling them to delete a file from their hard drives to protect their computers from this virus. The virus was actually a hoax. The post my wife showed me was his retraction, his second post. He explained that there was no danger. No files should be deleted. For more information, all could contact the person who started the false warning: Me. The only problem was that I knew absolutely nothing about it. A little checking revealed the actual course of events leading to his identifying me, identifying me to dozens of people, many of whom I know, as the source of the hoax. A local preacher with another congregation in Mobile sent a warning about the hoax virus to me as well as the preacher who eventually pointed the finger at me. My wife, who is quite savvy with the web, immediately suspected that the warning was false. She looked it up, wherever such things are researched on the web, and wrote the local preacher back. She included a link to the sight that revealed the virus as a hoax. The local preacher forwarded the correction, leaving the link and her name on the bottom of his message. The preacher in Pensacola misinterpreted the message and named me as the culprit. My wife had caught the hoax, but suddenly I was misidentified as the person who started it. If instigating a virus hoax is the worst thing of which I am ever accused, I will count myself fortunate. Others are accused of far worst things. Consequently, I would like to make some suggestions based on this all-too typical moment of e-confusion. First and foremost, don’t believe everything that you read about someone in email or in print. What you are reading may be true, but it may be misinformation that has resulted from some misunderstanding. Remember what Peter said about Paul, that in his epistles were things that are “hard to understand” (2 Peter 3:16). If Paul was unclear at times, I must be bewildering. Writing, even more so than speech, tends to be subject to interpretation. Sometimes misinterpretations are made; assumptions are made, and an author’s ambiguity is transformed into doctrinal error. Also, remember that what you are reading may simply be out-of-date. While still a student, I was warned not to publish anything I wrote until I was 30. I didn’t really understand the reasoning then. I’m 35 now, and I understand perfectly. I have learned a great deal over the past few years; my views on some issues have changes, and I realize that I still have a lot to learn. Brethren who write seem to be locked-in, permanently tied to positions they have taken. That really shouldn’t be the case. Second, before you pass on anything that you have learned via email or print, speak to the brother involved for confirmation. Jesus said it clearly, “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother” (Mt. 18:15). While Jesus is dealing with specific, personal sin between brothers, proper application of the principle today would help curb the rumor-mill which today’s technology has helped to create. Technology has helped, but we are ultimately responsible when we make assumptions about the conduct or views of others and write about them without speaking to them directly first. The principles set forth in Matthew 18:15-17 are often ignored in today’s mass media age. Had the preacher picked up the telephone and called me, before telling everyone I instigated the hoax, the entire matter could have been avoided. Finally, when a question or disagreement arises, speak in person. A face-to-face meeting is to be preferred. If such is not possible, use the telephone. Let me stress this point: Email is a terrible medium to use to hash-out differences. Again, because you cannot see a person’s face or hear his voice when you read what he has written, you may come to some wrong conclusions about a person’s tone. What is intended as jest may be interpreted as insult. Humility is difficult to get across in writing. Additionally, we have a bad habit of leaving humility behind when we sit in front of the computer. When my wife showed me the message from this Pensacola preacher, accusing me of starting this virus hoax, I was really perturbed about it. I sat down in front of the computer and wrote a terse reply, not only telling this preacher of his mistake but asking him to contact me directly before he made similar accusations. He interpreted my message as presumptuous and abrasive. He was right. So was I to be fair. He did make a big mistake, failing to contact me for clarification or confirmation before accusing me. But, my reply to him left a lot to be desired in terms of humility and tact. I typed and sent some words that I would not have used in a face-to-face discussion. The result was not a quick resolution to the problem. We traded half a dozen more emails before cooler heads prevailed. Paul said, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1). There is something about typing that emboldens us and quenches the spirit of gentleness. We say things in print that we would never say to a brother in person, so whenever possible, eliminate the electronic middleman and talk in person. I have swung back and forth about involvement on email lists. At times I check my email frequently, eager to read the latest posts. At other times, I find myself hesitating, unsure if I want to read some of things written by one brother about another. We must “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3), but I wish we could do that with a little more of the spirit of gentleness of which Paul wrote. Is it any wonder that we have a preacher-shortage when what we read so often is brethren “biting and devouring one another” (Galatians 5:15)? Why would a young man starting out want to put himself on the menu? Division, with all the problems associated with it, has been around as long as the church has been around. Overuse of computers and underuse of humility and compassion have only amplified the problem. Bad behavior has become too easy. The internet can be a great blessing. Don’t let the misuse of it become a bane. Roger Blackwelder Evangelist for the West Mobile church of Christ rabspar@yahoo.com --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? vote.yahoo.com - Register online to vote today! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041014/b1ebfe15/attachment.htm From JeffBelknap at charter.net Fri Oct 15 10:46:58 2004 From: JeffBelknap at charter.net (Jeff Belknap) Date: Fri Oct 15 18:50:54 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) The Seven Sins of An Unscriptural Divorce Message-ID: <002601c4b2ce$34916f10$6500a8c0@Worker> Dear brethren, Jeff Belknap wishing everyone a good day. It use to be that the only lawful reason to divorce was "for fornication." Regrettably, now brethren are saying it may be "for the kingdom's sake." Hence, the flood gates are wide open! This unscriptural teaching is exposed below. Moreover, the renewed post-divorce "putting away" theory is exposed at: www.MentalDivorce.com THE SEVEN SINS OF AN UNSCRIPTURAL DIVORCE By Jeff Belknap Due to the soaring rate of divorce and remarriage taking place in America today, it is important to seriously consider some things revealed to us in God's Word. Learning more of His will for man regarding this topic (and others) gives us the means to help prevent this terrible tragedy. In recent years, some have asserted that "sin" is not committed at the time of divorce, but that "the sin" is committed at the time of remarriage. The unspoken implication in such a statement is that it is alright to divorce, as long as one doesn't remarry. Now, it is true that the sin of adultery isn't committed at the time of an unscriptural divorce, however, sin does take place when someone divorces their mate for an unauthorized reason. (Moreover, even in a divinely authorized divorce, the sin of fornication has taken place.) In this article, we will focus on the sins committed by divorcing without scriptural authority: (Sin # 1) UNSCRIPTURAL DIVORCE PUTS ASUNDER WHAT GOD JOINED TOGETHER! The Bible teaches us, that when we pursue an unscriptural divorce, we put asunder what God hath joined together (Mt. 19:1-9). In the third verse, Jesus was asked if it was lawful to divorce for any reason. In verse 6 He responded, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." This is God's rule! [The only exception to this rule is revealed in verse 9, in which infidelity then becomes the reason for a scriptural divorce. Except means, "if and only if." cp. w. Mt. 5:20; 18:3; Lk. 13:3; Jn. 3:5] Two different sins are condemned in this context of scripture. (Sin # 1) The violation to the rule in verse 6: putting asunder what God has joined together for any reason other than fornication, and then (sin # 2): marrying another after the unscriptural divorce (i. e. living in adultery). In other words, all who put asunder what God has joined together, commit sin (except those who do so for fornication, v. 9), regardless of whether adultery has taken place. Sometimes brethren think that a greater allowance for divorce is authorized because of I Corinthians 7:10+11, but actually Paul is teaching the exact same thing the Lord did in Matthew 19:6 (cp. Mk. 10:9). Paul wrote in I Corinthians 7:10+11, "And 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." Contrary to the way many understand I Corinthians 7:10+11, God has never given a specific command [i.e. "let not the wife depart" (put asunder)] and then sanctioned it's transgression. Is "let not the wife depart" a command (law)? Is not violation of the law transgression? Is not transgression sin? Are not the wages of sin death? The instruction to "remain unmarried" necessarily implies that a violation of the command ("let not the wife depart") has taken place, whether the departing be in the past or present. The wife (v.10) or husband (v.11) who departs (puts away) unlawfully, is acting contrary to God's prohibition (divorce). To then enter into a life of adultery would only be compounding the problem. Yet many affirm that this passage unconditionally provides for two satisfactory options: to remain unmarried or to be reconciled. Both of these, however, are not acceptable options in every circumstance. This is true because the choice to remain "unmarried" (when reconciliation is possible) does not reflect repentance for the sin of an unscriptural divorce. The word reconciliation denotes a bringing back of what was broken, and is the only "fruits worthy of repentance" to repair a wrongful divorce. However, when one is willing to turn from their sin by seeking reconciliation, but their ex-spouse refuses (II Cor. 8:12), then he / she has no choice but to "remain unmarried" and become "a eunuch for the kingdom of heaven's sake" (Mt. 19:12). Expecting one to do everything in his / her power to reconcile and repair their wrongs is not ignoring the phrase, "let her remain unmarried." Neither is the phrase "let her" or "let him" necessarily a guarantee of divine approval. God has always given man the freedom of choice (Deut. 30:15, 19; Rom. 6:16). Note I Corinthians 7:15, "But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart." Is this option ("let him depart") scriptural and pleasing to God? Are not unbelievers amenable to the Word? In I Corinthians 14:37+38, Paul told the prophets that his instructions were the Lord's commands, and if any refused to acknowledge this he said, "Let him be ignorant." To those who were bent on their own will (as opposed to God's), the Lord has said to "let them". In I Corinthians 11:5+6, after Paul taught that a woman was to be "covered", the gospel of Christ says "if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn...". To the women who blatantly disregarded this order, Paul (in essence) said to make their shame complete. Cp. w. Ezk. 3:27; 20:39; Hos. 4:17; Rom. 11:7-10; Gal. 1:8+9; Rev. 22:10-12 These words appear to be used sarcastically, with the intention of opening up one's eyes to their own glaring opposition to God's Word! When people have their minds made up and refuse to be "confused" with the facts (direct and specific commandments of the Lord), God is willing to give them up (Rom. 1:24, 26, 28)! Every sinner (including the mate who departs unlawfully) has the same choice that Joshua offered in the long ago when he said "choose you this day whom you will serve...", Joshua 24:15. (Sin # 2) UNSCRIPTURAL DIVORCE DEFRAUDS OUR MATE In I Corinthians 7:2-5 Paul says, "Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband...Defraud ye not one the other...". One of the blessings shared in marriage, is the intimacy that enables us to avoid sexual immorality (Heb. 13:4). Needless to say, when someone pursues or chooses to maintain an unscriptural divorce, they rob their mates of their due. [Note: Those spouses whose lives are in danger may have to flee / separate for their safety. (i. e. While David was under subjection to King Saul, he went only as far from the king as he had to, for temporary safety.) However, permanent separation is not necessary in such predicaments. There are numerous options for those in very difficult circumstances (seeking the assistance of law enforcement and / or professionals). Divorce is only authorized by God for one reason.] (Sin # 3) UNSCRIPTURAL DIVORCE CAUSES OUR MATE TO COMMIT ADULTERY In Matthew 5:31+32, Jesus said, "It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery...". Again, Jesus has only sanctioned one cause for putting away our mate. Therefore, an unscriptural divorce puts a stumbling block before those whom Jesus loves and gave his life to save. And Jesus said, "Woe unto the world because of offences! For it must needs be, that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh" (Mt. 18:7)! cp. w. Mt. 13:40-42 (Sin # 4) UNSCRIPTURAL DIVORCE BREAKS OUR WEDDING VOWS To seek an unscriptural divorce, makes us a liar (Mt. 5:37; Jas. 5:12). Revelation 21:8 tells us that all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire! When people exchange their wedding vows, they make solemn pledges before the Almighty, "until death do us part". Ecclesiastes 5:4+5 says, "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay." (cp. w. Psa. 76:11) We do not have to marry, yet if we make that commitment, we are expected to keep our word! (Sin # 5) UNSCRIPTURAL DIVORCE DESTROYS OUR INFLUENCE AND EXAMPLE FOR GOOD! In I Timothy 5:14 & Titus 2:3-5, Paul Instructs the older women (as well as the younger) about the importance of the home. He revealed to us what should be taught about marriage and our roles in the home, to prevent the devil from gaining an advantage over us, "that the word of God be not blasphemed." In Romans 2:21-24, Paul rebuked his brethren for acting contrary to the word of God. Their sin of hypocrisy gave the Gentiles cause to blaspheme. When our family life is out of order, we are giving an occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully! (Sin # 6) UNSCRIPTURAL DIVORCE IS INIQUITY Since there is no authority for an "unscriptural" divorce, it is iniquity (lawlessness). From all such sins, we are to depart (II Tim. 2:19), since iniquity (lawlessness) is that which the Lord hates (Heb. 1:8+9). [In contrast, we are specifically forbidden to depart from our spouse (Mt. 19:6; I Cor. 7:10+11).] (Sin # 7) UNSCRIPTURAL DIVORCE IS SOMETHING GOD HATES! In Malachi 2:15+16, the Bible says, "...Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away...". God hates all unauthorized practices (Heb. 1:8+9), including unauthorized divorce. The Bible teaches that when we commit this offense, we are doing something that God hates (i.e. mistreating our mate). What God hates, we ought to hate as well! Romans 12:9 tells us, "Let love be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; and cleave to that which is good." cp. w. Psa. 97:10 A permissive attitude towards unauthorized divorce does nothing to encourage marriage partners to work through the difficult times. It is imperative that we learn to live with our spouses according to Biblical principles, making our marriages what God would have them to be. We must get back to the commitment and seriousness of marriage, lest Satan should get an advantage of us, in his effort to divide and conquer (I Cor. 7:5; II Cor. 2:11). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041015/7a00681a/attachment-0001.htm From mjd117 at sbcglobal.net Fri Oct 15 12:30:20 2004 From: mjd117 at sbcglobal.net (MICHAEL DAVIS) Date: Fri Oct 15 18:50:55 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] SERMON -- LESSONS FROM KING SAUL AND JUDAS Message-ID: <20041015173020.44772.qmail@web80706.mail.yahoo.com> Skipped content of type multipart/alternative-------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: LESSONS FROM THE DEATHS OF KING SAUL AND JUDAS.doc Type: application/msword Size: 25600 bytes Desc: LESSONS FROM THE DEATHS OF KING SAUL AND JUDAS.doc Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041015/b33f7df6/LESSONSFROMTHEDEATHSOFKINGSAULANDJUDAS-0001.doc From harperwest at yahoo.com Fri Oct 15 15:17:59 2004 From: harperwest at yahoo.com (Steven C Harper) Date: Fri Oct 15 18:50:55 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A> It's No Longer A 'Trend' Message-ID: <000a01c4b2f4$121fe120$a24e0945@SCHarperWork> Brethren, this is an article I felt compelled to write, in light of recent articles and dicussions. I only hope and pray that we will heed the words of our Lord and seek not the praise of men. --- SH ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ It's No Longer A 'Trend' Just over 10 years ago, a well-known preacher and writer published a small booklet that warned of present dangers amongst brethren that he believed were pointing toward certain apostasy within the church. The five points he mentioned were not meant to be all-inclusive, but were merely examples that were indicative of the attitudes that were then present, and which the author believed would lead down a certain path of inevitable tolerance - and then practice of - error. I remember personally hearing the author deliver this lesson and congratulated him then on standing firm against such prevalent attitudes in the face of those who chastised him for chastising and warning us. Part of the motivation for writing this small booklet, no doubt, was the attitudes of some men who ran to the defense of a long-time preacher of great notoriety who was preaching error on marriage, divorce, and remarriage. [I say this because this man is mentioned by name in the book, along with the error he espoused.] When his teaching was exposed publicly [the famous preacher said he had believed and taught it for more than 40 years], some other well-known brethren ran to his personal defense [not of his teaching] and condemned others who were condemning him. It seemed, at the time and even now, that some were more interested in upholding the good name of the man more than truth itself. Many brethren who condemned the teaching were taken aback by those who were intent on defending the one who preached the error while, at the same time, distancing themselves from what he taught [continued fellowship with the false teacher while saying little or nothing about the false teaching]. Back then, I was seriously disappointed that many well-respected men chose to defend "the man" rather than THE TRUTH. [I am still disappointed since they have continued down that path.] Others, at the time, rightly condemned such tolerant attitudes as dangerous and destructive, and pointed to the inevitable result of a future unwillingness to condemn other sins and continuing to have fellowship with some who preached error "as long as they do not preach it here" [wherever "here" might be]. Imagine my surprise when, not long after this booklet was published, the author began teaching a different error on marriage, divorce, and remarriage! When I was told of this a few years later, I was dumbstruck. Could the one who had preached so strongly against errors on this topic now be teaching error himself? The only way to know was to ask him myself. Since I got no response whatsoever from him when I attempted to ask, I resolved to read some of his published words, and hear some tapes that recorded his own words. Let it be said now that the evidence is simply overwhelming and it is plain that the charge was true: the very one who vehemently defended truth on this matter was now guilty of the very thing he condemned. [Remember Romans 2:3?] And to make matters worse, we now have a cadre of men intent on defending the man to the death, and some who are now defending the error itself. We might imagine the reasons for this effort on the part of the defenders if the relationship of the defenders to the guilty was not so patently obvious. I was born in the morning, but not this morning. Adding to the problem of this recent propagation of error is the seeming unwillingness of the author to publicly discuss the issue with those who oppose his false teaching. Oh, he is certainly willing to discuss it amongst those who welcome him and do not challenge his words, though. He does this even as he tells others he "does not have the time" to discuss it. And the problem is compounded by many who are unaware he is teaching error, or who think it is not important enough to discuss. Many of those who are now propagating or defending this most recent error are unwilling to have discussions with those who disagree [like the 'defenders' of institutionalism of times past] and try to paint themselves as someone 'above' such pettiness. Some are loudly proclaiming now [as a defense of the man and his error], "we don't need to divide over every issue." What they mean is: "Don't cut me off because I preach error on this topic." What we have here is a full-fledged demonstration of hypocrisy in action! Listen to the words of the author himself: "(T)here needs to be the earnest desire of our hearts to avoid the danger of apostasy. How do we avoid it? How can we avoid it? If we are going to be able to avoid it, we are going to have to be able to recognize it. And, we are going to have to have a willingness to oppose it, to expose it, and even to correct our course, to correct those trends that might be leading us in the wrong direction. When we speak of 'a trend,' we mean a new direction or tendency, that which is not fully developed yet, when we first begin to veer or drift from an established course. At an early stage such trends are easier to correct, but the irony of it is that they are harder to recognize." [The italics are the author's.] Friends, it appears that this is no longer a 'trend' but a definite path - one the author and others have taken! Since the man's teaching was exposed, I have witnessed through written and spoken word those who are intent on deflecting criticism of the false teaching and who have tried to side-track the discussion away from the real issue. It seems the boldness of the old preacher to preach false doctrine has emboldened others to give it a try and they have started preaching various errors on this and other topics. Other preachers, well-known among many brethren, have started preaching a man may get divorced for reasons other than adultery or fornication, and others now teach that God's law on marriage "isn't so clear" that we can make judgments of what is right or wrong! Friends and brethren, this is indeed a dangerous path these brethren are headed down. When our aim becomes defending friends, family, and brethren before we stand for THE TRUTH, we have lost our way and have surrendered the fight altogether! When we are more interested in maintaining business, personal, brotherhood, institutional, or inter-church relationships more than our relationship to Jesus Christ Himself, we have gone the way of the world and we are no better than those of old who refused to confess Christ lest they be put out of the synagogue (John 12:42, 43)! Do we not trust in the power of TRUTH [God's Word --- not the magazine of this name] anymore? But, lest we get discouraged, there is a way back to the path of righteousness. The Lord Himself pleaded with His people, "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls." (Jer. 6:16) Unfortunately, they refused to walk in the ways of the Lord, and for that they were taken away. We still have a choice, while the Lord has been gracious and merciful enough, to repent and turn back to THE TRUTH. What will we do? We can choose to close our eyes to the error that is being preached; we can choose to keep our mouths shut and never expose the error being preached; we can deflect criticism of those who preach the error and never really get to the heart of the matter; we can join in with those who are preaching error and continue as if nothing has changed; or we can simply join in preaching the error with others. Or, we could choose to take a stand against error - no matter who it is that is teaching it. We could choose to stand with Christ and not with men. We could choose to stand and defend THE TRUTH. I don't know about you, "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Josh. 24:15) -- Steven Harper Truth - is as old as God - His Twin identity And will endure as long as He A Co-Eternity -- Emily Dickinson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041015/cf03afb9/attachment-0001.htm From wswalker310 at juno.com Fri Oct 15 12:58:55 2004 From: wswalker310 at juno.com (Wayne S Walker) Date: Fri Oct 15 18:50:56 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] hymn study, "Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy" Message-ID: <20041015.161152.2164.1.wswalker310@juno.com> "COME, YE SINNERS, POOR AND NEEDY" "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters" (Isa. 55:1) A song that encourages sinners who are thirsty, poor, and needy to come to the waters to receive the blessings of the Lord is "Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy." The text, originally beginning "Come, ye sinners, poor and wretched," was written by Joseph Hart, who was born in London, England, in 1712. His early life is somewhat obscure, but he was brought up in a godly home and received an excellent education. His brother-in-law, John Hughes, said that he became "a teacher of the learned languages" in a school at London. However, according his own account, he seems to have lapsed into a dissolute life. During these years, he wrote a pamphlet entitled, "The Unreasonableness of Religion, Being Remarks and Animadversions on the Rev. John Wesley's Sermon on Romans 8:32." Yet, Hart continued searching and in 1757 was converted at the Moravian Chapel on Fetter Ln. in London. Two years later, he became minister with the Jewin St. Independent Chapel in London, where he remained until his death. An ardent Calvinist, he was a powerful preacher who was widely known and well loved. In 1759 he published "Hymns Composed on Various Subjects, with the Author's Experience," which included this one, probably his most famous hymn. A Supplement was added to the book in 1762. Others of Hart's well known hymns include "That Dreadful Night Before His Death" and "Come, Holy Spirit, Come." Hart died in London on May, 24, 1768, and is buried in Bunhill Fields. Through the years, a lot of tinkering and altering has been done with "Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy." Often, as in "Great Songs of the Church No. 2," it is set to a tune (Greenville or Rousseau's Dream), composed by the French philosopher-musician Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778). Coming from a pantomime in his opera "Le Devin du Village," finished in 1750 and first performed in 1752, it was arranged in 1818 by Jean Baptiste Cramer (1771-1858). The first appearance as a hymn tune seems to be in the 1823 "Handel and Haydn Collection of Church Music," second edition. Other times, as in "Great Songs Revised," the song is set to a traditional American folk melody (Resignation), taken from Walker's 1835 "Southern Harmony" with the chorus, "I will arise and go to Jesus." Both of these versions are found in "Praise for the Lord." Also, as in "Christian Hymnal," it has been set to a Welsh tune (Bryn Calfaria) by William Owen. In the past, this hymn was often used as an invitation song to encourage sinners to come to the Lord. I. Stanza 1 invites sinners to come because they are poor and needy "Come, ye sinners, poor and needy, Weak and wounded, sick and sore; Jesus ready stands to save you, Full of pity, love, and power. He is able, He is able, He is willing: doubt no more." A. Before we can even see the need to be saved, we must have a poverty of spirit: Matt. 5:3 B. But Jesus is ready to supply what we need because He is able to save us: Lk. 19:10 C. Not only is He able to save us, but He is as willing to save as He was to heal the leper: Matt. 8:1-3 II. Stanza 1 invites sinners to come because they are thirsty "Come, ye thirsty, come and welcome, God's free bounty glorify; True belief and true repentance, Every grace that brings you nigh; Without money, without money, Come to Jesus Christ and buy." A. Those who are spiritually thirsty need to come and receive God's free bounty: Matt. 5:6 B. Coming to Jesus to satisfy our thirst requres true belief and repentance: Mk. 1:14-15 C. However, it does not require money because we are not redeemed with silver or gold but with the price already paid by Jesus with His blood: 1 Pet. 1:18-19 III. Stanza 3 invites sinners to come because they are weary and heavy laden "Come, ye weary, heavy laden, Lost and ruined by the fall; If you tarry till you're better, You will never come at all: Not the righteous, not the righteous; Sinners Jesus came to call." A. The guilt of sin is pictured as a burden that makes us weary and heavy laden: Matt. 11:28-30 B. Some people think that they should wait to come to Jesus to have this burden lifted until they can make themselves better, but this is not how it works, so they should not tarry: 2 Cor. 6:2 C. We must remember that Jesus did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance: Matt. 9:12-13 IV. Stanza 4 invites us to come because Jesus suffered for us "View Him prostrate in the garden; On the ground your Maker lies. On the bloody tree behold Him; Hear Him cry before He dies, "It is finished, it is finished!" Sinner, will not this suffice?" A. Jesus suffered anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane: Matt. 26:38-39 B. He also suffered the agony of a cruel death upon the bloody tree at Calvary: Mk. 15:33-37 C. When He thus died and paid the full price that will suffice for our sins, He cried, "It is finished": Jn. 19:30 V. Stanza 5 invites us to come because of the merit of Jesus's blood "Lo! th'incarnate God ascended Pleads the merit of His blood; Venture on Him venture wholly, Let no other trust intrude. None but Jesus, none but Jesus Can do helpless sinners good." A. It was the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for many for the remission of sins: Matt. 26:28 B. Therefore, we should put our trust wholly in Him and no other: Eph. 1:12 C. No one but Jesus can do helpless sinners good because God sent Him to taste death for us: Heb. 2:9 VI. Stanza 6 invites us to come because of what He promises to give us "Let not conscience make you linger, Nor of fitness fondly dream; All the fitness He requireth Is to feel your need of Him. This He gives you, This He gives you: 'Tis the Spirit's glimmering beam." A. Again, some people linger because they feel they need to "lift themselves up by their own boostraps" first, but today is the day to hear His voice and respond: Heb. 3:15 B. While, as indicated earlier, true repentance must be involved in our coming to Christ, we do not bring ourselves to "fitness" but simply recognize that we are sinners in need of His mercy: Lk. 18:13 C. When we do this and come to Him in obedience to His word, He gives us remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit: Acts 2:38 VII. Stanza 7 invites us to come because it will cause the angels of heaven to rejoice "Saints and angels, joined in concert, Sing the praises of the Lamb, While the blissful seats of heaven Sweetly echo with His name, Hallelujah! hallelujah! Sinners here may do the same." A. Jesus said that when one sinner repents, the angels of heaven rejoice: Lk. 15:7 B. They are joined by the saints of all the ages echoing praise to the name of Jesus Christ the Lamb who makes our salvation possible: Rev. 5:9 C. Yet, what is even a greater wonder is that the sinner who comes to Christ even here may do the same in showing thanks to God for saving Him in Christ: 1 Tim. 1:12-15 CONCL.: The traditional chorus expresses the proper response that God wants on the part of those invited: "I will arise and go to Jesus, He will take me in His arms; In the arms of my dear Savior, O, there are ten thousand charms." There is no greater problem that mankind has to deal with in this life than sin. And there could be no greater remedy provided than that given to us in Jesus Christ. Therefore, God invites all who are lost, saying, "Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy." Brotherly, Wayne S. Walker 9024 Amona Dr. Affton, MO 63123 home phone: (314) 638-4710 office phone: (314) 842-1612 e-mail: wswalker310@juno.com website: www.defenderoftruth.com From joe at bibleanswer.com Fri Oct 15 17:08:58 2004 From: joe at bibleanswer.com (Joe R. Price) Date: Fri Oct 15 18:50:56 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] B> The Spirit's Sword (VIII:16) - October 17, 2004 Message-ID: <41704A7A.1000806@bibleanswer.com> THE SPIRIT'S SWORD (Volume VIII, Number 16 - October 17, 2004) "And take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17) Published by: The Mt. Baker church of Christ 1860 Mt. Baker HWY Bellingham, WA 98226 Visit our Web Sites: Mt. Baker church of Christ: http://mtbakercofc.org Bible Answers: http://www.bibleanswer.com The Spirit's Sword: http://www.bibleanswer.com/ssword.htm Editor: Joe R. Price In this issue: ____________________________________ -"I Will Go to My Father" -Sermon Outlines --Reasons to Repent --Romans 14 and the Scope of Fellowship -Noteworthy News: Opinion Poll Madness ____________________________________ "I WILL GO TO MY FATHER" Joe R. Price ?But when he came to himself, he said, ?How many of my father?s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! ?I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ?Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.?? (Luke 15:17-19) What poignant and powerful words! Every one ? because we have violated God?s will ? is a sinner (1 Jno. 3:4; Rom. 3:23). As such, we have either been forgiven in Christ, or our sin remains a barrier that separates us from God (Isa. 59:1-2). The gospel of Christ reveals the remedy for our sins and the conditions upon which God?s grace and mercy will be received (Rom. 1:16; 5:8-10; 6:15-18; Mk. 16:15-16). But, every sinner must be convinced that he needs a Savior before he will obey the gospel and be saved from his sins (1 Tim. 4:10). Yes, Jesus died for all men. His sacrificial death is sufficient to redeem the sinner from spiritual death. But the sinner must also want to be saved. He must come to the Savior to find rest (Matt. 10:28-30). Like the prodigal, the sinner must go to the Father. The words of the prodigal son teach us the attitude of heart the sinner needs in order to be forgiven of sins. When these attitudes are coupled with obedience to God?s plan of salvation, His terms of pardon, one is assured of having God?s forgiveness. We cannot go to the Father and receive His forgiveness without both the proper attitudes and the proper actions. Like the prodigal, the sinner must be convicted of his sins. He must be convinced he is a sinner. The wasteful son ?came to himself,? implying he came to full recognition that his conduct had been reprehensible (Lk. 15:17). Finally, he felt the full weight of his sin (cf. Psa. 51:3). Only when the sinner is overwhelmed with the burden of sin will he go to the Father seeking forgiveness on the Father?s terms (instead of his own). Acts 2:37 represents such a group of sinners. Being convinced by the gospel that they had murdered their Messiah, they cried out in an anguished appeal, ?What shall we do?? The inspired apostle told them to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins (v. 38). The reaction the sinner has today toward his sins must be the same. To be convicted of one?s sin is a sobering and humbling moment for the person who wants to live with God?s approval rather than die in the darkness of sin. For that person, it is a crucial step on the path to the Father. Like the prodigal, the sinner must know who his sin is against (Lk. 15:18). Ultimately, all sin is against God (Psa. 51:4). Although the prodigal?s father had not personally seen his wasteful conduct, the son realized that his actions were ?before? him (or, ?in his sight?, ASV). We would do well to always remember that God sees all our actions and knows all of our thoughts (Heb. 4:13). To obtain forgiveness from God, the sinner (like the prodigal son) must willingly admit and acknowledge that his sin is against the God of heaven. Without such godly sorrow there can be no repentance (2 Cor. 7:10). Only the contrite heart will make the journey back to the Father; only the contrite heart will find a merciful reception (Psa. 51:17; Isa. 66:2). The prodigal approached his father in utter humility (Lk. 15:19). Truly, it is only the humble of heart that will come to God confessing sin and pleading for mercy. The tax collector of Luke 18:13 aptly shows this principle in his life. If one has a problem with admitting his sin he also has a problem with pride. Remember, ?God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble? (Jas. 4:6). When we sin against God we must determine, along with the prodigal son, to ?go to (our) Father.? Like the prodigal?s father, our heavenly Father is longsuffering, merciful and forgiving (Lk. 15:22-24; 2 Pet. 3:9; Rom. 2:4). Our heavenly Father teaches us how to come to Him in order to be forgiven of our sins. The gospel of Christ teaches sinners what to do to be saved: hear the gospel, believe in Jesus as the Christ, confess my faith in Christ, repent of my sins and be baptized into Christ for the remission of sins, and then live a faithful life in service to Christ (Jno. 6:45; 8:24; Rom. 10:9-10; Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; Rev. 2:10). Christians who sin are called on to repent and pray in order to be forgiven (Acts 8:22-24; 1 Jno. 1:9). For the sake of your soul?s salvation, come to yourself and go to the Father. He will forgive you. ____________________ For the complete outline go to http://www.bibleanswer.com/whyrepent.htm Scripture Reading: Acts 26:15-20 REASONS TO REPENT Intro. 1. The gospel is a call to repentance unto life ? Acts 26:17-20 (11:18). 2. We must not be like Esau! ? Heb. 12:14-17 3. We must understand what repentance is: a. ?I?m sorry? is not repentance, 2 Cor. 7:9-10. b. A change of heart that results in a changed life ? Acts 26:20; Rev. 9:20-21. 4. Repentance grows out of godly sorrow ? Neh. 9:1-3. 5. Satan blinds us to the seriousness of sin & the need to repent (by minimizing sin). 6. If we cannot repent we will not confess sin ? Jas. 5:16. 7. Why should I repent of my sins? ? WHY SHOULD I REPENT? 1. Because of understanding my sin ? Lk. 13:1-5; Rom. 3:23; 1 Jno. 3:4; Psa. 51:4; Isa. 59:1-2. 2. Commanded to repent ? Acts 17:30 (Heb. 11:6; Jas. 4:6-10). 3. Because there will be a Judgment Day ? Acts 17:31; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 2:2-3. 4. Because I want to be in the kingdom of God ? Matt. 4:17; 25:41, 46; Acts 2:36-38, 41. 5. Because of God?s great goodness, Rom. 2:4; 2 Sam. 12:1-7, 13; Rom. 5:8 (Jno. 3:16). 6. To be clear of sin before God & man, 2 Cor. 7:10-11. Conclusion 1. Neh. 9:2-3 ? No self-righteousness there. 2. Jas. 5:16 ? No self-righteousness where confession of sin truly occurs. 3. There can be no confession of sins & salvation in Christ without genuine repentance ? Acts 2:38; 8:22. ____________________ For the complete outline go to http://www.bibleanswer.com/romans14scope.htm Scripture Reading: Romans 14:1-8 ROMANS 14 AND THE SCOPE OF FELLOWSHIP Intro. 1. Rom. 14 was written to help Christians keep unity among themselves in the area of liberty (i.e., matters which are indifferent before God). 2. There is a proper use of Rom. 14 today. I. UNDERSTANDING ROMANS 14. A. Outlining the Chapter. B. The Text and Context. C. Any Effort to Put Sinful Doctrines or Practices into Romans 14 is Wrong. D. Any Attempt to Prevent the Use of Romans 14 to Protect Conscientious Scruples over Non-sinful Matters also Abuses the Text. II. DISPUTES OVER CONSCIENTIOUS SCRUPLES WERE DIVIDING BRETHREN. A. The Strong Brother ? 14:3, 10. B. The Weak Brother ? 14:3-4, 10. C. Both Pleased God ? 14:4, 6, 10-12. D. Receive each Other! Rom. 14:1 & 15:7 III. DEFINING TERMS. A. The Weak (14:1). B. The Strong (14:1; 15:1). C. The Faith (14:1, 5, 22-23; Jude 3). D. Doubtful Disputations ? 14:1. E. Offend: (14:13); cf. 1 Cor. 8:9-13. IV. REMEDY: RECEIVE EACH OTHER IN YOUR DIFFERENT SCRUPLES OF CONSCIENCE. V. AN APPEAL FOR UNITY IN MATTERS OF PERSONAL CONSCIENCE & LIBERTY ? 15:1-7. VI. MAKING THE RIGHT APPLICATIONS OF ROMANS 14 TODAY. ____________________ NOTEWORTHY NEWS (Current events in the light of Scripture) OPINION POLL MADNESS Joe R. Price The campaigning is hitting a fever pitch as candidates for office, from the White House to City Hall, vie for votes. One way candidates shape and influence public opinion is by taking polls and then announcing the results. I don?t about you, but I am pretty tired of hearing all the poll numbers for the presidential race. Every day we are treated to more and more analysis, speculation and ?expert opinions.? We can get that way toward the word of God and the Christian life, too. Instead of doing our own study of the Bible, we may rely on the study and teaching of others to decide what we will believe and do. Or, we may survey the landscape, try to get a feel for what others are saying and doing to help us make up our minds. Personal faith comes from personal contact with the word of God (Rom. 10:17). While we are glad to have teachers who instruct us (this is God?s method of transmitting His word around the world, Matt. 28:19-20), we must always be diligent in our own study ?to find out whether these things (are) so? (Acts 17:11). Avoid the ?it can?t be wrong if everybody is for it!? way of thinking. Yes, it can be wrong. The way that may seem right can lead to death (Prov. 14:12). Avoid the ?I want to be on the popular side? way of thinking. The person with the most votes wins. But, the majority is not always right. It was the majority that died in the wilderness of Sinai. It was the majority that crucified Jesus. It will be the majority that is eternally lost (Matt. 7:13-14). Truth makes a thing right. Jesus is ?the Truth? (Jno. 14:6). ____________________ The Spirit's Sword is a free, weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA Send all questions, comments and subscriptions to the editor at: ssword@bibleanswer.com ********************************************** Joe R Price Email: joe@bibleanswer.com Web Sites: Bible Answers: http://www.bibleanswer.com Mt. Baker church of Christ: http://www.mtbakercofc.org Fax: 775.878.4823 ********************************************** From halhammons at msn.com Fri Oct 15 18:33:40 2004 From: halhammons at msn.com (Hal Hammons) Date: Fri Oct 15 18:50:58 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] tgn update Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041015/071bb183/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 16 07:10:09 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Sat Oct 16 08:59:34 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) FROM WHERE I SIT Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Saturday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with an enjoyable day. Here is an article that recently came my way: FROM WHERE I SIT Our breakfast room was recently filled with oohs and aahs as each of us sat at the table taking turns explaining what we saw. We were starring at images on the back of a cereal box (We are easily entertained). The point of the games was to show that you could look at specially designed images and see one thing, but if you looked long enough you would see something entirely different. One image looked like a haggard old woman with a lumpy nose, then suddenly your eyes would shift and the profile of a lovely young girl would come into focus. All of this goes to show that perspective is important. The way things look to us is not always determined by artistic trickery, as on the cereal box, but often by the way we have been trained to see them. We need to learn to see the world the way God teaches us in His Word. Sometimes we fail to perceive things rightly because we are deceiving ourselves. In any case, the hum- an potential for deception is staggering. How can a five foot four inch girl who weighs eighty pounds look in the mirror and see some- one that looks fat? How can a scientist study a world filled with the fingerprints of God convince himself that God is not there? How do people become so morally deluded that they think homo- sexuality is a legitimate way of life? (Did you notice in the last presidential debate in the discussion on gay marriages, etc. that neither participant said anything about what the Bible said on the matter, even though Mr. Kerry had been quoting scripture before to make a point on some other subject? I was hoping that Mr. Bush would say that same sex marriages were immoral according to the teaching of the Bible, but he didn't, JWS). Because we are finite creatures, subject to the influence of evil. We are beings who suppress the truth in order to pursue unrighteous pleasures. Paul puts it this way, "because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusions, that they should believe the lie, that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thes. 2:10-12). Believing and loving the truth of God is the only protection we have from delusions. The idea that we can be perfectly objective and apply reason to arrive at truth independent of the revelation of God is a farce. This is because there is no objective foundation against which to leverage our reason apart from God. Rationalism as a philosophy, provides as much protection from the Devil punch- ing us in the face as a sheet of Saran wrap. But the point of this article is not to discuss epistemology, but to help us understand the importance of looking at the world from the perspective that God invites us to. In order to see things as they really are we need to stand, or as I will point out, sit in the right place. One of the greatest events in the Bible is at Sinai as God com- pletes the covenant making process with Israel. He invites the nobles to ascend part way up the mountain where "the saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did nto lay His hand. So they saw God, and they ate and drank" (Exo. 24:10,11). It was from this lifty vantage point that the nobles were to understand everything. Their being seated in God's presence to enjoy a meal was intended to influence the way they went about living their lives when they came down from the mountain. Christians are invited into the presence of God, Who we see by faith and eat with each Lord's day. In fact we ascend a greater mountain thant the nobles of Israel and participate in a more glorio- us feast. What we observe in the Lord's supper should shape our understanding of the world and how we are to live in it. Consider how the Lord's Day is ever approaching. Every mom- ent of the week is bring you closer to His table. In only a matter of hours, or days at most, you will again be His honored guest. The perspective, the one with you seated with Him must be the vantage point from which you see everything else that takes place in the workday world. You are the weekly dinner guests of the King of kings. You eat bread from His table and drink from His cup continually. What is more, you partake of His body. He has honored you and blessed yhou beyond all reckoning. He is good to you and gracious, for- giving all your sins. He is patient and kind, feeding and strengthen- ing you to make you more holy. He has prepared this table for you in the midst of your enemies. Because this is so on the Lord's day, you may not eat from the tabel of demons on Tuesday (1 Cor. 10:21). This doesn't mean that you may never again sin and then come to the table of the Lord, but that you must not settle into the position that you are going to eat from both tables. the devil's cooking and the Lord's don't mix and God strikes those who deliberately try to pull this off (1 Cor. 11:30). At the job, in school, at play you are to remember that you are a table companion of the Lord Jesus. When you learn to see the world from this perspective you are protected from the devil's punches by a mighty fortress. He cannot deceive or delude you while you are thinking in such terms. Remember where you sit on Sunday and maintain that perspective all week long. ------------ Lawrence Kelly in Lost River Bulletin, Vol. 54, No. 18, Oct. 6, 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041016/30d9b00b/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 16 07:10:15 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Sat Oct 16 08:59:34 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) WHY CHURCHES DWINDLE Message-ID: <80.1856e98c.2ea269a7@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study that rec- ently came my way. Use to the glory of God. WHY CHURCHES DWINDLE It is painfully apparent that many local churches are not grow- ing. It is clear from the scriptures that the Lord wants His church to grow. As souls are saved, people will be added to the body of Christ. However, since God has ordained the existence of local congregations as His only organizational structures on earth, the growth of His kingdom will most likely be manifest as local churches grow. Of course, the universal church can still expand regardless of what happens in various congregations. Over a per- iod of time, a local church in one area may decline while another church in a different area may increase. Yet, each Christian who is a part of a local congregation surely wants to see the local church grow. Unfortunately, it is painfully apparent that many local churches are not growing. Some congregations have existed for years with very little appreciable change in their numbers. Others were once much larger but have diminished in number over time. A few have even closed their doors. The reasons why these situations occur are probably as numerous as the different specific instances invol- ved. Some things are just beyond human control. The area around the church building may deteriorate, or the economic con- dition of a region may force people to leave for jobs. In general, we live in a more mobile society were people move much more frequently than in past times. Yet, there are some reasons why a lot of congregations have declined about which we might be able to do something. Lack Of Leadership: -- One reason is a lack of leadership. In nearly every human endeavor where people must work together, it has been a fairly universal, though not always absolute, observa- tion that where there is no real leadership things tend to drift and eventually fall apart rather than move forward and make progress. Imagine what would happen to a flock without a shepherd. There must be a reason why God uses this figure of speech with regard to His church. God's plan for the organization of the church is that Christ is the head of the body (Col. 1:18). Yet, God has also or- dained that there be elders in every local church as leaders to shepherd and oversee the flock (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:1-3). Too many congregations have existed for years without appointing elders. Of course, if there are no qualified men, no elders should be appointed. We do know that congregations existed in the first century for a time without elders (Acts 14:23). Yet, it is not God's intent that this should be a permanent situation. Many young Christians have grown up without ever having the experience of submitting to godly elders. Every single congregation should be working toward that day when qualified, godly elders can be ordain- ed. The fact that so many churches today go for such a long time without elders does not speak well, whatever the reason. This lack of leadership is very likely one reason why many churches have dwindled. Losing Young People: -- A second reason why a church may dwindle is that it loses its young people. Sometimes certain breth- ren have been heard to dismiss reports of baptisms when they are "just children of members." Yet, a preacher friend of mine has ob- served that if we simply had all the members' children still remain- ing faithful we could probably fill our buildings. I have worked with churches where there were some wonderful older saints, yet near- ly every one of them had several grown children who were no long- er serving he Lord. Other preachers have said that they have had the same experience. I do not profess to know all the reasons why. I do know that some very godly parents have done every- thing within their power to raise their children to be Christians and have been disappointed in the results. There are many forces at work in this world by which Satan tries to draw people away from the Lord. Children are free-will individuals and ultimately make their own choices in life. At the same time, I also know that a lot of parents who are Christians did very little to bring their children up in the Lord (Eph. 6:4). Just taking them to Bible study classes and church services are not enough. Their entire home life must be centered on seeking Christ first (Matt. 6:33). Many churches have undoubtedly dwindled because their young people were lost to the world. Fighting And Bickering: -- Still another reason why some churches dwindle is that they have had their share of fighting and bickering. There is nothing that can drive people, both young and alod, away from a congregation faster than an atmosphere of feuding and fussing. "But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another" (Gal. 5:15). Of course, there are times when truth is at stake and those who stand for truth must fight the good fight of the faith against error (1 Tim. 6:12). Yet even in this we must be careful how we go about the fight. The use of carnality in supposedly defending the truth can have serious consequences in souring people and open- ing the door for equally damnable errors (2 Cor. 10:3-5). Most of the time, however, the fighting and bickering that arise are not the result of standing for the truth but of self-centeredness in matters of opinion, judgment, and individual liberty. Some brother reaches a different conclusion, suggests an expediency, or engages in an action with which another disagrees, and, even though no principle of truth is at stake, a constant warfare erupts that tears things apart. We have too many people like Diortrephes (3 Jno. 9). Instead, we should endeavor to maintain unity of the spirit in the bond of peace by esteeming others better than ourself (Eph. 4:3; Phil. 2:3). Congretations where this advice is not heeded often find themselves dwindling. Failure To Convert: -- The primary function of the church is to be the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15). The chief way in which this function is accomplished is by preaching the gospel to a lost and dying world (Mk. 16:15). The early church grew very rapidly. Why? There are many factors which help to make up the explanation, but certainly one reason was that "the did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ" and "those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word" (Acts 5:42; 8:4). Too many today are content with coming to services one, two, or three times a week, warming a pew, watching the Bible class teacher, song leader, men wo lead prayer or wait on the table, and the preacher "do their thing," then go merrily on their way about their own daily lives. We have lost sight of what God wants every faithful Christian to do (see 2 Tim. 2:2). There will be two benefits of focusing more of our attention on evangelism. First, as lost souls are taught the truth, believe it, and obey the gospel, they will be added to the Lord (Acts 2:47). More faithful Christians do add up to larger numbers. Second, as we spend more tiem in seeking the lost, we will probably have less desire and energy to engage in those activities which tear down rather than build up. Experience shows that churches which do not direct their attention to saving souls usually have a tendency to dwindle. Conclusion: -- These are not the only reasons why churches dwindle, but they are common causes. Also, it is not the purpose of this article to suggest that all cases where churches dwindle can necessarily be traced to the reasons stated here. As stated earli- er, sometimes circumstances occur which are beyond people's control. Fewer numbers do not always translate nto being unacce- ptable with the Lord. The preaching of Noah saved only eight souls. Paul's response in Athens was apparently much less than what he had experienced in other places. God holds us responsi- ble not for the results but only for the effort that we put forth (1 Cor. 3:5-7). Too much emphasis on numbers can result in water- ing down the gospel message just to please people. However, we need to remember that there are some things which we can do to promote the kind of growth that God wants, and there are some things that we can do to hinder such growth. Therefore, let us resolve to be a part of the solution rather than the problem by striving to promote the former through working for scriptural leader- ship, training our children in the way of the Lord, pursuing the things that make for peace, and sounding forth the word to save the lost, while seeking to avoid the latter. ----Wayne S. Walker in Biblical Insights, Vol. 4, No. 9, Sept. 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041016/cf72a727/attachment.htm From dmartin5 at concentric.net Sat Oct 16 09:57:54 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Sat Oct 16 12:10:21 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] "Romans 14, an Overview" Message-ID: <005b01c4b390$85457240$73306a43@concentric.net> Don Martin to the list: In my forty years of preaching, I have noticed that when there is an increase of interest in Romans 14, there is usually an agenda. The agenda is to place within Romans 14 matters that are unauthorized and then appeal to the special circumstance teaching of the chapter for brethren to allow such teaching in the name of unity. "We do not believe error can be put into Romans 14," we hear. However, error is defined by the person and what they may not view as erroneous, often is. I submit the following from the archives of www.bibletruths.net for your consideration. If you go to the Web page article, you will find an internal link to an exchange that I had several years ago with a known preacher who preaches for non-institutional churches. Take a look at what he affirmed goes into Romans 14, you might be shocked. Romans 14, an Overview Romans 14 is both an intriguing and challenging chapter, much misunderstood and abused. To exactly duplicate the scenario of Romans 14 today would be impossible, in this writer's persuasion. Hence, many applications of Romans 14 today are anachronistic (contain conflicts as to time, people, and circumstances, see later). There are, however, principles and truths taught in Romans 14 that are applicable to all Christians, of all cultures and time periods. An introduction to Romans 14. Paul had addressed many subjects and situations in the preceding thirteen chapters of Romans. He had especially treated matters pertaining to justification, whether simply a result of law keeping, grace only, or grace and law combined (Rom. 4, 5, 6, 11). Shortly anterior to his teaching in Romans 14, Paul wrote: "Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate." (Rom. 12: 16). The circumstances of Romans 14 presented a challenge to the enjoinment of Romans 12: 16. The teaching of Romans 14, I submit, is both an amplification and modification of Romans 12: 16. There was a situation at Rome that could result in the spiritual destruction of some of the Christians. To make matters worse, this destruction would be caused by other Christians (Rom. 14: 15, 20). The people addressed in Romans 14. The simple answer as to the identity of these people would be "Christians." There are obviously two classes in Romans 14. They are identified by designation and action. They are the "weak" and the "strong" (Rom. 14: 1, 15: 1). The identifying action was: the weak ate only herbs, esteemed one day above another, and apparently abstained from "wine" (vss. 2, 5, 21). To the converse, the strong were those who believed they could eat all things, esteemed every day alike, and drank "wine" (vss. 2, 5, 21). Let us now advance in the level of difficulty in attempting to identify the two groups, the weak and the strong, of Romans 14. Some believe they were the same group of Jewish Christians mentioned in I Corinthians 8 (matters of meat offered to idols by Gentiles, etc). Another view is the "strong" were Jews who had an Essenic background (practiced extreme physical self-denial, etc.). Still others hold to the view that the strong were the Jews and the weak were the Gentiles who had an Essenic past (see addendum). Regardless of which particular influential background we assign the two opposing groups of Romans 14, it is manifest an exact parallel circumstance today would be hard, if even possible, to produce. Whether Jewish or pagan, these people had been in a culture for aeons and the gospel, one source of their difficulties, had only been fully revealed about 26 years prior to Romans 14. The required conduct of each group in the prevailing circumstances of Romans 14. The strong had specific behavior enjoined on them. They were to receive (proslambanesthe, idea of fellowship) the weak, but not to (eis, with an aim or end to) doubtful disputations (diakriseis dialogismon, judgment of thought or decision of scruples, ASV., vs. 1). The strong were not to despise (exoutheneito, set at naught, ASV) the weak, think he lived to himself, judge (krineis, condemn) or place a stumblingblock (proskomma, to strike against) in his brother's way (vss. 3, 7, 10, 13). The weak had similar behavioral requirements to the strong placed on them (vss. 3, 10, 13). The weak is also taught that in the circumstances being discussed, he must be conscientious and respect his conscience (vss. 22, 23). Each group must have in mind how his actions would be perceived and would affect others and also the spiritual welfare of his brother (vss. 16, 19, 20, especially applicable to the strong). They, both strong and weak, were commanded to refrain from binding their views on the other group and to be sacrificial in their attitudes and decorum (vss. 22, 21). The prompting faith under consideration in Romans 14. It is absolutely essential that we establish the "faith" of Romans 14. Some preachers have used Romans 14: 23 thus in their teaching: "If it is not taught in the Bible, it is sinful because Paul said, 'whatsoever is not of faith is sin.'" In this vein, the mentioned faith would be faith objectively viewed, the gospel (our standard of belief and conduct, Gal. 2: 14, Jude 3). Ed Harrell and Christianity Magazine's teaching advocated that the faith of Romans 14 is objective faith, the gospel. Hear Edwin David Harrell: "In my opinion, Romans 14 gives instructions to two people who conscientiously disagree about what God instructs them to do, and, consequently, the passage speaks to us when we find ourselves in the same predicament (see Christianity Magazine, May, 1989, page 134). Dudley contends that the passage discusses a lower level of faith (really only opinion), as opposed to the faith. That interpretation, it seems to me, makes the passage irrelevant, but that is not the issue between us. The question addressed in my articles was: When Christians disagree about biblical teaching (as all do), what principles govern our fellowship together?" (See the full exchange between Harrell and Spears by clicking on the URL provided at the end of this material). Others contend (your writer included) that the "faith" of Romans 14 is faith subjectively viewed. They define it (by usage) as not subjective or that which is believed in the sense of the teaching of the gospel, but that which is simply opinion, without scripture basis or inherent conflict. Romans 14, as you can readily see, has constituted the centrality of dialectic reference in connection with every major apostasy. How we view 'faith" in Romans 14 is pivotal, as I shall now proceed to illustrate. Those who contend "faith" in Romans 14 is used of the gospel have inevitably and often overtly concluded (as in the case of Ed Harrell and Christianity Magazine) that we must allow doctrinal and moral deviations among God's people. Indeed, such a conclusion is necessary if we definitionally and functionally introduce moral and doctrinal deviations into the teaching of Romans 14. Not only must doctrinal and moral deviations be allowed (per the teaching of Romans 14), they must not be opposed (see vss. 1, 10, 13). When a movement succeeds in presenting the foregoing view among God's people, the highway to apostasy is paved and the speed restrictions are removed! Beloved, it is clear and decisive that the "faith" of Romans 14 is limited and restricted by Paul to simply matters of opinions. They were told to hold their "faith" privately or to themselves (vs. 22). Can you imagine Paul having in mind by "faith" the gospel when he consistently and urgently taught elsewhere that the gospel must be shared with others (Acts 8: 4, Phili. 2: 16)? False teachers, those who teach damnable error, are not to be tolerated, Paul taught the Galatians (Gal. 1: 6-10). Moreover, the particulars under consideration expressly involved matters doctrinally and morally indifferent (vs. 14). These matters only occupied a place in concerns of right or wrong in the minds and consciences of the weak brethren (vss. 14, 22, 23). "How about the drinking of wine," someone injects, "that was a matter of right and wrong!" (see vs. 21.) Intelligent reader, the wine (oinos) of Romans 14 was not the fermented drink some want it to be. I know this because the Bible not only teaches abstinence from intoxicates in general, but total physical avoidance (Prov. 23: 29 ff., see exception in I Tim. 5: 23). Even in the extended and peculiar circumstances of Romans 14, Paul is instructing and rebuking the weak brother, a point often overlooked. Paul commands him to keep his views to himself, do not use them as a standard to judge others, and to truly study the matter so he will be "fully persuaded" (Paul is actually and presently teaching him so he can be fully persuaded and not remain ignorant, vss. 22, 3, 5). Common erroneous teaching and practices based on a perversion of Romans 14. Too many churches of Christ allow the teaching that Romans 14 includes doctrinal and moral deviations from the truth of God's word. Hence, a brother who has not extricated himself of all his false doctrine he acquired while in denominationalism is allowed to believe and, sometimes, even teach error and others are instructed to back off. The instruction of Romans 14 does not even resemble such a posture, not in teaching or application. False teachers must be confronted and challenged (Acts 15: 1, 2 ff.) When false teachers persist, they are to be marked and not fellowshipped (Rom. 16: 17, 2 Jn. 9-11, regardless of their believed motives). Notwithstanding, some that hold error such as women must wear a hat during worship (many other examples could be supplied), must not be challenged, according to the common misunderstanding of Romans 14. When told that I must not teach on sensitive subjects (misuse of Romans 14), I often have asked such brethren, "do you believe you are the weak brother of Romans 14?" I never have had one to say, "yes, I am the weak, ignorant brother of Romans 14." Beloved, these arguments and practices are spurious and anachronistic, as far as Romans 14 is concerned (or any other teaching in God's word). (You are also invited to read an exchange between a preacher and me on the Romans 14 issue. This exchange shows exactly the danger of the views being expressed that Romans 14 includes matters of sin and error. Click here. To consider the criteria for attempting to place items in Romans 14, consider the sermon outline, "The Particulars of Romans 14"). What churches must practice. In stead of the too common unity in diversity based on a misunderstanding and perversion of Romans 14, churches must have aggressive and applicable preaching (2 Tim. 4: 1 ff.). Truth must be boldly presented and error exposed (Phili. 1: 7, 17). Brethren must be urged to practice doctrinal and moral purity without partiality and hypocrisy (cf. I Tim. 5: 20, 21). In some cases, the "weak" are actually allowed to run the church, making such decisions as who the preacher will be. Love and patience must be shown to the "weak," but they must be urged and taught to grow. Sure, there will be division from time to time (I Cor. 11: 19). In conclusion, the twisting of Paul's teaching in Romans 14 to be inclusive of doctrinal and moral deviations is not simply error or an error, it is error that allows all error and forbids any and all challenge. Once the floodgate is allowed to be opened, we have no right attempting to pick and choose which false doctrines we will allow or reject, such is the height of hypocrisy (many are guilty of this). The key is to keep the floodgates tightly and securely closed! Addendum: If we argue the weak were the Jewish Christians and that their background influence was the Mosaic Law (meat, days, etc.), we are faced with some difficulties. For instance, it would be unusual to think of those of a Jewish heritage as being the weak (Rom. 3: 1 ff.), but how do we explain the day they were esteeming over other days. Would it not be the sabbath? How then do we reconcile the teaching of Paul in Romans 14, if the day is the sabbath with all the attendant Jewish significance, to his teaching elsewhere relative to not esteeming one day above another in the Jewish setting (see. Gal. 4: 10, 11, 5: 4)? Regarding some of the contemporary Gentiles possessing an Essenic belief, the Neo-Pythagorean philosophy advocated asceticism similar to the Jewish Essenic (Porphyr., 'De Abstin'). (You may also read additional material on Ed Harrell and Christianity Magazine in Bible Truths. While on the home page, click on the Archives button and select "Pristine Christianity" in the subject index on the Archives page. See the full exchange between Dubley Spears and Ed Harrell by visiting the Polemic Exchange section of Bible Truths, accessed from the Site Map page). Cordially, Don Martin dmartin5@concentric.net Check out our Web sites: http://www.bibletruths.net Ask a question 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 dmartin5 at concentric.net Sat Oct 16 10:39:55 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Sat Oct 16 12:10:22 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Contending for the faith Message-ID: <009001c4b396$63538220$73306a43@concentric.net> Don Martin to the list: I average over twenty written exchanges or informal debates per year on various Internet lists. Two weeks ago, I debated a high ranking Freemason (member of the church of Christ) on Freemasonry. This week, I had an exchange with Joe Price as to whether or not multiple causes for divorce and the innocent put away later putting away, when the other mate remarries, and being able to marry another may be placed into the protective cover of Romans 14 (Joe and Keith Greer defend such). Over the past six years, I have had approximately 150 debates on a large range of subjects. I say all of this not to try to impress you any to any expertise that I may have regarding dialectic skills, but to share the following with you. I am seeing more deterioration pertaining to appreciation, respect for, and recognition of Bible authority within churches of Christ and regarding a serious number who preach full time. The stage is set and we are living in another apostasy. There are powerful political forces at work that if they go unchallenged, will definitely re-shape the church as we know it. One such force is the Guardian of Truth Foundation. In fact, we have now entered the privately supported missionary society age. Some of these preachers are no longer accountable to a local eldership or church. More, I predict, will be on the payrolls of these institutions. These groups or, to be plain, cliques provide a level of security and meetings for the group members. Often, these groups "hunt" in packs and line up churches for financial support. They are especially interested in recruiting young preachers and work hard at it. There have been and shall be more, I am afraid, good men who have gotten in with the wrong crowd. In order to defend their fellowship circumstances with these men and institutions, they begin to defend the particular doctrines being put forth by these leading men. One case in point is Mike Willis and the Guardian of Truth Foundation. I promise you that if things continue as they are presently headed, Mike's teaching of multiple causes for divorce (he taught it here in the Denver area this year), will gain momentum and will be something that is thought of as naturally finding protection in Romans 14 (as Joe Price recently affirmed). Brethren, we need to return to the mind-set of truth over all matters and all influences, regardless of the cost. True unity is not this compromise and place doctrinal error into Romans 14 business that we see escalating. We need more elders and preachers who are "set in defense and confirmation of the gospel" (Phili. 1: 7). In such times, the faithful will grow and will "wax confident" (Phili. 1: 14). Those of the contrary part will become more brazen in their defense of error. It is an interesting age, for sure. May God grant us the courage to rise to the needs of the occasion (Jude 3, 4). Cordially, Don Martin dmartin5@concentric.net Check out our Web sites: http://www.bibletruths.net Ask a question 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 kthomas at ntslink.net Sat Oct 16 11:10:37 2004 From: kthomas at ntslink.net (Kenneth E. Thomas) Date: Sat Oct 16 12:10:22 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] "Old Friends" Message-ID: <417147FC.8FCF856@ntslink.net> Kenneth E. Thomas to the list with a poem I wrote this morning for an "old friend" and brother in Christ who is 83 today. Old Friends It?s good to have old friends, you can trust throughout the years; In the good times and in bad ones, in times of both gladness & tears. Old friends can visit without talking, just sit there and think together; Sometimes even take a little nap, without upsetting one another. With old friends you are comfortable, not trying to impress one another; That was done when friendship started, when you became as close as brothers. Old friend you?ve had another birthday, well that?s good-for such declares; You?re alive and you?re still kicking. though there?s been a lot of wear! We hope you have several others, to enjoy with those whom you love; Just be sure that you are ready, for a better home up above! Ken and Dee Thomas 10/16/04 -- Kenneth E. Thomas kthomas@ntslink.net "A word to the wise is sufficient." Pekin church home page address: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/7017/pekin_ch.html -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041016/2892fb67/attachment.htm From jssmith at electronicgospel.org Sat Oct 16 17:09:54 2004 From: jssmith at electronicgospel.org (Jeff Smith) Date: Sat Oct 16 20:14:49 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S>Character Study: Aaron Message-ID: <1B946FCE-1FC0-11D9-A432-000A95DBC234@electronicgospel.org> NOTE: More Character Studies and brand new gospel meeting audio by Connie Adams are available on ElectronicGospel at http://www.electronicgospel.org. Or subscribe for free to the weekly e-mail edition of our local bulletin, the Woodmont Beacon at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ElectronicGospel/join. Character Study: Aaron, The Priest by J.S. Smith of Fort Worth, Texas Introduction i. Aaron is one of those older brothers who is overshadowed by the career and personality of his younger sibling, in this case, Moses. Aaron, however, does not simply go along for the ride with Moses; he is an impressive character himself who does many great things and helps provide stability to pilgrim Israel. Like his brother, Aaron occasionally lost his senses and committed iniquity against God, but his humility brought him back at the Lord?s chastening. ii. We will look at six segments of Aaron?s life and then make a few practical applications. Discussion I. Aaron A. Family 1. the birth of Aaron is noted in Exodus 6:20, where we discover that he and Moses were the sons of Abram and his aunt, Jochebed 2. they were part of the tribe of Levi, one of the 12 sons of Jacob who formed the seeds of the nation of Israel a. Levi and his family were zealous for the clan, even to the point of bloody violence, avenging the rape of Dinah by killing all the men of Shechem and then plundering the city (Gen. 34) b. certainly, there were Levitical qualities that dishonored Aaron?s family, even at Jacob?s death: Gen. 49:5-7 3. of the three siblings, Miriam was the oldest, followed by Aaron and then Moses, the baby who was cast upon the river in an ark; Aaron was three years old when Moses was born (Exod. 7:7) B. Moses?s Assistant 1. prior to the births of Moses and Aaron, Israel dwelt in Egypt where they had found refuge during the famine of Joseph?s era; after a few centuries, distrust and racism had developed that sent the Hebrew people into slavery, toiling for the Pharaoh on his pyramids and other projects a. Moses, however, gained an unintended respite from all this by being adopted into Pharaoh?s family as a baby, but then having to flee Egypt after killing a man b. Aaron stayed behind, until God sent him out to greet a returning Moses: Exod. 4:27-31 2. Aaron became Moses? spokesman, for the great leader admitted that he lacked eloquence: Exod. 4:14-16, 7:1 a. together, they rallied Israel toward hope and challenged Pharaoh to let the people go, working miracles until, on one bloody Passover night, the Exodus commenced b. yet Aaron, the spokesman, always remained Moses?s assistant, even in battle: Exod. 17:8-13 C. An Elder 1. naturally, Aaron occupies a place of authority and respect among the pilgrim nation caught between Egyptian slavery and the Promised Land 2. he is among the small group of representatives allowed to approach the mountain where God communicated with his people, and to see the glory of God manifested: Exod. 24:1,9-11 3. when Moses and Joshua go up into the mountain to receive the law from God, Aaron exercises headship over the community of thousands who stays behind a. nowhere is the choice of Moses over Aaron more clearly correct than here, because Aaron falls well short of God?s glory in his younger brother?s absence: Exod. 32:1-6 b. even his explanation is disappointing: Exod. 32:19-24 c. his tribe only redeems itself by recanting Israel?s apostasy and punishing the impenitent: Exod. 32:25-28 D. High Priest 1. as the tabernacle was planned and erected, Aaron and his sons were made priests who would eschew the regular rigors of daily life to toil for the people before God day and night (Exod. 28, Lev. 8) 2. this Aaronic priesthood executed the various rituals and offerings, entering into the first part of the tabernacle, but only Aaron himself could enter into the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:11-14) 3. it is in this capacity that Aaron faces the saddest challenge to his faith: Lev. 10:1-3 E. Rebel 1. just after their departure from Mount Sinai, Aaron and his sister Miriam conspired to protest the authority of their younger brother, Moses: Num. 12:1-9 a. Miriam receives the harshest punishment, being made a leper, but Aaron pleads with Moses to intercede with God and her disease lasts only a week b. this episode, though, serves to show the humanity of Aaron and his imperfection, for the charge was baseless and only used to mask the siblings true resentment of Moses?s authority 2. moreover, their rebellion persuaded others that they could stand up against Moses; Korah led an unsuccessful rebellion against all three of the siblings a short while later (Num. 16) before God vindicated them: Num. 17:1-12 F. Death 1. there is one occasion where it might be argued that Aaron?s impatience rubbed off on Moses, for the two sinned against God by bringing his glory to themselves: Num. 20:10-12 2. indeed, Aaron does not live much longer at all: Num. 20:22-29 II. Some Applications A. Family 1. Aaron was born into a family noted for violence and impulsiveness and throughout his life he seems to struggle against that heritage to become a man of character and thoughtfulness 2. whether by nature or nurture, we all inherit certain qualities as a result of being born to certain parents or brought up in a certain environment 3. some of those qualities must be good, but others may present a struggle like Aaron?s 4. in the end, neither nature nor nurture is an apt excuse for living wickedly; one must rise above his detractors to show godly character: 1 Cor. 6:9-11 a. the early church was filled with reformed harlots, homosexuals, idolaters, thieves and drunks, and so should be the modern church b. the legendary Cretans that Titus taught were ?always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons,? but they could be rebuked sharply in order to find soundness in their faith (Titus 1:12-13) c. forget nature vs. nurture and get about the business of rising above it all: 1 Peter 2:1-3 B. Humble Helper 1. throughout his life, Aaron was the assistant to his younger brother, speaking for him and holding up his stronger hands in battle 2. it takes so much humility to toil in relative obscurity or to fade away as others become more prominent; think of John the immerser who decreased that his younger cousin could be the Messiah 3. in churches, deacons are often the humble assistants to the elders and every member can hold up the hands of the elders and preachers who sometimes grow weary in the battle against the wolves who would devour the flock a. we help the elders: Heb. 13:7,17 b. we support the preachers: 2 Tim. 1:8-18 C. Accepting Blame 1. here are Aaron?s noteworthy errors a. failing to restrain the people who desired a molten calf to replace Jehovah while he kept Moses busy with the 10 commandments on Mount Sinai b. apparently wanting to defend Nadab and Abihu and question God for punishing their irreverent ?strange fire? c. resenting Moses?s authority with Miriam and introducing the notion of rebellion to Korah and Israel d. along with Moses, taking credit for the miracle at Meribah that kept them both out of Canaan 2. how would you like the most famous book in the history of the world to record your most embarrassing moments? a. we all fall short of God?s glory at times and surrender to our weaker impulses, leading to sin b. what we want to see is not only a decline in the number of those sad occasions, but also a constant determination to admit wrong rather than passing the buck and refusing blame 3. this is the strength to acknowledge when you are the prodigal son, and to say, ?Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you? (Luke 15:18) a. to thank a Nathan who says, ?Thou art the man!? b. to allow godly sorrow to produce repentance in you, leading to salvation: 2 Cor. 7:10-11 c. to confess your sins to those you have wronged (Matt. 18:15-17) or those who can pray for you (James 5:16) d. to agree with God on the obvious: 1 John 1:8-10 D. Priesthood 1. although no one here is wearing a black robe, or a high white, reversed collar, this room is filled with priests: 1 Peter 2:4-10 a. the Aaronic priesthood has been abolished after a thousand years of service and for the last 2000 years, Christ has served as the church?s high priest (Heb. 5:1-6) b. we no longer require a certain tribe or occupation to make our sacrifices, render our offerings or ask for atonement 2. through the better high priesthood of Christ, we can individually do what the sons of Aaron once had to do for everyone: Heb. 4:14-16, 13:15-16 Conclusion Aaron is a wonderful, human, fallible character. We can learn from him that some of life?s lessons take a lifetime to comprehend. JEFF S. SMITH Evangelist, Woodmont church of Christ Fort Worth, Texas http://www.electronicgospel.org Free subscription to Woodmont E-Beacon: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ElectronicGospel/join John 14:6 -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 10275 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041016/947729ce/attachment-0001.bin From wmessenger at juno.com Sat Oct 16 21:11:46 2004 From: wmessenger at juno.com (William C. Sexton) Date: Sun Oct 17 14:41:48 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] B>A Christian's Voice Message-ID: <20041016.211411.-96890991.20.wmessenger@juno.com> Skipped content of type multipart/alternative-------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/msword Size: 29499 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041016/a3f695f1/attachment-0001.dot From harperwest at yahoo.com Sun Oct 17 15:15:09 2004 From: harperwest at yahoo.com (Steven C Harper) Date: Sun Oct 17 18:52:04 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A> Who Decides? Who Divides? Message-ID: <003701c4b486$0186df10$2a4e0945@SCHarperWork> From: TRUTH & REASON, a bulletin of the Glendale church of Christ, Glendale, AZ. Editor: Steven Harper October 17, 2004 Who Decides? Who Divides? Years ago, within churches across this country, an issue arose as to whether or not the church was authorized by Scripture to take monies collected for the work of the church and send it to human institutions or for benevolence toward unbelievers. In the beginning, at least, the effort to find the answer revolved around the Scriptures and establishing what exactly the church's work was, and how it was to be carried out. After many years of fruitless discussion, often hindered by those who were intent on doing certain things one way or another, one widely-respected publication decided the issue was "closed" and refused to print any more on the matter - at least anything from those who opposed them. Despite the pleas of honest men to at least discuss it so the truth could be found, the editors and publishers refused to discuss the matter any further and a "quarantine" was placed on those they now labeled as "antis." The results were devastating to the cause of truth-seekers everywhere, and soon churches across the country followed suit, putting the issue "off-limits" and labeling those who sought an answer as "divisive" and insinuating [if not openly stating] that some were bent on "binding where God has not bound." Though many were honestly trying to get others to see what the Scriptures said - nothing more and nothing less, those who went beyond the pattern would not take part in open discussions even as they took part in a simultaneous effort to label those who opposed them as "dividers." Those labels and those tactics are still being practiced by those who support institutionalism and the sponsoring church arrangement, as evident by the publications they write and distribute. For that issue, some tried to define the discussion as a matter of "personal opinion" and "unnecessary division" rather than the matter of Bible authority, but when they were unsuccessful in doing that, they simply cut off discussions and faithful brethren left those churches to find others who were still interested in finding "book, chapter, and verse" for all they taught and practiced. Like old Ahab [the man led by his wife to adopt idolatry and bring God's wrath on Israel] who accused Elijah [the man of God] by saying, "Is that you, O troubler of Israel?" (1 Kings 18:17), some accused the truth-seekers of being "trouble-makers" though all they sought was an open and honest discussion of the matter. For those still interested in truth, the reply was often, "Who is doing the dividing?" And when they were accused of deciding what could be done based on their opinions, they asked, "Are we not speaking only the word of God?" Sadly, those words fell on deaf and apathetic ears. Friends and brethren, the time may be different and the topic may be different, but the questions are still the same: Who decides? Who divides? Who Decides? It is discouraging to hear this from some young preachers I have met within the last decade, if only as an indication they have not been taught properly by those who have gone before them. Unfortunately, some have been unwilling or simply too lazy to study God's word to learn how to properly establish authority, and when discussions arose over unfamiliar issues, they improperly categorized these things as "opinion" or "matters of indifference" and neither supported nor denounced teachings and practices that were contrary to God's will. And when issues arose within local congregations that demanded a stand for truth, some began asking, "Who decides what is right or wrong? How can we know when to draw the line?" as if it was a matter of personal opinion and not a matter of either having or not having the authority to teach or practice these things. I remember a few years ago when I began working with a young man who was studying to become a full-time preacher. In the course of one discussion about marriage, divorce, and remarriage, I commented that I could not have any fellowship with a certain man because I knew for a fact that he was teaching error on that topic. It was then that the young man asked me with all sincerity, "How do you know where to draw the line?" At first I was a little surprised, but realized that some simply have never taken the time to study this very matter. My simple answer was this: "When a man teaches anything that, as a result, leads men into sin, I must not have fellowship with him. That is not to say I completely cut him off without talking to him first, but I will not invite him to speak when I know he espouses error." This seemed harsh to the young man then, but he unfortunately saw the fruit of inaction just a few months later when the elders refused to take a stand on this same matter and condemned me for saying what they would not. They had somehow come to the conclusion that strict adherence to God's will was "binding where God did not bind" though the Scriptures were plain. At no time did I offer my "opinion," but kept trying to direct them to the Scriptures, and pleaded for an open discussion of the matter. I never got it. The answer to this question is simple: God decides! When it comes to what is right or wrong in the sight of God, only God decides what is right or wrong - not man. God gave that authority to Jesus (Matt. 28:18) and we should respect that. Man has no authority to declare something wrong when God has not - but neither does he have the authority to say something is right when God did not. Pointing out error is not "binding where God did not bind" - it is called preaching the truth "in season and out of season" (2 Tim. 4:2). Who Divides? When the institutional question arose, and it was clear some were set on going ahead with their plans - even if they had no authority - some were quick to deflect the blame to those who stood firmly on the Scriptures by calling them "dividers." But who really did the dividing? When Jeroboam made two calves of gold and set one in Dan and the other in Bethel, and when he said to the people, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!" (1 Kings 12:28), who was it that divided Israel? Was it those who remained faithful to the Lord's will, or Jeroboam and his followers who abandoned the will of the Lord, set up false gods, made priests from every class of people (v. 30), and established diverse practices that God had never commanded? Who divided? Friends and brethren, it will always be the one who introduces error who will be identified by God as the "divider" - not the faithful. Though the faithful may always be fewer in number [Ex., Joshua and Caleb], this is no indication of right or wrong. Though the faithful may be in positions of power [Ex., the Pharisees], this is no indication of right or wrong. Though the faithful may be younger and less experienced [Ex., Timothy, 1 Tim. 4:12], this is no indication of right or wrong. Though the faithful may not be published in brotherhood papers and may not be on the board of certain foundations [you fill in the blank], this is no indication of right or wrong. What defines what is right or wrong is whether or not it agrees with the word of God! Some of these labels and charges are being thrown about recklessly even as we speak. Reputations are being destroyed, motives are being impugned, and false teachers are deceiving many. But, friends and brethren, do not be misled; search the Scriptures as did the Bereans (Acts 17:11) that you may know the truth. When you know the truth, you will then know how to decide, and you will know who the true "dividers" are. Then, stand with the faithful! -- Steven Harper Truth - is as old as God - His Twin identity And will endure as long as He A Co-Eternity -- Emily Dickinson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041017/22377e42/attachment.htm From jssmith at electronicgospel.org Sun Oct 17 20:47:24 2004 From: jssmith at electronicgospel.org (Jeff Smith) Date: Sun Oct 17 21:00:49 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S>How To Be Happy Message-ID: How To Be Happy by J.S. Smith of Fort Worth, Texas Audio and Keynote presentation available on www.electronicgospel.org Subscribe to Woodmont Beacon: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ElectronicGospel/join Introduction i. The wise king Solomon set out to find what would make him happy in life and tried all manner of things that persist in their popularity and futility today. Only in the end did he discover that every fleshly pursuit drove him further from contentment and into the arms of the tempter. ii. It remains the hope of God that his people can find contentment and joy while on Earth, in spite of the costs and sacrifices associated with a life of faith. Nowhere is this clearer than in the Sermon on the Mount. Today, we want to compare Solomon?s quest with the beatitudes of our Lord Discussion I. Solomon?s Quest A. Futility: Eccles. 1:1-2 1. human accomplishments: Eccles. 1:3-11 2. wisdom: Eccles. 1:12-18 3. pleasure: Eccles. 2:1-3 4. attainment: Eccles. 2:4-11 5. labor: Eccles. 2:18-20 B. Resolution 1. enjoy life as it is; don?t loathe life because it isn?t what it could be: Eccles. 2:24-26 2. don?t be possessed by your possessions: Eccles. 5:10-15 3. live by faith: Eccles. 12:9-14 C. Today 1. today, men suppose that happiness will be found in a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and they seek joy in sexual conquest, greed, hedonistic pleasure and the accrual of lifeless objects, only to be disappointed and empty 2. Solomon trod that same road and discovered that truer happiness is found in living a life of faithful submission to God?s user manual for the experience 3. we all yearn for happiness and in Christ, we can find it II. Christ?s Answer A. The Beatitudes 1. in the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus sits down in the presence of his disciples, a man about the age of 30 who had shown great promise as a teacher even when he but 12 years old 2. now he is coming into his own, for the time is right, and upon that mountain, he is about to preach the greatest sermon ever 3. it commences with a series of ?beatitudes,? a term indicating that each phrase contains the Latin word ?beatus,? meaning happy or fortunate 4. the path to true happiness is found in these brief instructions, not in silver and gold B. Happy Is He 1. ?Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.? a. poverty of spirit may sound like the opposite of happiness and for a while, it is b. but poverty of spirit is not perpetual depression and sorrow; it is, however, the acknowledgement that one is mired in sin and in need of assistance to climb out: Rom. 7:5-9, 21-24 c. the poor in spirit make this inner discovery, crucifying every false sign that their spirits were somehow made rich by a few good deeds or earthly accomplishments: James 4:7-10 2. ?Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.? a. Peter heard this sermon and a few years later, proved it: Luke 22:54-62 b. Peter mourned the death of his loyalty and was comforted through repentance and restoration c. nothing is more comforting to the mourner than to know his sins are forgiven: 1 John 1:7-9 3. ?Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.? a. Solomon thought for a while that physical strength, whether personally or militarily, would bring contentment, but it didn?t b. the meek are the ones, who like Jesus, are gentle, humble and submissive to God c. this is the Savior who wept at Lazarus?s tomb, resisted a call to make him King of Jerusalem and submitted to God by going to the cross d. the meek inherit the Promised Land, the kingdom of heaven, because they are fit to dwell there: Col. 3:12-15 4. ?Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, For they shall be filled.? a. rarely are Americans ever so hungry that they can identify with the depth of the yearning in this passage, but when the Babylonian and Roman armies besieged the city of Jerusalem, people were driven by hunger to eat bird droppings; during the recent Muslim school siege in Russia, the hostages were compelled to drink their own waste to survive b. to hunger and thirst after righteousness is to be devoted to its attainment, even at great personal cost and sacrifice: Matt. 6:31-33 c. it means even becoming a slave to the right thing: Rom. 6:15-19 5. ?Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.? a. it is axiomatic that the merciful tend to receive mercy back, usually from other people, but always from God, for we reap what we sow b. ?For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy? (James 2:13) c. the ability to have mercy on others goes a long in way in separating the true sheep from the imposter goats in the kingdom: Matt. 25:33-40 6. ?Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.? a. the double-minded man is unstable in all his ways and impure in his heart; he asks but doubts he will receive and pretends to walk by faith, only to sneak down the path of iniquity after dark b. only the pure in heart will see God ? only the single-minded person of integrity, whose faith is not diluted or distracted with worldly lusts and doubts: 2 Tim. 2:22, Titus 1:15-16 c. purity of heart and the happiness that accompanies it are threatened by sinful sights and sounds 7. ?Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.? a. war rarely makes for happiness, at least in the short term, for it takes lives and breaks things b. people who bring war into their homes and neighborhoods are hardly happy either, as they demand their rights and impose their pettiness on others c. the peacemaker is happy because he is a child of God: Rom. 14:18-19 d. we begin by making peace with God through this ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18) and continue by pursuing peace with others as much as it depends on us (Rom. 12:18): Rom. 8:5-6 8. ?Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness? sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.? a. the last of the beatitudes is the least likely of all ? that one could find happiness while being persecuted for his faith: Matt. 5:11-12 b. there is the difference-maker ? the sudden company of persecuted prophets like Jeremiah and Elijah, who also suffered for the right thing, but found happiness in the arms of God anyway c. when the apostles were beaten by the Sanhedrin, ?they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name? (Acts 5:41) d. ?Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution? (2 Tim. 3:12) e. there is something reassuring about persecution: 1 Peter 4:12-16 Conclusion Solomon?s futile quest and our Lord?s patient instruction prove the same thing. Happiness is not found in the pursuit of accolades and objects that perish with the using. Seek first the kingdom and everything else will fall into place. ____________________________________________________________________ J.S. (Jeff) Smith Evangelist, Woodmont church of Christ in Fort Worth, Texas www.electronicgospel.org jssmith@electronicgospel.org -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 8162 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041017/6024d81b/attachment-0001.bin From ZekeFlores1 at cs.com Mon Oct 18 08:48:19 2004 From: ZekeFlores1 at cs.com (ZekeFlores1@cs.com) Date: Mon Oct 18 09:54:18 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S> Little Things Message-ID: <1b8.3d4dfa3.2ea523a3@cs.com> Here's a little sermon about little things. Zeke Flores Rio Grande Valley church of Christ Belen, NM ************************************************************************* The Little Things Intro Most have heard "Don't sweat the small stuff ... and it's ALL small stuff!" A. Usually meant to have a carefree attitude about life. 1. Admirable prospect, but should we really let the little things go? And is it all really "small stuff?" B. The Bible has a lot to say about "little things." 1. Jesus got after the Pharisees about it a. Matt 23:23 b. He didn't say to not sweat the small stuff, but rather to not forget the big stuff as well. c. It's ALL important! C. Let's explore what the Bible says about some little things I. A Little Now Brings A Lot Later A. A little foolishness - Ecc 10:1 1. One foolish act can be remembered longer than all the good one does in his lifetime. a. Just ask my wife! 2. Consider Hezekiah's foolish deed a. 2 Kings 20:12-19 3. We could also mention the man in Luke 12:16-21 a. God called him a fool! 4. The solution: Acquire wisdom a. Ecc 10:2, Prov 3:13-18, Col 1:9-12 B. A little laziness - Prov 6:10-11 1. How many times have you settled in for "20 winks" only to get up and find out the whole day is gone? 2. Laziness is maligned because it epitomizes someone completely unprepared. a. So, we have the example of the industrious, hardworking ant - Prov 6:6-8 3. The solution to laziness: Diligence - Be ready! a. Heb 6:11-12, 1 Cor 15:58 C. A little tongue-wagging - James 3:3-5 1. Once words are spoken, they are forever loosed and cannot be retrieved. a. "I am master of my unspoken word, yet slave to those which should have remained unspoken." 2. The solution: Watch your tongue! a. Eph 4:29, Col 4:6 b. "Tact" is the word! D. A little trouble between brethren - 1 Cor 6:1-6 1. Unity is an ideal to strive for but it's inevitable that disagreements will arise. a. Strange how a little matter can sometimes grow to monstrous proportions! b. Do we air our dirty laundry before the world? (1) The Collinsville lawsuit a good example - A woman being withdrawn from sought to sue the church ... and won a $400,000 settlement at a legal cost of approx $900,000 to the church! 2. The solution: Strive for unity always, but take care of matters among ourselves. a. Matt 18:15-17, 5:22-24 b. Better to eat a little crow, or humble pie, than to risk your soul! E. A little sin - 1 Cor 5:1-6 1. We must realize that unless we deal with sin among us, it will spread until all are infected. a. A sin against one is a sin against all, even the Lord (1) 1 Cor 8:12 2. The solution: Reach out and restore the sinner a. Gal 6:1-2 b. If necessary, discipline - 1 Cor 5:7-13 c. Restoration after repentance - 2 Cor 2:4-9 Conc The message is clear: We MUST Sweat the small stuff! A. Jesus tells a parable that illustrates the point. 1. Luke 19:12-27 B. If we want the big blessings, we must show responsibility in all things, even the little things. 1. "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much." Luke 16:10 C. INV -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041018/482eca78/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Oct 18 09:29:43 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Mon Oct 18 09:54:19 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) "THESE WERE MORE NOBLE..." Message-ID: <65.3689f8d2.2ea52d57@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Monday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with a most rewarding day. Here is an article that recently came my way: "THESE WERE MORE NOBLE..." "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind." (Acts 17:11). The word readiness denotes "eagerness or willingness." What a commendation is made of the people of Berea! The apos- tle characterizes them as being willing and eager to receive the Word of God. Would we not welcome this commendation about ourselves? Or to be spoken of as the man of Psa. 1:2 who "delights in the law of the Lord; and meditates in His law day and night"? The man who delights in the Lord's Word is blessed and bene- fits in several ways. Notice these from the Psalms: "Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee" (119:11). "Behold, I have longed after Thy precepts: quicken me in Thy righteousness" (119:40). "The law of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver" (119:72). "Unless Thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction" (119:92). "O how love I Thy law! It is my meditation all they day. Thou through Thy command- ments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teach- ers: for Thy testimonies are my meditations. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Thy precepts" (119: 97-100). "Order my steps in Thy Word: and let not any iniqui- ty have dominion over me" (119:133). May each of us accept God's Word with all readiness, and order our steps by its precepts. "And searched the Scriptures daily." (Acts 17:11). If one is eager to know the Word of God, it would not be a surprise to see him searching the Scriptures daily. Early Christians are seen in Acts 2:46, "And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple." Jesus says in Matt. 5:6, "Blesed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Those who search the Scriptures daily are the same ones who will "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 3:18). Those who study daily will be able "by reason of use to have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Heb. 5:14). Daily Bible students will have the ability to "rightly divide the Word of God" (2 Tim. 2:15). How often we look at others and wish we had as much Bible knowledge as they. Chances are, their knowledge came the very same way ours must come -- by a diligent, daily study of the Bible. "Whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 Jno. 4;1). As we noticed in Heb. 5:14, we need to have the ability to discern between good and evil. Why? Because false teachers with false doctrines are all around us. To be able to stand for truth, one must first know what truth is! May each of us follow the example of the Bereans as we search the Scriptures daily throughout the coming days of our lives. Our focus should be on all the rich lessons we find in the Word of God. ----- Jerry Curry in The Jackson Drive News and Notes, No. 42, Oct. 17, 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041018/edb96d6d/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Oct 18 09:29:49 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Mon Oct 18 09:54:19 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) WHY CHURCHES GROW Message-ID: <1dc.2e51f0d4.2ea52d5d@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study that rec- ently came my way. Use to the glory of God. WHY CHURCHES GROW It is manifestly evident that some churches are growing. Why? The church which our Lord Jesus Christ established on the day of Pentecost following His death, burial, resurrection, and ascen- sion, is a completely spiritual institution. There are no earthly head or headquarters and no universal organization. The church of Christ is simply the body made up of all who have been saved by the grace of God through the blood of Christ upon their obedience to the gospel. The Lord knows who are His. The only organizat- ional units that God has authorized on earth are the local, autonom- ous congregations which do their own work independently under their own leadership (elders) with their own funds. These congre- gations are to follow the Scriptural pattern that God has laid down in the New Testament for their activities. In a preceding article entitled, "Why Churches Dwindle," in which I note, "It is painfully apparent that many local churches are not growing." However, it is definitely not true that all, or perhaps even most, congregations of God's people are not growing. In fact, it is manifestly evident that some are growing. Why? What distinguishes those churches which are growing from those which are dwindling? As I stated in the previous article, there are many different reasons why churches dwindle, not all of which can be helped. However, there are some things that we do which some- times set the stage for experiencing losses. In like manner, there are some things that we can do which, while not guaranteeing growth, will make it far more likely. Plan To Grow: -- Our heavenly Father did not leave redempt- ion of mankind to chance but devised, even before the foundation of the world, a purpose or plan by which to accomplish His goal. He acted "according to the eternal purpose which He accomp- lished in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Eph. 3:11; also see 2 Tim. 1: 9). There are many things that a local church can do as part of its collective work to promote evangelism and growth. However, if such things are not planned, they will probably not get done. For example, one thing that many churches do as part of their evangel- istic work is to have gospel meetings. Sometimes when it is sugg- ested that a church plan its gospel meetings more than a year in advance, someone objects, "But we do not know what might happen in the future." That is true, but if we do not plan for some- thing in the future, we can pretty will conclude that nothing will hap- pen! Obviously, judgment will have to be exercised in this area, but the old saying is that for any enterprise to succeed, we need to "plan our work and work our plan." Demand Sound Preaching And Teaching: -- God's plan for the growth of His spiritual kingdom is based upon the preaching and teaching of His Word (Acts 8:4). Therefore, a congregation must demand that those who do the preaching and teaching within the ranks "Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching" (2 Tim. 4:2). Oh yes, a church might "grow" by offer- ing food, fun, frolic, recreation, entertainment, and a watered-down message so as not to offend anyone. However, that is not really growth in the Biblical sense, but merely a swelling in numbers. When the Word is preached, growth will result. Sometimes, it will be "in season" and the growth will occur rapidly. Other times, it will be "out of season," so we may have to work a lot harder. Yet, we do not need to turn to "The Purpose Driven Church" to find the principles by which a congregation of God's people can grow. All we need to do is get back to preaching the Word! Work Together To Save Souls: -- The Biblical concept of growth, at least so far as numbers are concerned, is that souls are saved, because the Lord adds to the church those who are being saved (Acts 2:47). Therefore, as Christians, we need to under- stand that our number one priority in this world is to work for the salvation of lost souls. Too many churches think that the way to grow is to "hire" a preacher and expect him, pretty much on his own, to find, teach, and convert prospects. That is not God's way. "From whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love" (Eph. 4:16). Most of the faithful churches that I know to be experiencing growth are not those which rely solely on the preacher but those in which all the members are talking to others -- relatives, friends, neighbors, and other acquaintances -- about the gospel and striving to lead them to Christ. In fact, in many instances, the preacher does not meet many of these people until he receives a call from some of the members that they are bringing someone over to be baptized. Provide Encouragement: -- An atmosphere that promotes growth is an atmosphere that provides encouragement. When new souls are saved and brought into the local church, they need to be encouraged. "Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all" (1 Thes. 5:14). "But exhort one another daily, while it is called 'Today,' lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin" (Heb. 4:13). In many congre- gations, the "old timers" have developed such a habit of standing around before or after services and talking only with each other that newcomers can often feel left out. Many have become dis- couraged and fallen away quickly because of this. The more we get to know new members, the more we can learn what their needs are and how we can meet them. We should invite them into our homes, visit in theirs, perhaps even provide special classes for them to encourage them. Have An Atmosphere Of Love: -- If you joined som sort of civic club or community organization and when you attended the first meeting you found everyone arguing, bickering, feuding, fuss- ing, and fighting, you would probably thing, "What in the world have I gotten myself into?" How do you think a new member of the Lord's church would feel when he begins attending a local church and finds that there are hard feelings, ill will, spiteful attitudes, and other unresolved problems that exist among the members? "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that your are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (Jno. 13:34,35). Jesus said that one of the ways by which others will know that we are His disciples is the love that we have one for another. He did not say that the only way by which others will know is that we love, but certainly if we do not love one another, that is a pretty good sign that we are not true disciples. While I am not opposed to any outward expressions of affection among brethren (hugging, etc.), the kind of love that Jesus is talking about is more. It is shown in the kind and consid- erate way that we treat one another. It does not take long for people to see whether we do that or not. Take Every Available Opportunity To Spread The Word: -- The church at Thessalonica was evidently active in spreading the Word. "For from you the Word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything" (1 Thes. 1:8). There are many things that churches can do to spread the Word. Once gospel meetings were very effective. They are still good things, but they probably do not obtain the kind of results they formerly did. Many churches have grown as the result of organized personal work programs, whereas they did not work as well in others. Radio programs, especially call-in ones, have accomplished a lot of good, but in many places they do not have the kind of audiences they one did. The same is true for broadcast or cable television programs. Tele- phone answering machine messages have been useful, but perhaps they have run their course; and that may be the case for correspondence courses too. A lot of churches today are using websites on the Internet and having good success. Most of these activities involve some cost in money or time, so choices have to be made. However, in addition to the work of individual Christians in seeking and saving the lost, each local church which wants to grow according to God's plan should be doing whatever is available and reasonable to spread the Word. ---Wayne S. Walker in Biblical Insights, Vol. 4, No. 9, Sept. 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041018/e42babef/attachment-0001.htm From tedwards at onemain.com Mon Oct 18 14:56:18 2004 From: tedwards at onemain.com (tedwards@onemain.com) Date: Mon Oct 18 15:52:25 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] B> Gospel Observer 10/17/04 Message-ID: <4173D992.16839.1333293@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). ____________________________________________________ October 17, 2004 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) The Beauty of Holiness (Connie W. Adams) 2) Hooray for Lenell Martin, Jr! (Mark Roberts) ____________________________________________________ -1- The Beauty of Holiness by Connie W. Adams There is something beautiful about the life of a faithful Christian. In our preaching we often find it necessary to point out the sins, not only of the world, but also of those who belong to Christ. It is my persuasion that we do not reflect e n o u g h upon the beauty and grandeur of the faithful life. It is desirable, attractive, compelling. "Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness" (1 Chron. 16:29). The army of Israel was told to "praise the beauty of holiness" (2 Chron. 20:21). In this passage holiness is presented as an attribute of God since it is an object of worship. "O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him all the earth" (Psa. 96:9). "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth" (Psa. 110:3). This passage is a prophecy of Christ and his rule. It describes the "day of his power" -- the time when he rules at God's right hand. The beauty of the rule is seen in that his subjects serve him willingly. None are conscripted. Service rendered willingly is beautiful. What Is Holiness? In both the old and new testaments the word "holiness" denoted separation. The vessels or utensils of ministry in the tabernacle and later the temple, were said to be holy. They were set apart to be used for sacred purposes and were thus distinguished from the common or ordinary. The priests were holy unto the Lord as they ministered before him. Animals to be used in sacrifice were holy in that they were set apart for a divine purpose. The nation of Israel was set apart from other nations and declared to be holy unto the Lord. "I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people. Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean. And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine" (Lev. 20:24-26). In the New Testament the same idea attaches to the word. The Christian is severed from the world and dedicated to the cause of Christ. He is not to contaminate himself with that which would defile him and render his service void. No passage better sets this forth than 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." From this passage clearly setting forth the idea of separation from sin and dedication to the Lord's service, other passages are better understood. "Ye have your fruit unto holiness" (Rom. 6: 22). "For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness" (1 Thes. 4:7). "The aged women likewise that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness" (Tit. 2:3). God cannot be worshipped "in the beauty" of this state when the people of God forget the distinction, which should exist between them and the world of sin. God accepts worship only as he accepts the worshiper. The Ugliness of Sin Perhaps the beauty of holiness can best be appreciated when contrasted to the ugliness of sin. Sin is often attractive and appealing outwardly. Thus the Bible speaks of "the deceitfulness of sin." Moses rejected the "pleasures of sin" which are but for a season. In the Garden of Eden Eve was tempted into thinking God was withholding something desirable and needful from her in his prohibition against eating of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The fruit was pleasant to the eye. She craved the wisdom she thought eating it would bring. She did not see beyond the pleasure of the moment to the fearful consequence her action brought not only herself, but also all humanity. David could not see beyond a moment's passion to the level gaze and accusing finger of Nathan, to say nothing of domestic havoc he would reap. Judas could not see beyond the clink of the coins, when he made his wicked bargain to betray Christ, to the deep remorse, which led him to commit suicide. Witness now the lives of those in this world that have money enough to purchase any pleasure, and to go anywhere, but who never have a moment's true happiness. How often do you read of the glamorous movie stars who take too many sleeping pills in attempts to end it all. Here is the ugliness of lives of dissipation. The glitter of the dance floor, the thrill of impassioned young love in a parked car later, do not on the surface indicate the horror of having to face parents and friends with the reality of the news of a child to be born without a father's name. Talk to an alcoholic and watch the hopelessness reflected in his eyes. Observe the cowed, despondent spirit of his wife who has tried to stick with him through thick and thin. Notice his self-imposed poverty and the uncertain condition of his health. Then, against such a background, consider the beauty and dignity of an upright life. The choice should not then be hard to make. The True Beauty of Holiness The character of a Christian is represented as a beautiful garment, attractive, unspoiled and desirable. It is God's desire through Christ and the church to present his own before him, "holy and without blemish." The Lord said the faithful "even in Sardis" who had not defiled their garments would "walk with" him "in white." Paul said servants, even of harsh masters, were to "adorn the doctrine of Christ" (Tit. 2:10). The way a man reacts under mistreatment can reflect beauty of soul and character, or ugliness of spirit. As a Christian returns good for evil, he heaps coals of fire upon the heads of those who misuse him. The beauty of holiness is seen in the higher purpose, which impels a saint. He has direction and meaning in his life. He knows what he wants, how to be content with what he has, and the means which he must employ to achieve his purpose. The confidence shown by the Christian in times of unrest, crisis and even in the face of impending death, show the true beauty of a life of holiness. There is power even in beauty. This is shown in what Peter said about the woman who is a child of God but who has a husband who is not one. She may fail in her attempt to teach him the word of God with her tongue, but there is no mistaking the demonstration of what that word accomplishes in her own daily life. Those of us who preach have often baptized men who were prompted to seriously study the Bible because of the consistent and faithful life of a wife who would not compromise her convictions of truth. It is important to observe that God is to be worshipped "in" the beauty of this state. One cannot reflect the beauty of a state into which he has not come. In baptism there is a cutting off of the sins of the heart. They are washed away, according to another figure. They are remitted to be remembered no more. But faithfulness must be manifested all through life else the beauty will be defaced and the power will be nullified. "For if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted?" -- Via Truth Magazine, XI: 3, pp. 20-21, December 1966 ____________________________________________________ -2- Hooray for Lenell Martin, Jr! Martin is a professional bass fisherman who quit the BASS tournament circuit because he would not wear a Busch beer patch on his fishing shirt. Martin's religious beliefs keep him from being associated with alcohol and beer advertising -- even though he lost a great deal of money for his stand. I'm always amazed at Christians who wear clothing advertising ungodly companies or ungodliness. Lenell Martin understands that what he wears says something about him and refuses to make a statement for sin. What does your clothing say about you? -- Mark Roberts, Abundant Life, June 2004 ____________________________________________________ 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@onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go ____________________________________________________ From jcritch at jlef.com Mon Oct 18 17:38:39 2004 From: jcritch at jlef.com (Jack Critchfield Sr) Date: Mon Oct 18 21:46:45 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] R: Changes to the Methodist Discipline Message-ID: <004001c4b563$38efb5c0$40425142@jackgwej0o37up> Some time ago someone posted a list of changes the Methodist Discipline had undergone as far as Marriage and divorce were concerned. I thought I had saved it, but can't find it. If someone has it, could you please send it to me. Thanks, Jack Critchfield Internet too high? JLEF Web Services only $14.95 http://jlef.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041018/2a3e3e2b/attachment.htm From kerux at svic.net Tue Oct 19 08:09:07 2004 From: kerux at svic.net (Kent Heaton) Date: Tue Oct 19 08:13:49 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A>He Cares For Me (Kent Heaton) Message-ID: <001301c4b5dc$e9f1b160$0ee85a42@kentpc> He Cares For Me (Kent Heaton) The world can be a dark place where no one cares for the other. The only thing that matters to many people is what they can get out of life for themselves. As they climb the mountain of material gain and pursue the fleeting treasures of life they spend little time to help their fellow man. Families turn their backs on their parents who nurtured them. Spouses neglect one another. Children care very little for home. Society becomes a self centered arena of mans desires to please only himself. Do you find yourself in this dark hole of neglect? Do you feel as if no one cares for you? The Creator of this world has given man hope in the face of misery. Through the written word, the mind of God is revealed to allow man to find comfort in time of despair. From the pen of inspired men, a message of hope and faith comes shining through the pages of His word. The apostle Peter writes, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:6-7). Found in this simple verse is the light that men can find when all around them is dark. There is hope, there is peace, there is protection - there is God! To find peace, we must first empty ourselves of self. Humility is not weakness but strength. Humbling ourselves is recognizing a power greater than our own power. Pride seeks to elevate man above God as if the creation can exalt himself above the Creator. To find peace we must first seek the "mighty hand of God" and be willing to submit ourselves to Him. Taking the lowly place will put us in the protection of the omnipotence of God. Being humble before God is trusting in His power, His love, His protection and His care! Submission to God is recognizing the power of God and a desire to appeal to His care. What greater care can I receive than from the Almighty? Isaiah declares of God, "All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?" (Isaiah 40:17-18). Who can care for you more than God? The mighty hand of God is the only place of true refuge to find peace and comfort. The blessing that God promises in our submission to Him is exaltation. God exalts those who submit to Him. With His protection and mighty hand, who can stand before us? "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Hebrews 13:5-6). Jehovah cares for me in such a manner that fear has no place in my life. "The Lord is my helper" is where I find the peace and comfort to endure the trials of life. God cares for me! He wants me to cast my cares upon Him! He is greater than any thing man can imagine. He will never leave us. He will never grow weary of our seeking Him. He will never fail to provide our needs. He will always be ready to lift us up from the trials and toils of life (2 Corinthians 4:9; 7:6). Jesus shows the manner of our finding this peace in Matthew 11:28-30: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Remember - when the outlook is dark, the uplook is always bright. God cares for you. Kent Heaton 207 NE Fourth Avenue Trenton, Florida 32693 352-463-6916 kerux@svic.net www.svic.net/kerux -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041019/f79a7863/attachment.htm From dmartin5 at concentric.net Tue Oct 19 10:40:01 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Tue Oct 19 14:00:31 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Honesty in debating Message-ID: <001a01c4b5f1$e5f98fa0$a8306a43@concentric.net> Don Martin to the list: Those of you who follow my Internet work know that I conduct many written debates on a range of topics each year. For the most part, I actually enjoy this work because I believe it affords the readers an opportunity to compare teaching and doctrine. One thing that does really irritate (mildly stated) me is the matter of dishonesty. I debate some who are honest and do not try to come back later and claim, "I never said black was black, Don Martin just hates me!" They state their beliefs, defend them, and later continue to say the same thing, these honest disputants do. I just recently (two weeks ago, before my Joe Price exchange on multiple causes for divorce and the innocent put away later putting away....) had a debate with one of the highest ranking Freemasons that I had ever debated. This disputant utterly shamed himself and showed himself to be dishonest over and over again. I shall end this post by inserting a small section of the exchange, omitting his actual name (he is a member of the church of Christ). Eric has gone on record as saying that Albert Pike never used "religion" in the sense of worship to God. Eric has also said: ...There is NO spiritual side to Freemasonry nor is their spiritual symbolism. Don comments: I anticipate that Eric has his own idea of what "spiritual" is. To think and even advocate that Freemasonry does not purport to sublimate man spiritually is to show total ignorance of Freemasonry. God, man's spirituality, and preparing man for heaven are all intricate components comprising Freemasonry. "Masonry, around whose altars the Christian, the Hebrew, the Moslem, the Brahmin, the followers of Confucius and Zoroaster, can assemble as brethren and unite in prayer to the one God who is above all the Baalim...," wrote Pike (Morals and Dogma, pg. 226). Freemasonry is an amalgamated religion, but for sure, a religion. Pike thus defines Freemasonry and I submit that if you remove religion from Pike's definition, you would utterly deflate Masonry: "Freemasonry is the subjugation of the Human that is in man by the Divine; the Conquest of the Appetites and Passions by the Moral Sense and the Reason; a continual effort, struggle, and warfare of the Spiritual against the Material and Sensual" (Morals and Dogma, pg. 854). Notwithstanding the straightforward definition of Masonry, Eric is driven to contend: "There is NO spiritual side to Freemasonry nor is their spiritual symbolism." Mason Pike writes about the victory offered by Masonry and says (notice the "spiritual"): "To achieve it, the Mason must first attain a solid conviction, founded upon reason, that he hath within him a spiritual nature, a soul that is not to die when the body is dissolved, but to continue to exist and to advance toward perfection through all ages of eternity" (Morals and Dogma, pg. 855). Pike continues to mention over and over the matter of the "spiritual" associated with Freemasonry: "Every Degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, from the first to the thirty-second, teaches by its ceremonial as well as by its instruction, that the noblest purpose of life and the highest duty of a man are to strive incessantly and vigorously to win the mastery of everything, of that which in him is spiritual and divine, over that which is material and sensual...(Morals and Dogma, pg. 855). Notwithstanding, Eric says, "There is NO spiritual side to Freemasonry nor is their spiritual symbolism." Freemasonry is a system that is set forth by symbols; partly to hide the meaning of Masonry (Morals and Dogma, pp. 250, 251, 148). In my next post, I want to notice some of the symbols regarding which Eric says there is no spiritual side or spiritual symbolism. Don Martin to Eric and the list: Eric has adamantly denied everything that I have presented relative to Freemasonry. Eric has now gone so far as to say: "There is NO spiritual side to Freemasonry nor is their spiritual symbolism." Don comments: As we have seen, speculative Masonry is basically a system of symbols that were originally designed to prevent non-Masons from understanding what Masonry is (why the secrecy?) (See Morals and Dogma, pg. 148). When one understands the symbolism of Masonry, one then understands the essential nature of this belief system. I am sure, based on past experience with Eric, that he will deny everything that I say. Nonetheless, what I am about to say is true. (I have had a few Masons to tell me that it would not matter what I said and how true it was, Masons are totally committed at any cost to defending Masonry.) I shall only commit on a couple of Masonic symbols and then I may consider closing my part in this exchange. I have shared the following quote with you, "Masonry is a worship..." (Morals and Dogma, pg. 526). Eric has said that I have taken Mason Pike's statement totally out of context and that Pike had no spiritual meaning attached to his statement or worship of God. Beginning on page 531, Pike presents questions and answers pertaining to Freemasonry (five pages subsequent to Pike's statement that, "Masonry is a worship"). I shall insert some questions and answers and allow you to determine what Pike means when he says Masonry is a religion and engages in worship. Keep is mind Eric's bold statement, "There is NO spiritual side to Freemasonry nor is their spiritual symbolism." "Question, What are the symbols of the purification necessary to make us perfect Masons?" "Answer, Lavation with pure water, or baptism; because to cleanse the body is emblematic of purifying the soul; and because it conduces to the bodily health, and virtue is the health of the soul, as sin and vice are its malady and sickness; - unction, or anointing with oil; because thereby we are set apart and dedicated to service and priesthood of the Beautiful, the True, and the Good; - and robes of white, emblems of candor, purity, and truth" (Morals and Dogma, pp. 538, 539). "Question, What is the symbol of the Triple Covenant?" "Answer, The Triple Triangle." "Question, "Of what else is it the symbol to us?" "Answer, Of the Trinity of Attributes of the Deity; and of the triple essence of Man, the Principle of Life, the Intellectual Power, and the Soul or Immortal Emanation from the Deity." "Question, What is the first great Truth of the Sacred Mysteries?" "Answer, No man hath seen God at any time. he is One, Eternal, All-Powerful, All-Wise, Infinitely Just, Merciful, Benevolent, and Compassionate, Creator and Preserver of all things, the Source of Light and Life, coextensive with Time and Space; Who thought, and with the Thought created the universe and all living things, and the souls of men: That Is: - the Permanent; while everything beside is a perpetual genesis" (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma, pg. 533). Even in the face of the plainness and lucidity of Mason Pike's statements, Eric has affirmed, "There is NO spiritual side to Freemasonry nor is their spiritual symbolism." Why has Eric so misrepresented Freemasonry, you ask. I cannot look into Eric's heart; therefore, I do not know the answer. I only know that Eric has misrepresented Masonry. Eric certainly is not ignorant of Freemasonry. I say this because Eric is a 32nd Degree Mason, a Knight Templar, an Actual Past Master, a Member of the Philalethes Society (The Only International Research Organization of Freemasonry) and a grand officer of the Grand Lodge of Indiana F. & A. M. Cordially, Don Martin dmartin5@concentric.net Check out our Web sites: http://www.bibletruths.net Ask a question 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 dmartin5 at concentric.net Tue Oct 19 12:07:39 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Tue Oct 19 14:00:32 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Online study courses Message-ID: <007101c4b5fe$241827e0$a8306a43@concentric.net> Don Martin to the list: One feature of www.bibletruths.net that has really been used are the online courses. The Online Bible Study Course has resulted in a number of baptisms and churches being started and the Online Greek Course has been extensively used. "Judy" just finished the Online Greek Course and did a wonderful job. One student currently taking the Greek course is Greek. He is doing exceptionally well with the course. I always ask a few questions of the student upon completion of the course and here is Judy's reply: Hello Judy: May I ask you a few questions that may serve to help us improve the course? 1. How would your rate the course as far as difficulty is concerned, easy, medium, or difficult? Answers: From my perspective of having no prior knowledge of Greek, I consider the course to be very challenging, to say the least. My rating would be difficult. 2. How much of a basic knowledge of biblical Greek do you believe you have acquired by taking the course and do you plan on continue to study the course, especially in your memory work? Answer: I believe I have acquired a strong base to work from, and yes I plan to continue to study. 3. Has the course produced a greater understanding potential and appreciation for the language of the Holy Spirit and the precise ways in which truths have been articulated to man? Answer: I have appreciation for the precise construction of the Konine Greek and its ability to be clear and concise in language structure. 4. Do you believe you have secured a greater ability to use reference works because you have taken the course? Answer: Absolutely, and a desire to acquire a larger library of reference works to assist in continual study. I appreciate very much the opportunity to have participated in online study in both courses you offer. I expect to continue study and I will be asking questions from you from time to time. Thank you for your encouragement. Judy If you desire to check out the courses, click on www.bibletruths.net and enter through the door on the home page. When on the Site Map page, click on the courses in the table. If you are attempting to study with a non-Christian, you might find the Online Bible Study Course of great help. The twenty answers for each lesson are sent to me, I grade them, and return the score along with any needed comments within a short time (all by electronic mail). Cordially, Don Martin dmartin5@concentric.net Check out our Web sites: http://www.bibletruths.net Ask a question 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 stonestreet at cox-internet.com Tue Oct 19 13:12:44 2004 From: stonestreet at cox-internet.com (Dennis Tucker) Date: Tue Oct 19 14:00:33 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] H: On Preachers Message-ID: <020e01c4b607$3b4488b0$9fba4c42@k9l5c2> Dennis here humbly asking for help. I recall reading a humorous article a few years ago describing the "ideal preacher." This man was supposed on having about 30 years of experience in preaching while being about 25 years old, be both in the office all the time and always be visiting, etc. If anyone would have a copy of it they can email me, please do. Thanks "We must learn from the mistakes of others for we do not have enough time to make all of them ourselves"--Mark Twain -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041019/4e46c239/attachment.htm From jssmith at electronicgospel.org Tue Oct 19 12:41:59 2004 From: jssmith at electronicgospel.org (Jeff Smith) Date: Tue Oct 19 21:01:15 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] REQ>Material on racism Message-ID: <2D704BCD-21F6-11D9-BDC0-000A95DBC234@electronicgospel.org> Please share with me some articles or sermons on the subject of racism. JEFF S. SMITH Evangelist, Woodmont church of Christ Fort Worth, Texas http://www.electronicgospel.org Free subscription to Woodmont E-Beacon: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ElectronicGospel/join John 14:6 ~ Romans 16:16 -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 354 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041019/0ea3657f/attachment-0001.bin From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Oct 19 15:26:51 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Tue Oct 19 21:01:16 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) COMMON QUESTIONS/STATEMENTS... Message-ID: <145.36410c2e.2ea6d28b@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Tuesday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with an edifying day. Here is an article that recently came my way: COMMON QUESTIONS/STATEMENTS NEEDING READY SCRIPTURAL ANSWERS: Note: In our last issue we mentioned that we had given a 7th - 9th grade class several questions and statements that we hear from time to time. While the answers are brief, and other related quest- ions usually arise, at least the answers provide a starting place. Keep in mind that Peter said we are to be "ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear" (1 Pet. 3:15). In the last issue we answered four commonly raised quest- ions. So, we will begin with the 5th question at this time. V. Question: How do you know that other world religions are wrong, such as Islam, Hinduism, etc.? A. Answer: If the Bible is true, all religions other than New Testament Christianity are excluded. This can be proved from the following: 1. Jehovah God (the God of the Bible) claims He is the only God, and that there are no others (Deut. 6:4). a. If He is right, Allah (of the Moslems), or any other god is ex- cluded. If He is not right, then He is a liar and not worthy to be believed on anything. VI. Jesus Christ claimed He was/is God's Son and the only way to the Father in heaven (Jno. 14:6). A. If He is right, that excludes every other so called "found- er" of any other religion, or any other "mediator" between people and the "god" of that religion. B. If He were wrong, He is unworthy of any attention paid to His words, worship, etc. VII. There are only three positions one can take regarding Jesus: He is either... A. A Liar: He would be this if He were not God's Son, because He claimed to be Deity (Jno. 10:30; 14:8,9), equal with God. 1. If He knew He were not, but said it anyway, He would be a liar and not worthy to be believed or followed. B. A Lunatic: In other words, He was crazy, and said things about Himself that were not true, but couldn't help Himself. 1. If that is true, He is still not worthy to be believed or followed. C. Or the Christ, the Son of God!: If He really was born of a virgin, performed miracles as the Bible claims, was crucified and raised from the dead, then He is everything He claimed, worthy of our worship, and worthy to be followed in every de- tail. 1. If what He said is true, then He will be our Judge and His Word (the gospel, New Testament) the standard by which we will be judged for all eternity (Jno. 12:48; Rom. 2:16). We better be right on this! 2. Eternal misery in a devil's hell awaits those who reject Him. 3. The beauty and bliss of eternal peace with God in heaven awaits those who accept Him and His Word. VIII. The Gospel (New Testament) claims it is from God, and that nothing else is from God (Gal. 1:7-9). A. It claims it is all-sufficient for our every spiritual need (2 Tim. 3:16,17). 1. Therefore, if it is right, then any other "message" from any other "bible" is excluded. They are really not from God if the New Testament is right. a. No so-called inspired writings of men or women are true. No revelation has come from God to man since the close of the New Testament in the first century. B. Summarized: 1. If the God of the Bible is true: then all other gods (of Islam, of Mormons, etc.) are actually non-existent. 2. If Jesus Christ is who He claims: then He is the only Media- tor between us and God, and all other so-called "Messiahs" are false. a. Even so-call priests are not in a position to entervene to God on our behalf, and thereby state to us that our sins are for- given. 3. If the gospel (New Testament) is true: then all other relig- ious "bibles" (Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, the Koran, etc. , are false, they did not come from God! IX. Question: An organ or piano only helps singing. They are only aids. After all, if harps are in heaven (Rev. 5:8), why can't they be used in worship in the church? Answer: A. The real issue is "how do we establish Bible authority?" 1. We need to understand it comes by three ways: a. Direct statement or command. b. Apostolic example. c. Necessary inference. B. The New Testament teaches we are to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). 1. This is a direct command or statement from God! 2. Singing is also a specific kind of music (mechanical instrument music is a different kind). 3. Whenever God commands a specific type of something to be done, that eliminates every other kind. (A specific kind of wood was to be used in building the ark, Gopher wood. If Noah had used any other type of wood, he would have been disobeying God). a. So, when God tells us to SING in worship to Him that elimina- tes all other types of music to be used in church assemblies. C. Relative to Revelation 5:8, this is not literal: Note 5:6. Most of the book is highly symbolic 1:1. In heaven, one is neither married nor given in marriage. Does that mean that we are to be unmarried or even to think of being given in marriage upon the earth? If we won't accept that, then why do we want to accept the idea of having mechanical instruments of music in our worship of God on earth just because it is mentioned as being in heaven? 1. However, even if it were true, it would teach us that everyone should play, and the only thing that could be played would be a harp. Pianos, organs, and other instruments could not be used because such would be unautorized by God. 2. The same passage, Rev. 5:8, would also authorize burning of incense in the worship services. Most who accept mechanical instruments of music in the worship, deny that incense should be burned. D. Singing involves "teaching and admonishing" as well as "speaking to one another" (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). 1. No speaking, teaching, or admonition comes from the tones of of pipe organs, pianos, or any other type of mechanical instru- ment, regardless of how "majestic" and "grand" the sounds might be! 2. Therefore, they cannot accomplish what the Bible requires, actually in many cases "drown out" the words being said by the singers. Therefore, the very thing God wants done is short-circuited by mechanical instruments of music! X. Question: Do you think that you and your church are the only ones who will be saved? Answer: A. First, what I think or do not think really doesn't matter. What God says does matter! God has said tht only those who obey the gospel of Christ will be saved (Heb. 5:8,9; 2 Thes. 1:7-9). 1. Obedience to the gospel involves hearing the gospel (Rom. 10: 17) which produces faith (Mk. 16:16) repenting of one's sins (Lk. 24:47; Acts 2:38), and being baptized (immersed) in water for the forgiveness of sins (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2;38,41,47). 2. Most denominational churches do not teach this. If any church does not teach what the Scriptures cited teach, then members of that particular church have not been saved, though they may belive they are. B. The church is the body of the saved. All saved persons make up the body, the church of the Lord: (Acts 2;47; Eph. 5;23). C. The saved are in the church and no saved are out of the church of the Lord. 1. The church is therefore the body of penitent, baptized believ- ers (Acts 2:36-38,47). 2. While the church does not save, the saved compose the church. D. The same thing that one does to be saved adds him to the church of the Lord (Acts 2:36-38,41,47). 1. When one is baptized, he has been saved by the blood of Christ (Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4). 2. Since the church of the Lord is simply the spiritual body of Christ, made up of saved people, then the same thing that one does to be saved adds him to the Lord's church. 3. The Lord does the adding, not men. Acts 2:47. E. We can't continually worship and work in unauthorized ways and be in the right relationship with God (2 Jno. 9). 1. If one "hath not God" when he engages in unauthorized religious practices (2 Jno. 9; Matt. 7:21-23), certainly such a person can not please God. 2. Many churches do not even seek Bible authority and approval for what they do. 3. Many churches engage in practically every social and recreat- ional activity one might think up which have no Bible authority. 4. We should be concerned over what is not authorized for the church to practice, and be members of the Lord's church that is concerned with Bible authority for all it does (Col. 3:17). F. Not everyone in local churches will be saved: but it is im- possible to be out of the Lord's body (that which He will save and purchased with His own blood) (Eph. 5:22,23; Acts 20:28) and still be saved. G. The church of which I am a member does not consider itself a denomination (something larger than a local church, but smaller than what would include all the saved) but strives to duplicate New Testament Christianity in teaching, practice, worship, organization, and work. XI. Question: If you have Bible authority for a water fountain and bathroom, which the Bible does't mention, why can't you have a kitchen and dining area? Answer: A. The Bible does not have to specifically mention something for it to be authorized. 1. Many things help or aid carrying out a command, but are not specifically mentioned (such as song books to aid singing, communion cups to hold the fruit of the vine, etc.). 2. However, when those things are used, the only thing done is what the Lord commanded, and in those cases mentioned, singing and eating the Lord's supper. 3. This again goes back to the real issue of how one establishes Bible authority for what we do. 4. Remember, this is done by: Direct statement or command, Apostolic examples of the practice taking place and necessary inferences or conclusions. B. The Bible authorizes Christians to assemble (Heb. 10;24, 25; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:17-34). 1. Therefore, anything necessary to assembling is authorized (bathrooms, water fountains, seats, lights, air conditioning, heating, etc.). 2. Therefore, water fountains and bathrooms are helpful to acc- ommodate an "assembly" of saints for worship. They are therefore authorized. C. However, what command, necessary inference, or aposto- lic example -- something authorized -- does a kitchen and dining room carry out? D. In the cases I am aware of: kitchens in churches seldom are used for benevolent cases even among their own members, which, if there were any justification for them, it might be found there. 1. They are used primarily for social gatherings of members and outsiders as well as for purposes of entertainment. 2. There is not one command, apostolic example, or necessary inference for a work for the church to do that a kitchen helps in carrying it out. 3. The same principle applies to gymnasiums, fellowship halls, secular schools, and other social causes that some churches provide for. 4. While they may be for good causes, many things are good that not a part of the work of the church. --- Philip A. Owens in The Jackson Drive Admonisher, Vol. 6, No. 10. Oct. 2004. (adapted, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041019/2630dbf6/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Oct 19 15:26:57 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Tue Oct 19 21:01:17 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) OBADIAH, SERVANT OF JEHOVAH Message-ID: <197.31722836.2ea6d291@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study that rec- ently came my way. Use to the glory of God. OBADIAH, SERVANT OF JEHOVAH All the assets a nation has will not deliver it from the wrath of God. Edom was a pesky, arrogant little country. Her almost inacces- sible location, and the scarcity of water in the area gave her a degree of immunity from invasion. She was proud of her wisdom and her ability to afflict other without being afflicted. One of the great lessons from the prophets is that the nations of men pride themselves in their ability to stand and overcome all threats to their existence. "The heathen rage, and the peoples imagine a vain thing" (Psa. 1:2). But all the assets a nation can call upon will not save it from the wrath of God (Nahum 3:8-12). Obadiah: verses 1-4: -- God has called the nations together against Edom. In her heart Edom thinks she is beyond the reach of men and God, but even if she builds her nest like the eagle, even if she sets it among the stars, God will bring her down. Verses 5-9: The extent of Edom's destruction is breath-taking. Grape-gatherers in the vineyard would usually leave at least some grapes for gleaning. Thieves usually do not steal everything, but Edom is to be thoroughly despoiled, nothing left. One of her assets is her alliances with her friends. Her allian- ces will save her. God says, "Your allies have deceived you. Those who take your bread will escort you to their borders." All the strategy and wisdom of Edom's wisest will be thwarted. Again we see the sobering lesson that when a nation incurs the judgment of God, neither their money, nor the size of their country, nor the technology of their weapons, nor the power of their army will save it. Verses 10-14: God is very longsuffering, but there are limits to His patience when men continue to disobey Him, whether the world before the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, or the Amorites, whose iniquity in Abraham's day was not yet full (Gen. 15:16). Through Obadiah God pronounces Edom's doom because of her cruelty toward Judah. Enmity had existed between Edom and Israel since the days of Esau and Jacob. There was absolutely no feeling of brotherly love toward Jacob. Edom did not acknowledge Israel's relationship with God as His chosen people, but used every opportunity to oppose them and fervently wished for their destruction. Verses 15,16: If Obadiah is indeed early (845 B.C.), then he is the first of the written prophets to speak of the day of the Lord. In nearly every passage dealing with this day, there is both salva- tion and judgment. Therefore it would be erroneous to think of the day of the Lord as being exactly equivalent to judgment. There is more to the idea than merely judgment. Why call it "the day of the Lord"? It is because there have been many times in history when god has entered human affairs in a very tangible, obvious way. Men will ignore God, flaunt His will and dare Him to do any- thing. Each time a point is reached when God will no longer stand by, He enters human affairs, and there is a flood, or Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed, or the nations of Canaan are punished. But there are also people delivered (Noah and his family, Lot and his family, Rahab and her family). Obadiah makes it clear that the day of the Lord awaits, not only for Edom, but for all the nations. There have been many "days" of the Lord, but Obadiah says that "the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations" (vs. 15). The context of the remain- der of Obadiah makes it clear that this day of the Lord is in conn- ection with the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of His kingdom. At this point, it would help the student to have the mess- age of Psalm Two firmly in his mind as the background of this thought. When the kingdom of Christ was established, it was a kingdom that would never pass away (Dan. 2:44). But the judg- ment of God was leveled against all the nations because the Mess- ianic kingdom would "break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms" (Dan. 2:44). The judgment of God for the nations of men is oblivion. This oblivion does not all come on the same day, but the point is that when the Messianic kingdom was established God signaled that this would be the kingdom for the salvation of men. it would be the only kingdom with a future. At the same time, He sentenced all the nations to oblivion. In the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, when the stone struck the feet of the image he saw (Dan. 2), it broke in pieces, not only the part representing the Roman Empire, but also the parts representing the Grecian, Medo- Persian, and Babylonian empires that had existed before. Verses 17-21: When the day of the Lord comes upon the nations, there will be deliverance in Mount Zion. There are clear indications that this is spiritual Zion, spiritual Israel, a people com- posed of the holy of all the earth, whether Jew or Gentile, Israel- ite or Edomite. The constituency of Mount Zion would be holy (vs. 17; Joel 3:17; Isa. 4:3; Zech. 14:20,21). Note reunited Israel (vs. 18). Physical Israel was never reunited. Only spiritual Israel would be perfectly one. In contrast with the glorious future of Israel and Zion, Esau will be completely destroyed as if burned up in a fire (vs. 18). Israel will possess the mount of Esau, the lowland of the Philistines, the field of Ephraim, and the field of Samaria, and Benjamin will poss- ess Gilead (vs. 19). Although David writes of Edom as a nation destined for destruc- tion (Psa. 60,108) and Asaph describes Edom as among the nations that make a covenant against God (Psa. 83), Obadiah is the first written prophet to use Edom as a symbol of unregenerate mankind. It is so used in Amos 9:11-15 (see James' application of this passage in Acts 15:12-18), Isa. 34, and Ezk. 35. The captivity of Israel will be reversed, and they will be gather- ed from among the Canaanites and other places, and they will pos- sess the area to the north and to the south (Negev). Saviors will come on Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esau, and kingdom shall be Jehovah's. Who these "saviors" are uncertain, but the application of the context is to the Messianic kingdom, and to the salvation for the holy ones and to the condemnation of the unregenerate. ------- Bob Waldron in Biblical Insights, Vol. 4, No. 9, Sept. 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041019/62fa8aca/attachment.htm From dmartin5 at concentric.net Tue Oct 19 21:04:32 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Tue Oct 19 21:01:18 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Question/answer (Premillennialism) Message-ID: <005d01c4b649$24760a40$be306a43@concentric.net> Hello Richard, Thank you so much for your question and for making use of Bible Questions. Please do so again. http://www.biblequestions.org Please check out Bible Truths http://www.bibletruths.net Go to the archives section of these sites for material and also go to the archives search page and type in any subject or word you wish to explore. New material is constantly being added to both sites. Any help you can give us in telling others of these sites will be greatly appreciated. If you are interested in really learning more about the Bible, there is an online Bible study course located in Bible Truths. While on the home page, scroll down and enter. While on the Map Site Page, click on "Online Bible Study Course" in the table. Click on http://www.bibletruths.net to go there. You asked: I hear that Jeconias is a greek rendering of Jehoiakim. I read of this King in the Old Testament in Jeramiah 22:30, and 36:30 and it says that he shall have no descendants to sit on the throne of David. If he is one of the people in the Lineage of Jesus on Joseph's side how can Jesus be the Messiah and rule on the throne of David? Reply: You are precisely correct regarding Jesus being of the descent of Corniah and, as such, not being able to physically reign on earth. The doctrine of Premillennialism has ignored this biblical fact. I shall insert below an excerpt from, "The High Priesthood of Jesus" found in www.bibletruths.net To read it in full, enter through the door on the home page and click on "Archives and Index," then click on the letter "P" on the Archives page. There is also a section on Premillennialism. When on the Archives page, click on "Premillennialism" in the Subject Index. "...Jesus was to be both King and High Priest and appreciate that this Kingship and High Priesthood was to be concurrently experienced, just as in the case of Melchisedec (Gen. 14: 18). In other words, if Jesus is now High Priest, he is also NOW King. I stress this point in view of many premillennial teachings that advocate Jesus is presently Priest, but not presently King. "Jesus' kingly reign does not begin until he returns to earth," say they, "at that time, he will occupy David's throne in Jerusalem." They want Jesus to be High Priest but they want to defer his Kingship so that they can have an earthly King. Premillennialism with its attendant later reign of Jesus as King not only denies the High Priesthood of Jesus after the order of Melchisedec but it also denies plain prophecy. Consider the prophecy of Jeremiah regarding any reigning of David's throne after Coniah: "28: Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not? 29: O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD. 30: Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah" (Jere. 22). To insist on Jesus returning to earth and physically reigning on David's throne is to have a man reigning in Judah after Coniah. Jeremiah said it would not be and history verifies this fact. Yet, Premillennialism says Jesus shall reign in Judah following Coniah. This is but one problem with the physical reign of Jesus as taught by Premillennialists (see addendum)....." Thanks again for your good question and for your interest in spiritual matters. I recommend that you print out this email for future reference (web addresses, etc.). You may print out any material you desire in both Bible Questions and Bible Truths (see the copyright provision at the bottom of the home page in Bible Truths). Cordially, Don Martin From jcritch at jlef.com Wed Oct 20 00:43:26 2004 From: jcritch at jlef.com (Jack Critchfield Sr) Date: Wed Oct 20 01:13:44 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] RE: Changes to the Methodist Discipline Message-ID: <003f01c4b667$ba031f30$617c5142@jackgwej0o37up> To all those who have responded to my request for information, I sincerely appreciate it. I will not lose it again (I hope). Thank you so very much. Jack Critchfield, preacher North Salinas church of Christ http://northsalinaschurchofchrist.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041019/182344b5/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Oct 20 06:33:42 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Wed Oct 20 17:40:07 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) REJECTION OF THE WORLD Message-ID: <102.52382cdb.2ea7a716@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Wednesday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with a most rewarding day. Here is an article that recently came my way: REJECTION OF THE WORLD Many times Jesus exhorted His followers to reject the world in which they lived. "And He said unto all, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Lk. 9:23). The way to heaven is through the cross; the way of the cross is the way of death. When we take up our cross, we are saying that we are dead to the world with its temptations, setbacks, disappointments, and problems. Do these things befall us? Yes, but when our concentration is focused on Christ, then our greater desire to to die to those things that can defeat us spiritually. And we must die daily to self, this is perhaps the greatest challenge of all. We are not surprised when Jesus tells us that the values of this world are secondary. His Sermon on the Mount extols the virtue of and need for heavenly, spiritual values. Those are the treasures that cannot be taken from us (Matt. 6:20ff). In Jesus' teaching about the kingdom, He said, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls: and having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it." No labor was too great, no price was too large to pay, in order to acquire the treasure the merchant found. Disciples of the kingdom seek to understand and do what Jesus said (Matt. 13:45). Do we sometimes grow discouraged? Are we tempted to embrace the wrong kind of treasure? Are our attachments to this world sometimes too strong? Yes! But Jesus says: "Seek ye first His kingdom." New Testament teaching about this world and the tension be- tween the now and the not yet echoes our Lord's teaching. In Rom. 8, the entire creation is personified as it cries out for deliver- ance. Because of sin it is as if the entire earth longs for deliver- ance. Ultimately, Paul says that Christians, children of God, will be delivered from this world. And it is the constant pressure of this world that sets upon us, causing us to disdain the things that will defeat us spiritually. Yes, it is the rejection of this world that keeps our focus on the things of Christ. The victims of unjust persecution cried for deliverance. "And they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Master, the holy and true, does thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" (Rev. 6:10). Had the Lord forgotten about these godly saints who were undergoing a severe trial of faith? No! They and their cause were ultimately vindicated. But it is the tension between this world and the world to come that caused them to eagerly anticipate the time when the Lord would make all things right. We are separate from this world. Yet, we remain in this world. But let us not make friends with this world. Life is a great bless- ing; let us use it to honor the Lord. But let us never become too comfortable in a world that will finally pass away. --- Randy Harsh- barger via. Gospel Power, Vol. 11, No. 40, Oct. 10, 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041020/86a635f3/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Oct 20 06:33:44 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Wed Oct 20 17:40:08 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) WHEN LIFE HURTS Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a lesson from my ancient files. Use to the glory of God. WHEN LIFE HURTS Introduction: Lk. 10:38-42. When we are troubled about many things, what should we do? I. We are not unique in the matter of troubles: -- Job 14:1; 2 Thes. 1:6-8; 2 Cor. 4:8-18; 11:23-33. II. When you don't know why, remember what you do know. A. You are made in the image of God: -- Gen. 1:27. B. Habakkuk: -- We walk by faith -- "The Lord is in His Holy Temple." C, Ecclesiastes: -- God makes all things beautiful in His own time. D. Romans 5:3-6. E. Troubles provide a time to put our convictions to the test. 1. Peter said "I will never forsake Thee." F. Jeremiah 10:23: -- Reminds us that we need help in this life. G. We have to help ourselves -- Phil. 3. "I can do all things through Him that strengthenth me." Paul and Silas prayed and sang when they were in jail and needed help. III. Whence cometh my help? A. People look in the wrong places for their help: -- Heb. 13:6; 2 Cor. 1:4; Psa. 31:14-16; 1 Pet. 3:12-16; Psa. 30:10; 33:20; 46:1; 121:1. IV. What should we do with our cares? A. 1 Pet. 5:6-11: -- Songs of the Church - 665; 329. B. Gird up the loins of your mind: -- Rom. 8:18, 37-39. ------------ Adapted from a lesson by Connie Adams. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041020/42c6f2b4/attachment.htm From DavidRiggs01 at comcast.net Wed Oct 20 20:22:04 2004 From: DavidRiggs01 at comcast.net (David Riggs) Date: Wed Oct 20 17:40:10 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Request Message-ID: <41770F3C.1060400@comcast.net> Request, If anyone has a sermon on the patriarch Abraham, please post it to Bible Matters. Thanks, David Riggs From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Oct 21 07:21:03 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Thu Oct 21 08:20:15 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) COMMON QUESTIONS/STATEMENTS... Message-ID: <62.46f16beb.2ea903af@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Thursday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with a fruitful and enjoyable day. Here is the first set of questions in this series. The second set was posted a couple of days ago. Note: -- A few weeks ago I gave the 7th - 9th grade class here at Jackson Drive the following questions. These are common questions and statements that they and many others hear from time to time. While the answers are brief, and other related quest- ions usually follow, at least the answers provide a starting place. Keep in mind that Peter said that we are to be "ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concern- ing the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear" (1 Pet. 3:15). ----- Philip A. Owens. I. How Do You Know The Bible Is From God? A. The Bible Claims It Is From God. 1. Hundreds of times phrases such as, "the word of the Lord came unto me, saying..." Not every book makes that claim. 2. The few books that do can be tested whether they are from God or not (2 Tim. 3:16,17; 2 Pet. 1:21; Gal. 1:7-0). B. The Bible's "inspiration" can be proved by the fact that... 1. Hundreds of prophecies have been fulfilled (note Deut. 18:21, 22 for tests of false prophets). 2. There is a central theme and unity of the Bible -- Jesus Christ - and that could not be achieved in any way except it be from God. a. Forty writers separated by three continents and over a period of 1600 years, some never knowing other writers, and to have no contradictions, argue that it did not originate with man! b. Men alone could not write the Bible if they wanted to, and would not write it if they could. II. One Tells You, "I'm Saved Because I Feel Like It." How Would You Answer? A. One's feelings have never been proof of one's salvation (Prov. 14:;12; 16:25). B. Examples of those who "felt" they were doing right, but were actually doing wrong prove that feelings are not evi- dence of salvation (Acts 23:1; 1 Tim. 1:15). C. Feelings are based on one's belief. 1. If one believes error, he can still "feel" like he is right, though he is not. D. Jacob's feelings prove this to be the case. 1. Read the following: (Gen. 37:29; 45:21-28). E. This idea would make one's thoughts and feelings take precedence over God's word! III. "I Believe Worship Is Right, And There Is No Wrong Way To Do It." A. This denies a Bible principle from the beginning of time, that is that God has demanded that people respect His Word, especially in regard to worship (examples: Gen. 4; Lev. 10:1-3; 2 Chron. 26; 16ff; 1 Cor. 11:34; 16:1). B. Jesus and the apostles taught that there right and wrong ways of worshipping (Matt. 15:7-9 "vain" Col. 2:20-23; 1 Cor. 11:17-34). C. The apostles gave a Divine "order" for worship (1 Cor. 11: 34; 16:1). 1. This is revealed in all they taught relative to this matter. IV. "All You Have To Do Is Believe On Jesus To Be Saved. After All, That's What Paul Said In Acts 16:30,31." A. The whole plan of salvation is not found in just one verse. 1. If so, one could also argue that all one had to do to be saved was to be baptized (1 Pet. 3:21), since that passage only mentions baptism; or all one had to do to be saved was to repent (Lk. 13:3), since that passage mentioned nothing else. B. Accounts of the commission that Jesus taught the apost- les to preach in order for people to be saved included faith repentance, and baptism (Matt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15,16; Lk. 24:46,47). C. Alien sinners were told to believe the gospel, repent of their sins, and be baptized for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:36-38). D. Even in Acts 16:30-33, repentance was seen in the fact that the jailor washed Paul and Silas' stripes, and he was also baptized. E. What the apostles told sinners to do depended on where sinners were in their understanding. Simply put, the apos- tles' preaching began where the understanding of sinners ended. 1. For example, in Acts 2:36-38, Peter told believers (36) who asked what to do to be saved (37) to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sin (38). 2. Since they already beleived when they asked what to do, Peter didn't have to tell them, 'You need to believe', they already believed. 3. But they needed to repent and be baptized, and that is exactly what Peter told them to do, and that is what sinners who believe today need to be told. 4. Saul of Tarsus asked the same question (Acts 22:10). a. Jesus had just revealed Himself to Saul (later named Paul) on the road to Damascus, therefore Saul was able to believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the risen Messiah of Old Testa- ment expectation. b. In other words, on the road to Damascus, Saul came to be- lieve on Jesus as God's Son. c. His repentance is seen in the fact that after arriving in Damas- cus, he prayed and fasted for three days (Acts 9:9). d. The evangelist Ananias came to Saul, told him why the Lord had appeared to him (to qualify him to be an apostle by allow- ing him to see the risen Christ), then told him to arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). e. Why didn't he tell him to believe? He had already believed. Why did he not tell Saul to repent? He had already repented. Evidenced by his praying and fasting for three days. What did he lack? He was told to arise and be baptized. 5. The Philippian jailer, who knew nothing of Jesus but whose conscious was stricken by the behavior of imprisoned preach- ers and a miracle, asked what to do to be saved (Acts 16:30). a. Paul told him to "believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31). b. That was not all that was said though. "They spake the Word of the Lord unto him" (Acts 16:32) in order for him to believe, since faith comes by hearing the Word (Rom. 10: 17). c. After he washed the stripes of Paul and Silas, evidencing the fact that he repented (Acts 16:33), the record states that he then was baptized. 6. Therefore, every sinner did the same thing to be saved -- he believed the gospel, repented of his sins, and was baptized for the remission of his sins. a. However, the record in Acts states what inspired men told to do based on the sinners' understanding and obedience. b. To the Philippian jailer who knew nothing of Jesus, Paul told him to believe (Acts 16:31). c. To those who believed in Acts 2, they were told to repent and be baptized. d. To Saul of Tarsus who already believed and had repented, Ananias told him to arise and be baptized (Acts 22:16). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041021/5163df81/attachment-0001.htm From jwquinn at sbcglobal.net Wed Oct 20 20:51:02 2004 From: jwquinn at sbcglobal.net (Jon W. Quinn) Date: Thu Oct 21 08:20:44 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S> Abraham and Isaac Message-ID: Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 16, 17, 21, 22) When Abraham was 75 years old, he left the city of Haran and traveled to the land of Canaan (GEN. 12:4-7). While in Canaan, God promised Abraham that his descendents would inherit the land. Although he believed God, Abraham did not understand how the promise would be fulfilled. He considered a servant named Eliezer as the heir of his house (GEN. 15:2), possibly because he did not expect to father a child since Sarah was barren (GEN. 11:30). Later, God told Abraham that he would have a child, and repeated the land promise (GEN. 15:1-7). I. Isaac, Son Of Promise A. Abraham was not told at first that his future heir would be a child from Sarah. 1. Upon the insistence of Sarah, Abraham attempted to father a child with Hagar, the Egyptian handmaid (16:1-2). 2. When Hagar conceived, Sarah despised her (16:4), complained to Abraham, and eventually received permission to deal with Hagar as she saw fit. 3. Sarah treated her so harshly that Hagar fled (16:6). 4. An angel of the Lord found Hagar in the wilderness and instructed her to return (16:10-12). 5. The angel promised to multiply the descendents of her son, whose name would be "Ishmael" (God hears). 6. Hagar bore Ishmael when Abraham was 86 years old (16:16). B. Thirteen years later, God established the covenant with Abraham (17:7-10). The sign of the covenant was circumcision. C. God changed Abram's name to Abraham (Father of a multitude) and Sarai's name to Sarah (Princess) (17:5, 15). D. God revealed that Sarah would be given a son, Isaac (he laughs), as the son of promise (17:15-21). 1. After God spoke to him (Gen. 12:1-3), Abraham still thought that his heir would be Eliezer. Later, he was sure that his heir would be Ishmael (GEN. 17:17, 18). One thing this teaches us is to always trust in God & His promises, even when it appears to us the promise unlikely to be fulfilled. 2. God repeated the name of Isaac to Abraham, and later to Sarah. 3. Because both were advanced in years, Abraham and Sarah laughed to themselves (17:17; 18:12). E. Principles: 1. God tells us that He will do many things, but does not always tell us how (ISA 55:8-11). For this reason, it is best to make our requests to Him accordingly (1 SAM 3:18; JAMES 4:15). 2. God fulfills promises in ways we cannot always predict (GEN 18:12-14). 3. Abraham had strong faith, but even then it took a while for Him to build up confidence in this particular promise. (GEN. 17:17). All need to grow in faith, even the strongest II. Abraham Sacrifice Of Isaac (Gen. 21, 22) A. When Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him on the 8th day as God had commanded (21:1-5). B. He was told by Sarah and later by God to drive out Hagar and Ishmael (21:10-13). C. God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son. (GEN 22:1,2) 1. Abraham gathered wood and fire, then traveled 3 days to Mt. Moriah (22:3-5). 2. He had Isaac carry the wood, while he carried the fire and the knife up the mountain. 3. As they walked, Isaac asked, "Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" Abraham replied, "God will provide" (22:6-8). 4. Abraham bound Isaac, laid him on the altar, and drew the knife. 5. He intended to kill his son, knowing that God could raise him from the dead (HEB. 11:17-19). 6. An angel of the Lord stopped the sacrifice; Abraham?s faith had been proven (GEN 22:12). D. Principles: 1. Man can trust in God's providence without knowing His methods. ?God will provide? whatever is necessary, whatever it takes, but we must respond by faith (EPH 2:8-10; PHIL 2:12,13; 1 COR 3:21-23) 2. We must be willing to give everything to God (PHIL 3:7,8; MATT 10:38,39;DAN 3:16-18). . III. Paul's Allegory (Gal. 4:21-31) A. Paul contrasted Hagar and Ishmael with Sarah and Isaac. 1. The son born to the bondwoman was according to the flesh, relating Hagar to Mt. Sinai. 2. The son of the free woman was according to promise, relating Sarah to Jerusalem. B. As he contrasted these two families, Paul addressed a principle stated in Gal. 5:1, i.e. if we are free in Christ, we should not again submit to the yoke of slavery. If we submit to the Law, we have fallen from grace (GAL 5:4). C. Principles 1. It is possible to fall from grace 2. The gospel frees us from the Old Law also from sin; vain philosophies of men. Should not return to slavery after being freed in Christ (GAL 5:13-15; ROM 6:12-14). Conclusion Men and women who have the faith Abraham had are amazingly free. Though such a one is a servant of God, such brings relief. Though some tasks may be difficult, they make us stronger. And all the while, through every day, there is confidence and peace in being ?friends of God?. INV. From ZekeFlores1 at cs.com Wed Oct 20 18:25:07 2004 From: ZekeFlores1 at cs.com (ZekeFlores1@cs.com) Date: Thu Oct 21 08:21:42 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S> Abraham Is Our Father Message-ID: <147.367cd8f7.2ea84dd3@cs.com> Here's a lesson reworked from one by Dennis Tucker. Zeke Flores Rio Grande Valley church of Christ Belen, NM ************************************************************************* " Abraham Is Our Father" (Thanks to Dennis Tucker - "Father Abraham") Intro Abraham is looked to as an icon of three world religions A. Islam 1. Mohammed taught that Ishmael was the son of promise B. Judaism 1. Jews still look to Abraham as proof of special relationship with God. a. John 8:39 C. Christianity 1. Abe is mentioned in all the gospels, Acts, Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter. 2. Plays a prominent role as to the faith & obedience required of Xians. a. Gal 3:6-9 D. Abraham was not without his flaws 1. Came from idol worshiping family 2. Used questionable judgement at times 3. Yet, used by God in an awesome way and now an example of faith for all to look to. I. Abraham believed God - Rom 4:3 A. NT makes much use of Abe's faith 1. Rom 4:1-8 derived from Gen 15:6 2. Rom 4:17-22 hearkens to Gen 17 3. James 2:21-24 springs from Gen 22:7-14 B. Result of Abe's faith 1. Righteousness - Rom 4:3 2. Upon what basis? a. Not by his own perfection - Rom 4:2 b. Not by his perfect works (nullifies grace) - Rom 4:4 c. Not by Moses' law- Was not yet in effect d. By FAITH - Rom 4:5 C. God took a man with serious flaws and used his faith to be the vehicle of His promise for all mankind. 1. God counting Ave as righteous is evidence that God kept His promise - Heb 6:13-18 2. What's it all mean for you & me? II. We are children by faith - Gal 3:23-29 A. Abe was promised many descendants 1. Not all of them are by physical reproduction! 2. Those who are of faith are Abe's descendants B. Like Abe, we too are justified by faith. 1. Key: Must be of the same faith as Abe a. Rom 4:9-12, 16 C. What are the steps of the faith of father Abe? 1. Obedience - Heb 11:8 2. Ongoing, continuous trust - Heb 11:9-10 3. Steadfast despite adversity - Heb 11:17-19 4. Relying on the power of God - Rom 4:17-22 5. Through these, Abraham is truly the "father of a multitude." III. Making the application - Rom 4:23-25 A. We can tap into the same power base as Abe did 1. In fact, we MUST if we expect to receive the same result B. For Abraham, living a life of faith was just that: a way of life 1. We've got to learn to incorporate faith into everyday life a. It's not a thing you can put on like a Sunday suit! b. One is either faithFUL or faithLESS C. Let us learn to: 1. Strengthen our grip - Fortify knowledge of God's word a. Rom 1:16-17, 2 Cor 4:3-4 2. Stabilize our stance - Rely on God's power a. Eph 6:10, Rom 8:28 3. Signal our alignment - You're in God's kingdom! a. 2 Cor 6:14-7:1, 1 Ptr 2:9-10 4. Straighten our swing - Live a life of faithful obedience a. 1 Ptr 2:11-12, 1 Ptr 1:14-17 Conc Abraham is our father - The Xian can say it loud & clear A. More importantly, we have God as our Father IF we have the faith of Abraham. B. Heb 10:35-39 C. INVITATION -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041020/7ccb6e92/attachment.htm From styvas at t-online.de Wed Oct 20 23:36:10 2004 From: styvas at t-online.de (Steve Wallace) Date: Thu Oct 21 08:24:04 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Abraham outline, LBarker References: <41770F3C.1060400@comcast.net> Message-ID: <003301c4b729$b5de3f80$0169fea9@stevewallace> ABRAHAM -- JUSTIFIED BY FAITH. INTRO: 1. Youngest son of Terah, born 1996 B.C., died at the the age of 175. 2. Pure descendent of Shem, the son of Noah. a. married his half sister, Sarah (Gen. 20:12). b. He chooses Rebekah for Isaac. She descended from both of his brothers, Nahor and Haran (Gen. 11:29; 22:22). 3. Mentioned 74 times in the New Testament -- more than any other Old Testament character. 4. Father of all Israel -- physical and spiritual (Gal. 3:7; Rom. 4:16) I. WEAKNESSES THAT MARRED: A. Great men sin and must be forgiven, if they are to be correct. B. Sacrificed Sarah to save himself. 1. Before Pharaoh in Egypt -- (Gen. 12:10-20). 2. Before Abimelech in Gerar -- (Gen. 20:1-18). 3. Sarah was beautiful -- so he said she was his sister to save himself. II. TREMENDOUS EXAMPLE OF FAITH: A. Left Ur of the Chaldees -- (Gen. 12:1-3). 1. Never doubted God's wisdom. a. Many doubt God now on baptism, the church, etc. b. To doubt is to exhalt oneself above God. 2. Difficult to leave home NEVER TO RETURN. a. They could have but chose not to -- (Heb. 11:8-19). b. We must return often. B. Believed the promise though naturally impossible. 1. Rom. 4:18-21 tells us he "against hope believed in hope." 2. How much more should we trust "difficult promises." C. Cast out Ishmael. 1. Sarah and God commanded it. (Gen. 21:10-12). 2. Great hurt to Abraham -- Ishmael was his son. 3. This is said to be an example of the first "Ladies' Aid Society." (I suppose where Sarah was trying to aid God in bringing about a son, JWS). 4. One may be successful in the wrong -- get results -- but be rejected in the end. D. Offered up Isaac. 1. God seemingly was never going to give the son, (of promise) and then by the time he is half grown, God makes this seem- ingly "contradictory" command -- (Gen. 22). 2. Sarah probably remembers when she caused Abraham to lose a son. 3. He arises early, cuts the wood for the fire, takes the knife and fire so that he will be prepared to worship. a. Could you have done such? b. Suppose he "got much out of worship" at this time? 4. God stopped the sacrifice at the last possible second. 5. He knew all along the Lord would raise him up. (Heb. 11:19). E. Taught his Children. 1.God shared His knowledge of the destruction of Sodom with Abraham. (Gen. 18). 2. Knowing Abraham would teach his children, the Lord was able to bless him. 3. Read Gen. 24 where a Canaanite was not good enough for Isaac to marry. 4. Follow his example and be a blessing to your own family. III. PARADISE IS NAMED AFTER HIM: A. Lk. 16:19-31 shows him to be also the spokeman from there to hell. B. Teaches rich man and us the awfulness of missing paradise. C. Let Abraham speak to you now. IV. EVERLASTING COVENANT: A. Circumcision -- (Gen. 17:9-14). (For Abraham and his physical offspring, JWS). B. God remembered even when Abraham's descendents were sinful. V. CHARACTERISTICS THAT MADE HIM A FRIEND OF GOD: A. Faithful -- Heb. 11:1. Seen in Gen. 22. B. Prompt -- not only obeyed but did it quickly. C. Devoted -- "Builded and altar" -- Gen. 22:9. Take time to wor- ship. D. Peaceable -- "Let there be no strife" -- Gen. 13:8; Psa. 133:1. E. Hospitable -- Entertained strangers -- Gen. 18; Heb. 13;2; Rom 12:13. F. Unselfish -- intercession for others -- Gen. 18:22. VI. MEDIATOR LIKE MOSES: A. For Ishmael -- Gen. 17:20. B. For Lot -- Gen. 18:23-32; 19:29. C. For Abimelech -- Gen. 20:17. D. Could not do so in Luke 16. "You have had your time." CONCLUSION: 1. Abraham lived in the starlite age -- obeyed. 2. Others lived in moonlite age -- also obeyed. 3. We live in the sunlite age -- we too must obey the Son. 4. He "looked for a city" of God and in essence has it now. Heb. 11:10-16. 5. Let us truly be his seed, by faith, today and go to be in his bosom. Gal. 3:26-29. -------Lloyd Barker. ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Riggs" To: "Steve Wallace" Cc: "Bible Matters Mailing List" Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 3:22 AM Subject: [Biblemat] Request > **** > * Bible Matters mailing list > * http://biblematters.com/mailman/listinfo/biblemat > * You are subscribed as: styvas@t-online.de > * Send postings to: biblemat@biblematters.com > * List owner: Mike Hughes (mikehughes01@sbcglobal.net, http://www.mikealrhughes.com), > Mickey Chandler (mickc@churches-of-christ.com) > ***** > Request, > > If anyone has a sermon on the patriarch Abraham, please post it to Bible > Matters. > > Thanks, > David Riggs > > > _______________________________________________ > Biblemat mailing list > Biblemat@biblematters.com > http://www.biblematters.com/mailman/listinfo/biblemat From styvas at t-online.de Wed Oct 20 23:38:08 2004 From: styvas at t-online.de (Steve Wallace) Date: Thu Oct 21 08:24:06 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Abraham outline, WWalker References: <41770F3C.1060400@comcast.net> Message-ID: <003501c4b729$b64a95e0$0169fea9@stevewallace> WHAT ABRAHAM DID BY FAITH TEXT: Heb. 11.8-10 INTRO.: There are certain Bible characters about whom we really know very little because the Bible only reveals a few things about them (such as Abel, Enoch). However, there are other personalities in the scriptures about whom a great deal is said--of course, Jesus, Peter, Paul; & in OT, David & Moses. Another individual who falls into this category is Abraham. TEXT sums up the life of Abraham--read. We know that Abraham's father was Terah, an idolater, who lived in Ur of the Chaldees. We know that Abraham, apparently in response to God's call, moved with his whole family from Ur to Haran in upper Mesopotamia. We know that Abraham was married to Sarah & that later in life they had a son named Isaac. We know that Abraham also had Ishmael by Hagar, & that after Sarah's death he married a woman named Keturah & had other children. & we know a lot of other details regarding his life that are described in God's word. However, what the Heb. writer mentions are some of the most important things that God wants us to remember about Abraham. So, in our lesson this time, we want to look at TITLE. I. #1, he obeyed when he was called (talked about obedience with regard to Noah in lesson last time) A. The very 1st major act recorded in the Bible which Abraham did, & the 1 which the Heb. writer specifies here, was an act of obedience to God: Gen. 12.1-4 B. Why did Abraham obey God? Because he truly believed Him regardless of any other considerations: Gen. 15.1-6, Rom. 4.1-3 (cited as example of faith for us, because Bible teaches we are justified by faith: Rom. 5.1) C. Abraham's obedience didn't stop with going to Canaan but characterized his life in general: Gen. 22.1-3ff, Heb. 11.17-20, Jas. 2.21-24--Abraham's obedience is also cited as an example for us that while certainly justified by faith, we can't be justified by faith alone but by doing the works that God commands us to do II. #2, Abraham dwelt or KJV--sojourned in the land of promise A. God promised Canaan to Abraham's descendents: Gen. 15.13-21; yet, even tho a resident of the land and in effect the inheritor of it, he never owned it as a present possession. Understood that tho he was in Canaan, he wasn't OF Canaan--same thing true of Jesus's disciples: Jn. 17.14-19 (idea of "sojourning" as mentioned in KJV) B. He even had to purchase a burial place for Sarah: Gen. 23.1-4ff. Notice, that he called himself a foreigner & a visitor. The point is that while he dwelt in the land as an inhabitant, he kept himself separate & apart from the culture of the people that lived there. This is exactly what God expects of us as His people: Tit. 2.11-12 C. So it's clear that Abraham looked upon himself as different from the Canaanites: Gen. 24.1-4. As we live in this world, we need to remember that we're but sojourners or pilgrims & strangers: 1 Pet. 2.9-12. Like Abraham, we must look on ourselves as foreigners & visitors in this world, making sure that we keep ourselves different, separate, & apart from it because while yes, we dwell in this world, we're people OF God, not OF this world III. #3, Abraham waited or KJV--looked for a city A. Here's something about Abraham that we might not fully see just reading through the OT accounts--he evidently knew that there was a permanent home for God's people not on this earth but somewhere else prepared by God: Heb. 11.13-16 B. Exactly how much about this God revealed to Abraham we don't know, but like him, we can look forward to that time when God will usher in a new heavens and earth as the permanent dwelling place for His people: 2 Pet. 3.10-13 C. This is the promise that God has given to all His people, those who are obedient & faithful to Him--eternal life in that new heavens & earth: 1 Jn. 2.25, Rev. 2.10. Are we truly looking & waiting for the city which has foundations, whose builder & maker is God? The answer to that question can be seen in the kind of lives that we live. CONCL.: As we saw earlier, Jas. says that Abraham was called the friend of God. He's also often referred to as the father of the faithful. No, Abraham wasn't sinfully perfect. He made some mistakes, & we can even learn from them. But he's given in scr. as an example of a man whose life in general was devoted to obeying God, living for God here, & preparing to be with God after death. As Christians, we need to be encouraged by that example & follow it in everything that we do. But, we ask, have you obeyed the terms of pardon that God has revealed in the gospel of Christ that you might be justified by faith? Now, Abraham lived under a covenant that was different from the 1 under which we now live. God didn't require of him the same specific things that he does of us. But whatever God told him to do, Abraham did it. Are you willing to do whatever it is that God tells you to do to be saved? Here's what 1 of His inspired messengers said: Acts 2.38-39ff.... ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Riggs" To: "Steve Wallace" Cc: "Bible Matters Mailing List" Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 3:22 AM Subject: [Biblemat] Request > **** > * Bible Matters mailing list > * http://biblematters.com/mailman/listinfo/biblemat > * You are subscribed as: styvas@t-online.de > * Send postings to: biblemat@biblematters.com > * List owner: Mike Hughes (mikehughes01@sbcglobal.net, http://www.mikealrhughes.com), > Mickey Chandler (mickc@churches-of-christ.com) > ***** > Request, > > If anyone has a sermon on the patriarch Abraham, please post it to Bible > Matters. > > Thanks, > David Riggs > > > _______________________________________________ > Biblemat mailing list > Biblemat@biblematters.com > http://www.biblematters.com/mailman/listinfo/biblemat From styvas at t-online.de Wed Oct 20 23:37:09 2004 From: styvas at t-online.de (Steve Wallace) Date: Thu Oct 21 08:24:06 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Abraham outline, JPrice References: <41770F3C.1060400@comcast.net> Message-ID: <003401c4b729$b6183b40$0169fea9@stevewallace> "ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER" Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:1-11 1. Discipleship to Jesus demands surrender - Lk. 9:23; 14:33; Gal. 2:20. 2. Abraham stands as example of complete surrender to God (Gal. 3:29, 7, 9; Jno. 8:39). I. ABRAHAM SURRENDED HIS COUNTRY - Acts 7:2-4. A. America is Great; But Our Heavenly Home is Greater - Phil. 3:20; Acts 5:29. B. Christians, are Pilgrims - 1 Pet. 2:11-12. II. ABRAHAM SURRENDERED HIS KINSHIP - Acts 7:3. A. Sometimes Greatest Enemy is in Your House -Matt. 10:36; Josh. 24:2; 1 Cor. 7:33, 23. III. ABRAHAM SURRENDERED HIS JUDGMENT - Heb. 11:8. A. A Matter of Trust in God's Way & Word. B. We Must Act When God Says to Instead of Depending on Our Judgment. IV. ABRAHAM SURRENDERED HIS PERONSAL PRIVILEGES FOR THE IN THE INTEREST OF PEACE - Gen. 13:7-9. A. Our Unity in Christ Compels Us to Surrender Personal Liberties for the Sake of Peace - Eph. 4:3; 1 Cor. 8:9-13 (Rom. 14:19). V. ABRAHAM SURRENDERED WHAT WAS MOST PRECIOUS TO HIM IN ORDER TO OBEY GOD - Heb. 11:17-19. A. By Faith He Obeyed - Gen.22:2; Js.2:21-22 B. He Surrendered Immediately - Gen. 22:3. C. He Was Able to Surrender Even His Son Because He Always Remembered God's Promises - Rom. 4:18-22; Heb. 11:17-19; 6:11-15, 19. JRPrice ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Riggs" To: "Steve Wallace" Cc: "Bible Matters Mailing List" Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 3:22 AM Subject: [Biblemat] Request > **** > * Bible Matters mailing list > * http://biblematters.com/mailman/listinfo/biblemat > * You are subscribed as: styvas@t-online.de > * Send postings to: biblemat@biblematters.com > * List owner: Mike Hughes (mikehughes01@sbcglobal.net, http://www.mikealrhughes.com), > Mickey Chandler (mickc@churches-of-christ.com) > ***** > Request, > > If anyone has a sermon on the patriarch Abraham, please post it to Bible > Matters. > > Thanks, > David Riggs > > > _______________________________________________ > Biblemat mailing list > Biblemat@biblematters.com > http://www.biblematters.com/mailman/listinfo/biblemat From noble1 at microcore.net Thu Oct 21 11:18:55 2004 From: noble1 at microcore.net (Mike Cornwell) Date: Thu Oct 21 12:05:58 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Need information Message-ID: <000701c4b789$aab66820$813eac41@oemcomputer> Mike Cornwell to the list with a request. I am in need of information with scripture backing on the roll of women in the church. We have some of our women who believe that they should have say in the decisions making within the church. (We do not have elders). They believe that the apostle Paul encouraged women to participate and that we are acting on tradition and not scripture authority. This situation needs to be addressed just as soon as possible. Mike Cornwell, Preacher Church of Christ at Noble Hill P. O. Box 642 Brighton, MO 65617 Home/Fax: 417-376-6646 Office: 417-756-3238 Mobile: 417-224-0415 This message has been screened by Norton 2004 From jcooper at gulftel.com Thu Oct 21 12:34:17 2004 From: jcooper at gulftel.com (James E. Cooper) Date: Thu Oct 21 20:07:41 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] (no subject) Message-ID: Skipped content of type multipart/related-------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 0363 Abraham Believed God.DOC Type: application/msword Size: 36352 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041021/24d96cc4/0363AbrahamBelievedGod-0001.dot -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 0889 Faith Of The Patriarchs.doc Type: application/msword Size: 35840 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041021/24d96cc4/0889FaithOfThePatriarchs-0001.doc From dmartin5 at concentric.net Thu Oct 21 15:06:18 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Thu Oct 21 20:07:44 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Question/answer (premarital-sex) Message-ID: <00b001c4b7a9$6e4b4840$84306a43@concentric.net> Don Martin here: I thought I would share question and answer number 100 for the week: Hello Teresa, Thank you so much for your question and for making use of Bible Questions. Please do so again. http://www.biblequestions.org Please check out Bible Truths http://www.bibletruths.net Go to the archives section of these sites for material and also go to the archives search page and type in any subject or word you wish to explore. New material is constantly being added to both sites. Any help you can give us in telling others of these sites will be greatly appreciated. If you are interested in really learning more about the Bible, there is an online Bible study course located in Bible Truths. While on the home page, scroll down and enter. While on the Map Site Page, click on "Online Bible Study Course" in the table. Click on http://www.bibletruths.net to go there. You asked: I am engaged and have sex with my fiancée and only my fiancée. We are getting married and I know that our love for each other is going to remain constant just as our love for God and Jesus Christ. Are my fiancée and I condemned to Hell for making love to each other before we are married? I believe God forgives all. My fiancée is the only man I have ever been with and the only man I will ever be with. It was God's will for us to be together. I went to the Holy Bible for reassurance that my fiancée and I would still be given the gift of life with God. The verses are: 1 Corinthians 7:8-9 "But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion." Reply: Thank you for your interest in what the Bible has to say about pre-marital sex. The place, the only place, for the expression of sex is in marriage (Heb. 13: 4). Sex outside of marriage, regardless of the intentions or circumstance, is what the Bible calls fornication (I Cor. 7: 2, see below sermon outline from www.bibletruths.net ). Forgiveness of sin, including fornication, can be obtained from God when his conditions are met (Acts 2: 38, I Jn. 1: 7). However, one must not continue to practice the sin (I Jn. 3: 8ff.). The verses that you referenced, I Corinthians 7: 8, 9, are showing the justified conjugal benefits of marriage as opposed to fornication outside of marriage. Why not go over the below outline with your fiancée and study the scriptures together. You speak of marriage, my advice would be to immediately stop the fornication and start building on sound biblical principles. Since you have already committed fornication, it will be very difficult to avoid it in the future. You both will have to be very careful, perhaps even avoid being alone in certain circumstances. Why not take the Online Bible Study Course, both of you together, and start building right? Enter through the door of www.bibletruths.net and click on "Online Bible Study Course" in the table on the Site Map page. What is fornication? Introduction: In a biblically illiterate society, many Bible terms either loose their meaning or have them replaced. "Fornication" is a classic example. Some say fornication can be simply passionate kissing; sexual intercourse with prostitutes (multiple); and premarital sex only. I. The biblical meaning of fornication A. The Greek word translated "fornication" is porneia. Porneia is found 26 times in the Greek New Testament. a. W. E. Vine states porneia (fornication) "is used of illicit sexual intercourse.." (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). b. Henry Thayer defines "fornication" as "illicit sexual intercourse in general.distinguished from adultery (moicheia) in Matt. 15: 19.used of adultery.in Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9 (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon, pg. 532). c. The granddaddy Greek work says of fornication, "The N. T. is characterized by an unconditional repudiation of all extra-marital and unnatural intercourse" (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Vol. 6, pg. 590). II. Illicit sexual intercourse A. As you can see from the definition of porneia, all illicit sexual intercourse is condemned. a. Illicit sexual intercourse is that involving a married man with one other than his wife b. Sexual intercourse between two unmarried people (Matt. 5: 32, I Cor. 7: 1 ff). c. Sinful sexual intercourse can and does include sodomy or homosexual activity (Jude 7, cp. Gen. 19). III. Fornication is a work of the flesh (Gal. 5: 19) A. We are to abstain from fornication and not use our body for fornication (I Cor. 6: 18, 13). a. Fornication is the only acceptable reason for divorce and remarriage (Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9). b. Corruption and filthiness are associated with fornication (Rev. 17: 4; 19: 2). c. Moreover, those who fornicate can not go to heaven (I Cor. 6: 9). B. There is no doubt about it, the following are engaging in fornication: a. Pre-marital sex (I Cor. 7: 1 ff) b. Extra-marital sex (Matt. 5: 32; 19: 9) c. Those in unscriptural marriages (Matt. 5: 32; 19: 9) d. All who engage in unnatural sexual intercourse are committing fornication (Jude 7). Conclusion: The good news is all sin, including fornication, can be forgiven (Acts 2: 38; I Jn. 1: 7; I Cor. 6: 9-11). However, some sins, such as fornication, can especially have long range consequences (children conceived, venereal disease, one put away for sin, the dissolution of a marriage, etc.). Thanks again for your good question and for your interest in spiritual matters. I recommend that you print out this email for future reference (web addresses, etc.). You may print out any material you desire in both Bible Questions and Bible Truths (see the copyright provision at the bottom of the home page in Bible Truths). Cordially, Don Martin From rabspar at yahoo.com Thu Oct 21 15:00:49 2004 From: rabspar at yahoo.com (Roger Blackwelder) Date: Thu Oct 21 20:07:45 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Q) Bible Class material Message-ID: <20041021200049.64592.qmail@web50008.mail.yahoo.com> Dear Listers, I opened up our church building for a baptism this week for the preacher of another area congregation whose buidling is under construction. It was nice to be able to help, but I noticed that the classbook one of their members was carrying was published by the Gospel Advocate bookstore. The book was a study of one of the epistles. I gave a it a quick browse and did not see anything overtly teaching institutionalism or similiar unscriptural activities. Even so, I was uncomfortable with the thought of purchasing material from such an organization. Does such a purchase involve a violation of 2 John 9-11 or similar passage, aiding an organization that does teach error? I would like to hear your thoughts. Brotherly, Roger Blackwelder __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041021/5ebefb01/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Oct 21 17:23:18 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Thu Oct 21 20:07:46 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE Message-ID: <29.6456f69c.2ea990d6@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study that rec- ently came my way. Use to the glory of God. CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE Reasoning from knowable facts to draw conclusions builds a case for the resurrection from circumstantial evidence. There are different kinds of evidence used in determining the accuracy of alleged truth. Eyewitness testimony is the most powerful form of evidence. In the Old Testament eyewitness testi- mony was to be confirmed by at least two people (Deut. 17:6; 19: 15). Another form of evidence is called circumstantial evidence. Pamela Binnings Ewen in her excellent book 'Faith On Trial' defines circumstantial evidence as "the type of evidence that re- quires the use of reason to reach a conclusion" (7). It is the pract- ice of building a case on "knowable facts" (8). Thus, if one were to build a case for the evidence of the resurrection of Christ based upon circumstantial evidence he would collect as many known his- torical facts as possible and lay them upon one another until they built a wall no honest skeptic could jump. In this study we shall briefly consider five lines of evidence that one can use in teaching unbelievers that Jesus did in fact rise from the dead. The Disciples Died For Their Beliefs: -- It is a known histori- cal fact that those who followed Jesus died for their belief in Him and His message. Even atheist historians such as Will Durant and H.G. Wells acknowledge that Jesus' immediate disciples were martyred for their faith. This is even more incredible when we re- alize that on the night of their Master's arrest they were scattered and discouraged. Upon His death their belief that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah had been crushed. Their Master, in whom they hoped would throw off Roman oppression and restore Israel, had been crucified on a Roman cross. One who endured such a fate was believed to be accursed by God (Gal. 3;13; Isa. 53:4). Later they are found hiding behind closed doors in fear that the Jews would hunt them down to end Jesus' influence once and for all (Jno. 20:19). The Jesus movement seemed as if it had been stopped in its tracks. A short time later the disciples committed their lives to preach- ing that Jesus arose from the dead. How does one account for these Jewish preachers' belief in the resurrection of Jesus? It could not have been contrived because there was nothing in first century Judaism to influence them in making up such a doctrine. While the Jews believed in an end-time resurrection, they had no concept of an isolated event within history wherein one would rise to immortality. Such being the case we cannot attribute this new doctrine to the disciples of Jesus. Our best conclusion is that the apostles preached the resurrection of Jesus because they actually saw Him and were motivated by the "many infallible proofs" He gave them before He ascended (Acts 1;1-3; 1 Jno. 1:1-4). Conversion Of Skeptics: -- Some argue that the resurrection story is made up because when Jesus arose He only appeared to believers. However, if the resurrection story is made up, how do we explain the conversion of James the Lord's brother and Saul of Tarsus? During His ministry Jesus' siblings rejected His claims (Jno. 7:1- 5). However, after Jesus' resurrection James became a leader in the Jerusalem church. How does one account for James becom- ing a believer? Only one plausible explanation, he saw Jesus alive after His crucifixion and death (1 Cor. 15:6). The most popular example of conversion to Christ is the great persecutor Saul of Tarsus. What could have motivated this man who had and intense hatred for the church to become its most influential evangelist? Paul forsook a prestigious career in Judaism in exchange for ostracism and suffering (Phil. 3:2-11; Acts 9:16; 2 Cor.11:23-28). Imagine yourself as a first century Jew or Christ- ian and the impact it would have to hear that Saul had been conver- ted! What makes this even more incredible is that after Paul's con- versi9on he did not try to bind the ordinances of the law on Gentiles. What caused such a change in doctrine for this once zealous Jew? He saw the risen Christ (Acts 9;1-18; 1 Cor. 15:8,9) Changes To Key Social Structures: -- By the time that Jesus became flesh and dwelt among men the Jews had suffered perse- cution from pagan nations for 700 years. What is even more incredible is that many of the nations which persecuted the Jews had faded away, but the nation of Israel still existed. One of the reasons that the Jews remained was their dedication to their tradit- ions and ordinances. God gave many of these ordinances in order to keep the Jews from losing their national identity when taken into captivity by pagans. It might even be said that it was the ordinances themselves that made them Jews. They were to be faithfully passed down from generation to generation with the con- viction that their salvation was dependant on their keeping them. However, when the church was established Jews began neg- lecting the old ordinances in favor of new practices. Many of their cherished doctines began to be seen in a new light. Animal sacri- fices, circumcision, and sabbath keeping slowly lost their significan- ce to those who followed the new Jesus movement. One of the new practices was that of baptism into the name of Jesus. In order to see the force of this argument we must remem- ber that in the Old Testament God told the Jews that where He put His name, there He would come and bless them (Exo. 20:24). God would put His name where He wanted sacrifices to be offered In the New Testament Peter proclaimed that "there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Since that blessed name has been put on baptism we can see that God no longer comes and blesses man at an altar. Since Jesus is the sacrifice for our sins we come to Him by being baptized "into" His death (Rom. 6:3,4). Also, baptism is where Jews embraced the fuller revelation of God's triune nature (Matt. 28:18,19). Likewise, we find a new practice in the Lord's Supper. Early followers didn't come together to celebrate Jesus teachings or His life -- but to remember His death (Matt. 26:28). These Christians understood that the Lord's death was a necessary step to a much greater victory (Jno. 12:23,24; 2 Tim. 1:8-10). When we observe the Lord's Supper in the weekly assembly we "proclaim the Lord's death till He comes" (1 Cor. 11:26). How do we explain these new practices emerging from a group of men who were not even scribes or priests? The Holy Spirit Working In The Church: -- Nearly every reli- gious organization which calls itself Christian is convinced that the Holy Spirit works among them either directly, indirectly, or miracul- ously. While we certainly cannot believe that the Holy Spirit is working among all the religious confusion we see in the world -- the fact that it is universally believed that He is among us is signifi- cant. Jesus foretold the coming of the Spirit after His resurrection and ascension (Jno. 14:15-17; 15:26; 16:5-14; Lk. 24:44-49; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4). In fact. the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit is the only reasonable explanation for twelve unlearned men spreading the gospel into all the world in spite of the resistance of Jewish scholars and pagan philosophers. Conclusion: -- While this evidence is powerful, we must remember that it is only circumstantial. When you add the testimo- ny of the eyewitnesses themselves who went to their deaths for what they believed we can be assured that we are not following "cunningly devised fables" (2 Pet. 1:16). --- J.L. McKinley in Biblical Insights, Vol. 4, No. 9, Sept. 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041021/a66ca4fd/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Oct 22 06:12:23 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Fri Oct 22 19:57:51 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) GODLINESS AND MODESTY Message-ID: <1e5.2d1f4691.2eaa4517@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Friday morn- ing to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with a very rewarding and fruitful day. Here is an article that recently came my way: GODLINESS AND MODESTY Men Professing Godliness Should Speak, Behave, And Dress In Such A Way As To Give Credit to Their Profession. Men, of all people, know the sensual and sexual stimulation that comes through suggestive talk, flirtatious behavior, and dress that accentuates sexual attraction (Prov. 6:23-29; 7:6-27). Older men should teach younger men and boys to be discreet, to exer- cise sobriety in speech, dress, and behavior, and to dress in such a way as to give nobody an occasion to speak reproachfully of them (1 Tim. 4:12). If boys are taught well a proper sense of mod- esty and are trained throughout their youth to clothe themselves fully, they will have a sense of decency when they are grown. Modesty must be taught if one is to have a proper sense of it (Jer. 6:10-15; 8:4-12). It is no part of godliness for a man to publicly expose his body either for sport or boastful pride of his physique or his secret parts. Women Professing Godliness Should Also Speak, Behave, And Dress In Such A Way As To Demonstrate The Sincerity Of Their Profession (1 Tim. 2:9,10). Through good works they adorn their lives and glorify God (1 Pet. 3:3-5). A woman's physi- cal beauty is admired by both men and women. How a woman uses her physical attractiveness reflects her discretion or lack of it, and her godliness or lack of it. A godly woman does not dress provocatively by exposing her sensual assets such as the thighs, the bosom, and the midriff. Men Know The Spiritually Harmful Effects Of These Expos- ures, And Women Of Understanding Also Know. Those women of understanding who wish to be godly guard their speech, conduct, and dress carefully. Older Women need to teach younger women and girls who lack knowledge and discre- tion so that they maintain a good report and good standing among God's people. Neither sports nor social events are reasons for women to dress in an immodest and provocative way. Christians are to be Christians wherever they are. Chaste conduct accompanied by godly fear commends the lives of the saints (1 Pet. 3:1,2). Inward beauty outweighs physical beauty and enhances it (1 Pet. 3:4). -------- Gilbert Alexander in the Athens News-Courier, Friday, Sept. 17, 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041022/dc7e9495/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Oct 22 06:12:28 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Fri Oct 22 19:57:55 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) ARE WE SECULARIZING OUR CHILDREN? Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study that rec- ently came my way. Use to the glory of God. ARE WE SECULARIZING OUR CHILDREN? Several years ago, a Christian who was the president of a large state university stated his belief that students do not lose their faith because of evolution in the science department or human- ism in the philosophy, psychology, or sociology departments. Rat- her, he felt that they become so absorbed with secular studies and secular activities that they do not take time for spiritual things. They neglect attendance at services, neglect Bible study and make their friends among worldly people. They die spiritually, not from poison but from spiritual malnutrition. Today, this is happening to children long before they get to college. And some of the finest, best intentioned parents are contributing to it. Please pardon a personal reference. My parents were very concerned about keeping control of their children. My father com- plained 50 years ago that the schools were trying to take over the rearing of children and he was determined not to let that happen to his family. Anything the school planned that conflicted with church activities was considered an encroachment by the school. We did not participate in organized sports, either in school or in summer programs. We did not play in the band or join the scouts. As a rule, when school was out we came home. You may think my parents extreme. Perhaps they were. But one thing was certain: We had time for whatever Christians were doing anywhere in the areas where we lived. We not only attend- ed every regular service and every service of gospel meetings in our home congregation, but we attended most services of any meeting anywhere in driving distance even when meetings lasted the greater part of two weeks. Preachers who came preaching in the area learned to expect the Hall family near the front of the building night after night. I never remember going out of town for a ball game, but I remember many trips out of town to gospel meetings and lectureships. Those gospel preachers became our heroes and the members of those congregations became the friends whose respect and confidence we most desired. This is not to say that all parents should adopt the policies of my parents. I did not adhere to all of them in raising my children. But surely some limits need to be imposed on the run-away secul- arism now so common. Children are the busiest people in town. Schools have lengthened the school day and long bus rides often require children to leave home very early in the morning and return late in the afternoon. Then they have homework to get. Much extra time in school is spent in humanistic activities. Children are constantly exposed to vulgarity and profanity not only from fellow- students, but even from teachers. They desperately need counter- acting spiritual influences. Many conscientious parents, however, want still more secular opportunities for their children than the standard curriculum provid- es. They encourage participation in extra-curricular sports organ- ized by the school and in others that are privately organized, occu- pying afternoons and Saturdays and even portions of Sundays as well as the summer months. Students not inclined to sports are encouraged to join the band with long hours of after-school prac- tice, summer band camps, and compulsory Friday night football in the fall and concerts in the spring. In addition, there are often pri- vate music lessons. Scouts also provide wholesome experiences, and parents want their children to be involved. In fact, they feel that their children are deprived if they miss any of these opportunit- ies, and so to provide them parents pack their own schedules full, taxiing the children here and there and sacrificially spending their energy and money. A negative attitude seems to be developing toward anything the church plans beyond the usual Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night assemblies or toward any extension of evening activities beyone one hour. The church is considered insensitive when anything is planned that encroaches on children's busy secul- ar activities. When do we expect our children to change from this heavily weighted emphasis on this world to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness?" If they become accustomed to a secular schedule in elementary school, high school will only increase the pressure. College allows still less time for the Lord unless there is a purposeful determination to keep the lid on secul- ar demands. If such priorities have not been learned under the guidance of parents, it is unlikely they will be developed when stud- ents are on their own in college. By the time those school years of immersion in secularism are over, there is usually very little spiritual life left in them. And it all begins when they are young! (Then, out of college, and married, they began again the full routine of secularism with their own children, JWS). Sewell Hall via Jackson Drive News and Notes, No. 43, Oct. 24, 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041022/b07d48d5/attachment.htm From deusvitae at hotmail.com Thu Oct 21 21:21:21 2004 From: deusvitae at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Fri Oct 22 19:58:22 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S:> The Internet: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Message-ID: <005901c4b7dd$d2644aa0$0200a8c0@Longhenry> Brethren, Greetings. This is a lesson I intend to preach Sunday morning. It may be accessed through http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/outlines/index.html at http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/outlines/internet.txt I intend to make a Powerpoint display for this lesson; if you are interested in seeing it, e-mail me at disciple_of_iesus@hotmail.com Thanks! ----------------------------------------- The Internet: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly I. Introduction A. The past 5-10 years has seen the great advancement of computers and the Internet 1. That which was previously confined to the military, universities, and such like is now open to everyone 2. The technology has become more and more affordable and the spike in Internet usage over the past 5 years in particular is phonomenal B. Christians are present and using the Internet in greater numbers 1. I have seen the rise in Internet use among brethren since 2000 2. There are a multitude of opinions about the Internet and its use 3. Is it profitable? Or is it worthless? C. When we examine the Internet, we can see that it has its own unique strengths and challenges D. Let us spend some time examining the Internet and the Scriptures and see what kind of participation Christians may have in it II. The Internet: The Good A. Let us first look at the good and positive qualities of the Internet B. Communication 1. The Internet, with e-mail and instant messaging, has brought people closer together 2. It is easier to e-mail than to send letters, and this has allowed brethren within a church and brethren from different churches to have greater communication 3. Mailing lists-- for individual churches or like BOL, for the church universal-- help brethren keep one another informed 4. One can write an e-mail and distribute it and have hundreds, if not thousands, of people praying for them! 5. This is a great asset for Christians C. Discussion and Communion 1. E-mail discussion lists, message boards, and chatrooms can allow Christians to come together and discuss all sorts of issues 2. There certainly are many negative aspects to this, and we will discuss these later 3. They can be, however, very beneficial! 4. If you have a spiritual question or want to discuss an issue, many times you will find many people on the Internet who perhaps have better knowledge or understanding of the matter than in a local church 5. In Acts 2:46, we see that the first Christians in Jerusalem were assembling and encouraging one another daily a. most churches today, however, assemble but 3 times a week! b. while it should never replace assembling with the local church, one can go online and give and receive daily encouragement to/with other brethren throughout the nation and the world! D. Biblical Materials 1. Many Christians around the country and the world maintain websites full of information on the faith 2. One can find material on every and any aspect of the faith 3. One can find sermon outlines, articles, handbooks, teaching guides, even audio and/or visual files of lessons! 4. Christians have well used the Internet as a repository for information for anyone to access! E. Evangelism 1. One of the greatest strengths of the Internet is its capability for use in evangelism 2. The Internet is unique in that one can anonymously access all kinds of information-- one can search for spiritual materials without concern of being "preached at" directly 3. Seekers can come to us and learn much! 4. It may seem odd to some that anyone would go to the Internet to discover such materials, but it does happen! a. the younger generation especially has become dependent on the Internet for information b. If they find restaurant information, make travel plans, compare car and house prices, purchase supplies, and other such things on the Internet, they would also be likely to get information on spiritual matters online c. My website has received over 7000 hits, and I have received hundreds of questions about Biblical topics, and many an e-mail of both praise and criticism, often sharp, regarding the materials on the faith presented there! d. My experience is not unique, either 5. As more and more people get online, and people become more and more dependent on using the Internet for many facets of their lives, then it should be no surprise that effective Internet evangelism may lead to many people coming to the faith in future years! III. The Internet: The Bad A. While there certainly are many good and beneficial uses of the Internet, it also has its fair share of bad, evil, sinful uses B. Pornography/Sexual Sins 1. Ever since it received some level of popularity, the Internet has been marked by significant quantities of pornography 2. The combination of anonymity, privacy, and lust has made the Internet the most lucrative market for pornography 3. In fact, the development of Internet technology in the fields of secure online payments, audio/video quality and transfer, and web design owes its great acceleration to the pornography industry! 4. Pornography is very prevalent on the Internet, and while most of it can be easily avoided, it is now common for many to receive pornography in their e-mail boxes from "spammers," even if you have never visited such a site! 5. Pornography may satisfy the lust of the eyes but it does not satisfy the flesh-- it should come as no surprise, therefore, that the next phase of Internet sexual sin has been the development of websites for people to find sexual partners 6. Sites now exist where you can sign up and contact people in your local area who are interested in sexual encounters and engage in such actions! 7. Let us remember 1 Corinthians 6:18 and Galatians 5:19-21: we ought to flee such sexual immorality, recognizing that it condemns souls! C. Gambling 1. Another development of the Internet pertains to gambling-- Internet casinos 2. While gambling is legislated in the United States with strong measures in many areas, the Internet has no boundaries! Many companies operate in other countries, where laws are not so stringent, and people gamble away 3. While all gambling is dangerous, the Internet version is especially so since it does not seem real and even the rite of throwing down the money is not present! 4. Let us again remember Galatians 5:19-21 and also Colossians 3:5: gambling, which is a form of covetousness, is equal to idolatry, and such is condemned! D. Other forms of immorality-- including hate groups, weapons manufacturing, etc.-- are present on the Internet, and they are to be similarly avoided E. We can see that the Internet is a source of great danger, and for this reason many have condemned its use entirely because of such things! 1. Such persons may think and say that the Internet is immoral and of Satan 2. What they neglect to see, however, is that the Internet is a tool, neither inherently right or wrong! 3. As we have seen even so far, the Internet is a tool that can be used for good but it also can be used for evil 4. In fact, the propensity for many people to use the Internet for evil exhibits clearly the nature of the depraved man (Romans 1:18-32) 5. Nevertheless, it is not right to condemn the Internet on such a basis-- it is a tool, just like the printing press or the radio or the television, and one determines how it will be used IV. The Internet: The Ugly A. The Internet also has "ugly" uses B. False Teachings 1. Just as the Internet can be used to promote and disseminate the truth, the Internet can also be used to promote and disseminate error 2. The dissemination of error is nothing new-- Paul had to deal with it on many occasions, as can be seen in Acts 15, the Galatian letter, Philippians 3:18-19, and many other places 3. The Internet, however, allows the dissemination of error at a greater level and more directly than ever before! 4. The present reality of the Internet must cause all of us to change some habits a. generally elders, preachers, and members needed to be on the lookout from "brotherhood" magazines, other "Christian" groups in the area, and perhaps from new or existing members in the congregation b. The Internet, however, allows a false teacher to send material directly to any Christian, without anyone else perhaps knowing c. It is not my desire to cause anyone to become paranoid, but the possibility of this type of thing is not remote 5. Elders, in shepherding the flock, can no longer think that geography can keep error away; it is not enough to expect others to know the truth on issues to keep others from being deceived 6. Christians must always be able to discern truth from error according to the Scriptures in their maturity (Hebrews 5:12-14), and the Internet is no exception. Any material that is sent to you that you read ought to be compared with the message from the Scriptures 7. If you are not sure or have questions about things you have received, do not hesitate to ask elders, preachers, or brethren about them-- do not allow yourself to be deceived! 8. The Internet has allowed false teachers to do their corrupt wickedness in secret-- do not allow yourself to be deceived! C. Discussion Forums 1. We have examined the positive aspects of discussion forums above, and noted that there are many negative aspects to them 2. Currently the Internet only allows for written communication-- this leaves out voice and body language a. on account of this many misunderstandings have arisen because people have been sarcastic or joking and this has not been understood b. the lack of direct encounter also makes it much easier to express oneself in combative, harsh, and biting ways that would be rarely done either in person or on the telephone! c. the sin of the tongue, as seen in James 3, is definitely present and prevalent on the Internet! 3. Discussion forums tend to spark and cause disagreements a. discussions about things upon which everyone agrees tend to be short and few b. discussion lists that focus only on points of agreement are small and inactive; lists on which there are areas of disagreement tend to be larger and rather active c. Many a discussion list can be characterized as Athens in Acts 17:21, always wanting to hear and argue about new things 4. While discussion forums can be beneficial when one is able to speak the truth of the faith and either be encouraged and/or to sharpen their swords, but very often they are unprofitable and very potentially damaging to faith V. Conclusion A. We have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly uses of the Internet B. In the end, we ought to look upon the Internet as a tool in our disposal: while many use it for evil, and many ugly things can come from it, we can also do much good through the Internet in promoting and encouraging the cause of Christ C. If we are using the Internet, we must use the good, avoid the bad, and either avoid or rebuke the ugly D. The message that we are to proclaim on the Internet is the same one we proclaim here and has been proclaimed throughout the generations 1. Christ came and died for the remission of sins 2. One must believe, confess, repent, be baptized, and be obedient to receive that remission and the eternal life flowing from it E. If you have never done this, please come to faith in Christ today. It may be your last opportunity! F. Perhaps you already have been baptized but require encouragement to do the right thing-- perhaps you have not avoided the bad and ugly things on the Internet, or you have done some other thing wrong, or just simply need encouragement to keep carrying the banner of Christ G. Whatever you need, let us help you as we stand and sing ----------------------------------------------------------- ELDV Ethan R. Longhenry/ disciple_of_iesus@hotmail.com Homepage: http://www.deusvitae.com AOLIM: Deus Vitae/ ICQ#: 28317056 MSN Messenger ID: deusvitae/ Yahoo! Messenger ID: discipuliiesus Matthew 10:25a (ESV): "It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master." Visit The Christian Examiner! http://www.thechristianexaminer.com From deusvitae at hotmail.com Thu Oct 21 21:45:01 2004 From: deusvitae at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Fri Oct 22 19:58:24 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S:> A New Thing Message-ID: <000101c4b7e1$2081f950$0200a8c0@Longhenry> Brethren, Greetings. I intend to preach this lesson this Sunday evening. It is available online through http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/outlines/index.html at http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/outlines/newthing.txt Thanks! ------------------------------------- A New Thing I. This Lesson! New! Fresh! A. As 21st century Americans, we recognize the appeal of "newness" B. In our current system, old means outdated, a lack of change equals stagnancy C. The desire is always to find and/or make something new and fresh! 1. There is always something "new" on the menu 2. A toiletry or cleaning product has a "new composition" or is "improved" 3. This extends even to human bodies-- youth and its percieved vitality are greatly sought D. Two Reasons for this trend 1. The past 200 years have been a blur of technological development a. almost every facet of our lives have seen advancements in technology b. relatively, almost everything in our lives is "new" c. To survive and adapt in this society, we must be used to new things and change and technological development d. Society, therefore, is used to new things and change and depends on newness 2. Marketing a. Since we are a society used to and desiring change and newness, marketers and companies work hard to make and promote new and/or improved products b. Or perhaps we as a society are used to and desiring change and newness because marketers and advertisers act this way? c. The companies and marketers have been fairly successful-- the appeal to newness is obviously accepted by society E. What has this trend caused? 1. Anything commonly accepted in previous times is dismissed as irrelevant 2. Age implies irrelevancy, out of date, "primitive," inferior 3. That which is new, fresh, and exciting will be accepted over that which is older, not as fresh 4. Age is something to be ashamed of, and one ought to attempt to gain youth in any way possible F. How does this compare with more ancient and Biblical worldviews? II. The Ancient View of Antiquity A. In most ways the ancient view of new vs. old is completely different B. In the ancient world, that which is old is proven, tested, held by tradition, was held in great esteem C. It was that which was new-- something unproven, without any authority of age or experience-- that was looked upon with suspicion D. In Greek literature, the adjective for "new" was often used as something calamitous, dangerous! E. Early Christian apologetics had to contend with this mindset-- many people would not give Christianity any consideration because it was "new!" 1. the generally religiously tolerant Roman Empire was rather intolerant of Christianity because they perceived it as a "superstition"-- after all, what kind of religion would begin under Tiberius? 2. The early Christian apologists would appeal to their ties with Judaism and its antiquity to rebut this argument F. Acts 17:21 1. Luke makes a comment about the Athenians that is rather perjorative 2. They desired nothing but to speak and hear of "new" things 3. Their quibbling did not result in real knowledge G. We see, therefore, that the ancient and modern world have radically different worldview in regards to old and new H. Shall we accept all new things and reject the old? Or shall we hold fast to that which is old and reject any and all new things? Or is it to be a balance? What is that balance? I. Let's explore some of these issues III. Newness: Not Always Bad A. Newness is not inherently bad or wrong B. Christianity, after all, was pretty new in the 1st century! C. We must have newness of life through baptism in Jesus Christ (Romans 6:4)-- we must become new creatures in Christ! D. We also have never been commanded to live in ancient Roman society and culture 1. If we look in the Scriptures, we do see some specific cultural indicators of the first century, but the majority of commands and examples cross cultural and temporal boundaries 2. Paul established that we are to live in the world, yet not be conformed to it (1 Corinthians 5:10, Romans 12:2) 3. We must take Christianity and its principles into the world...and therefore into its new things! E. Newness, therefore, is not inherently wrong-- every one of us must become a new creature in Christ, and the Bible and its principles transcend any particular cultural context IV. Age: Not Always Good A. Christianity is now, of course, an old religion, and there is a strong tendency to resist any and all changes 1. This tendency is not always bad-- in fact, it is rather good 2. But there are some issues in which a resistance to change is not profitable B. Judaism vs. Christianity 1. If antiquity were the sole authority, then all of Christianity would have to be set aside for the more ancient Judaism and its practices 2. We recognize, however, that change is not inherently wrong and that Christ, through His sacrifice, caused the end of one covenant and the beginning of the new (Hebrews 7-9) C. Biblical Versions 1. One of the best examples of this is the Bible itself! 2. We have seen throughout time that the Bible has been translated and re-translated from its original texts since antiquity! 3. There is a tendency today, however, for some to cling to certain versions-- the KJV of 1611 and occasionally the ASV of 1901-- and who vehemently reject any newer translations 4. There is certainly nothing wrong with those versions, but reality dictates that language does change and the American of 2004 does not speak in the same way as the Brit of 1611! D. Age, therefore, is not the sole criterion for authority E. Neither is age to be cast out! V. What Shall We Do? A. What, then, shall we do? B. Overall, the modern obsession with newness is detrimental in spiritual matters 1. Many a denomination has accepted and used new concepts and practices 2. Most sources of error are from new things, like in Athens! a. the doctrines of Catholicism, Calvinism, etc. are younger than the Bible b. Instrumental music used in churches is certainly newer than the Bible 3. "Newness" is often equal to conformity to the world a. Romans 12:1-2, 1 John 2:15-17: we are not to conform to the world or love it and accept its values b. denominations, however, are shaken with every cultural wind c. Acceptance of homosexuality, fornication, adultery, and softer teaching on avoidance of sin stem in many ways from societal changes in attitude over the past 150 years 4. When new practices overstep the bounds God has established in the Scriptures, clinging to the new is dangerous indeed! C. Overall, Christians should hold to the authorized, tested, and approved 1. One of the amazing things about Christianity is how it works! 2. When one lets the ancient text speak for itself and obeys God according to its guide, the 2000 year divide does not mean much! 3. The example of Christ and the Apostles are sufficient for us today-- 1 Corinthians 11:1, Philippians 3:13-17 4. The more "simple," the more "primitive" the actions, the more effective they tend to be! D. We ought not, however, carry either position to the extreme 1. Newness in spiritual things ought to be examined with suspicion, but this does not mean that we live like it's 95 CE! 2. While the Scriptures are old, and the practices established therein are tried and approved, age in and of itself is no inherent indicator of authority or truth VI. Conclusion A. We have seen that modern and ancient views of new and old are radically different B. As Christians, we are called upon to live in a new world on old principles C. While new things in spiritual matters can be suspicious, and many have gone astray because of new doctrines and practices without Biblical authority, we are to live in the world, and therefore we must bring maturity in Biblical understanding and proper action to the "new" world and its technology D. We certainly are not to cast aspersions on older things as the world seems to do, but in the end the Scriptures, not antiquity, represent the authority E. The message is old, but the message is just as true today as it was 2,000 years ago F. Jesus Christ came in the flesh, died for our sins, and has given us the opportunity for eternal life through obedience to Him G. Come, obey the message of old, and become a new man or woman in Christ! H. Perhaps you have not held to the ancient standard of the Scriptures and require encouragement I. If any of these apply, please come to the front as we stand and sing ---------------------------------------- ELDV Ethan R. Longhenry/ disciple_of_iesus@hotmail.com Homepage: http://www.deusvitae.com AOLIM: Deus Vitae/ ICQ#: 28317056 MSN Messenger ID: deusvitae/ Yahoo! Messenger ID: discipuliiesus Matthew 10:25a (ESV): "It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master." Visit The Christian Examiner! http://www.thechristianexaminer.com From disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com Thu Oct 21 21:48:12 2004 From: disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com (Ethan R. Longhenry) Date: Fri Oct 22 19:58:25 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S:> A New Thing Message-ID: <000401c4b7e1$926fc6a0$0200a8c0@Longhenry> Brethren, Greetings. I intend to preach this lesson this Sunday evening. It is available online through http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/outlines/index.html at http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/outlines/newthing.txt Thanks! ------------------------------------- A New Thing I. This Lesson! New! Fresh! A. As 21st century Americans, we recognize the appeal of "newness" B. In our current system, old means outdated, a lack of change equals stagnancy C. The desire is always to find and/or make something new and fresh! 1. There is always something "new" on the menu 2. A toiletry or cleaning product has a "new composition" or is "improved" 3. This extends even to human bodies-- youth and its percieved vitality are greatly sought D. Two Reasons for this trend 1. The past 200 years have been a blur of technological development a. almost every facet of our lives have seen advancements in technology b. relatively, almost everything in our lives is "new" c. To survive and adapt in this society, we must be used to new things and change and technological development d. Society, therefore, is used to new things and change and depends on newness 2. Marketing a. Since we are a society used to and desiring change and newness, marketers and companies work hard to make and promote new and/or improved products b. Or perhaps we as a society are used to and desiring change and newness because marketers and advertisers act this way? c. The companies and marketers have been fairly successful-- the appeal to newness is obviously accepted by society E. What has this trend caused? 1. Anything commonly accepted in previous times is dismissed as irrelevant 2. Age implies irrelevancy, out of date, "primitive," inferior 3. That which is new, fresh, and exciting will be accepted over that which is older, not as fresh 4. Age is something to be ashamed of, and one ought to attempt to gain youth in any way possible F. How does this compare with more ancient and Biblical worldviews? II. The Ancient View of Antiquity A. In most ways the ancient view of new vs. old is completely different B. In the ancient world, that which is old is proven, tested, held by tradition, was held in great esteem C. It was that which was new-- something unproven, without any authority of age or experience-- that was looked upon with suspicion D. In Greek literature, the adjective for "new" was often used as something calamitous, dangerous! E. Early Christian apologetics had to contend with this mindset-- many people would not give Christianity any consideration because it was "new!" 1. the generally religiously tolerant Roman Empire was rather intolerant of Christianity because they perceived it as a "superstition"-- after all, what kind of religion would begin under Tiberius? 2. The early Christian apologists would appeal to their ties with Judaism and its antiquity to rebut this argument F. Acts 17:21 1. Luke makes a comment about the Athenians that is rather perjorative 2. They desired nothing but to speak and hear of "new" things 3. Their quibbling did not result in real knowledge G. We see, therefore, that the ancient and modern world have radically different worldview in regards to old and new H. Shall we accept all new things and reject the old? Or shall we hold fast to that which is old and reject any and all new things? Or is it to be a balance? What is that balance? I. Let's explore some of these issues III. Newness: Not Always Bad A. Newness is not inherently bad or wrong B. Christianity, after all, was pretty new in the 1st century! C. We must have newness of life through baptism in Jesus Christ (Romans 6:4)-- we must become new creatures in Christ! D. We also have never been commanded to live in ancient Roman society and culture 1. If we look in the Scriptures, we do see some specific cultural indicators of the first century, but the majority of commands and examples cross cultural and temporal boundaries 2. Paul established that we are to live in the world, yet not be conformed to it (1 Corinthians 5:10, Romans 12:2) 3. We must take Christianity and its principles into the world...and therefore into its new things! E. Newness, therefore, is not inherently wrong-- every one of us must become a new creature in Christ, and the Bible and its principles transcend any particular cultural context IV. Age: Not Always Good A. Christianity is now, of course, an old religion, and there is a strong tendency to resist any and all changes 1. This tendency is not always bad-- in fact, it is rather good 2. But there are some issues in which a resistance to change is not profitable B. Judaism vs. Christianity 1. If antiquity were the sole authority, then all of Christianity would have to be set aside for the more ancient Judaism and its practices 2. We recognize, however, that change is not inherently wrong and that Christ, through His sacrifice, caused the end of one covenant and the beginning of the new (Hebrews 7-9) C. Biblical Versions 1. One of the best examples of this is the Bible itself! 2. We have seen throughout time that the Bible has been translated and re-translated from its original texts since antiquity! 3. There is a tendency today, however, for some to cling to certain versions-- the KJV of 1611 and occasionally the ASV of 1901-- and who vehemently reject any newer translations 4. There is certainly nothing wrong with those versions, but reality dictates that language does change and the American of 2004 does not speak in the same way as the Brit of 1611! D. Age, therefore, is not the sole criterion for authority E. Neither is age to be cast out! V. What Shall We Do? A. What, then, shall we do? B. Overall, the modern obsession with newness is detrimental in spiritual matters 1. Many a denomination has accepted and used new concepts and practices 2. Most sources of error are from new things, like in Athens! a. the doctrines of Catholicism, Calvinism, etc. are younger than the Bible b. Instrumental music used in churches is certainly newer than the Bible 3. "Newness" is often equal to conformity to the world a. Romans 12:1-2, 1 John 2:15-17: we are not to conform to the world or love it and accept its values b. denominations, however, are shaken with every cultural wind c. Acceptance of homosexuality, fornication, adultery, and softer teaching on avoidance of sin stem in many ways from societal changes in attitude over the past 150 years 4. When new practices overstep the bounds God has established in the Scriptures, clinging to the new is dangerous indeed! C. Overall, Christians should hold to the authorized, tested, and approved 1. One of the amazing things about Christianity is how it works! 2. When one lets the ancient text speak for itself and obeys God according to its guide, the 2000 year divide does not mean much! 3. The example of Christ and the Apostles are sufficient for us today-- 1 Corinthians 11:1, Philippians 3:13-17 4. The more "simple," the more "primitive" the actions, the more effective they tend to be! D. We ought not, however, carry either position to the extreme 1. Newness in spiritual things ought to be examined with suspicion, but this does not mean that we live like it's 95 CE! 2. While the Scriptures are old, and the practices established therein are tried and approved, age in and of itself is no inherent indicator of authority or truth VI. Conclusion A. We have seen that modern and ancient views of new and old are radically different B. As Christians, we are called upon to live in a new world on old principles C. While new things in spiritual matters can be suspicious, and many have gone astray because of new doctrines and practices without Biblical authority, we are to live in the world, and therefore we must bring maturity in Biblical understanding and proper action to the "new" world and its technology D. We certainly are not to cast aspersions on older things as the world seems to do, but in the end the Scriptures, not antiquity, represent the authority E. The message is old, but the message is just as true today as it was 2,000 years ago F. Jesus Christ came in the flesh, died for our sins, and has given us the opportunity for eternal life through obedience to Him G. Come, obey the message of old, and become a new man or woman in Christ! H. Perhaps you have not held to the ancient standard of the Scriptures and require encouragement I. If any of these apply, please come to the front as we stand and sing ---------------------------------------- ELDV Ethan R. Longhenry/ disciple_of_iesus@hotmail.com Homepage: http://www.deusvitae.com AOLIM: Deus Vitae/ ICQ#: 28317056 MSN Messenger ID: deusvitae/ Yahoo! Messenger ID: discipuliiesus Matthew 10:25a (ESV): "It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master." Visit The Christian Examiner! http://www.thechristianexaminer.com From joe at bibleanswer.com Fri Oct 22 12:45:35 2004 From: joe at bibleanswer.com (Joe R. Price) Date: Fri Oct 22 19:58:26 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] B>The Spirit's Sword (VIII:17) - October 24, 2004 Message-ID: <4179473F.4090306@bibleanswer.com> THE SPIRIT'S SWORD (Volume VIII, Number 17 - October 24, 2004) "And take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17) Published by: The Mt. Baker church of Christ 1860 Mt. Baker HWY Bellingham, WA 98226 Visit our Web Sites: Mt. Baker church of Christ: http://mtbakercofc.org Bible Answers: http://www.bibleanswer.com The Spirit's Sword: http://www.bibleanswer.com/ssword.htm Editor: Joe R. Price In this issue: ____________________________________ -Why Do You Study the Bible? -Preaching Christ and Worshipping with Instrumental Music? -Sermon Outline: --Daily Duties ____________________________________ WHY DO YOU STUDY THE BIBLE? Joe R. Price There is no dispute that we need to study and learn God?s word, the Bible. Without study we will not understand what we read (Acts 8:30); we will not grow in the knowledge of the Lord (2 Pet. 3:18); we will not increase in personal faith (Rom. 10:17); we will not be able to ?carefully follow? the doctrine of Christ (2 Tim. 3:10); we cannot be good teachers of the word (Heb. 5:12-13); and we will not be able to discern good from evil (Heb. 5:14). We are all instructed to ?give diligence? to be approved before God by rightly dividing the word of God (2 Tim. 2:15, ASV). There is no substitute for deliberate, dedicated Bible study (1 Tim. 4:13-16). Regrettably, some people are ?always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth? (2 Tim. 3:7). This is not because they lack the capacity to learn. According to the text, it is because they are ?loaded down with sins? and ?led away by various lusts? (2 Tim. 3:6). When one surrenders himself to unholy motives and ungodly conduct he will not be anxious to learn the truth found in God?s word. This person has already made up his mind ? don?t confuse him with the facts. To study and learn what God?s word teaches about his life would expose his sin to the light of divine truth and rebuke him for it (Jno. 3:19-21). It is tragic, but true, that some people like the darkness because ?their deeds are evil? (Jno. 3:19). Each of us should study God?s word with the purpose of helping us to examine ourselves to see if we are ?in the faith? (2 Cor. 13:5). Is my heart ?in the faith? in its character, its motives and its goals? How will I know unless I compare my heart to what the Bible says my heart should be (see Col. 3:12-14)? If my heart is not what it should be in the sight of God, my conduct, however righteous it may appear to men, is merely a facade that will not stand in the day of judgment (1 Cor. 4:4-5; 2 Cor. 5:10). When our heart is pure, our conduct will be holy (Matt. 5:8; 1 Jno. 3:2-3). Better to know that now so one can repent, than to rush headlong into hell. So, when you study the Bible, do so to first help yourself. You will then be better equipped to teach and help those who are still held in the bondage of sin (Matt. 7:1-5; 2 Tim. 2:24-26). By doing so, God will be honored as you are ?filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding? (Col. 1:9; Eph. 3:21). ____________________ PREACHING CHRIST AND WORSHIPPING WITH INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC? Joe R. Price We must preach the cross of Christ, or our preaching is vain (1 Cor. 1:17-25; 2:1-4; 15:1-5; 1 Ths. 2:4). Some say that to preach on doctrinal topics (such as the organization and work of the local church, marriage, divorce and remarriage, and even the necessity of water baptism for salvation) is not preaching Christ. That conclusion is misguided and not in accord with the word of God. Preaching the cross of Christ entails the entire scope of the gospel, not just faith in the events surrounding Christ?s death, burial and resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1-5). True, without His death and resurrection there would be no salvation, no Christianity. Yet, it is precisely because of the cross of Christ that we have a body of inspired teaching, the New Testament Scriptures, to which we can (and are expected) to conform (Jno. 12:48; Matt. 28:18-20; Col. 3:17). For instance, without the death of Jesus Christ there would be no church. And, without the inspired record of Christ?s relationship to His church we would have an incomplete portrayal of how God expects a marriage to function (Eph. 5:22-33). Similarly, without the cross of Christ our worship would be vain. Without the cross, faith in Christ and every aspect of service to God through Him would be invalidated (Eph. 3:21; 1 Pet. 2:4-5). Conversely, because of the cross, our every attitude and action is related to it (cf. Rom. 6:1-4; Col. 3:1-11). It is a futile and unscriptural effort for men to designate some revealed truth as ?core gospel? while relegating the rest of revealed, authoritative truth to the periphery of spiritual importance. One area wherein this is attempted is the use of instrumental music in worship. A growing number of ?Churches of Christ? are using instrumental music in their worship services. The record shows this has been happening for some time. Consider the words of Larry James, preacher for the Richardson East Church of Christ in Plano, Texas, from almost 20 years ago: ?Music in worship of Churches of Christ. Only a carefully refined ?quarry-exegesis,? having nothing to do with the heart and essence of the Gospel, can argue for a cappella music only, while insisting that instrumental music is in fact sinful. True exegesis will not support our long-held tradition. The outcome of our ingenious ?mining? creates a host of problems for us.? (CARE, Vol. V, 1985; cited in Behold The Pattern, Goebel Music, 131-133). James charged that we have gone to the Bible with a predetermined point of view in order to arrive at the conclusion that only singing is approved by God. Notice he says this has ?nothing to do with the heart and essence of the Gospel.? Worship has nothing to do with the gospel?! This is the ?core gospel? concept and is rotten to the core! We must steadfastly stand against such judgmental, anti-scriptural assessments of Bible teaching and true worship. Offering God the worship of song without instrumental accompaniment is not the product of ?our long-held tradition.? It is not ?Church of Christ doctrine? (I have had people talk about it to me in those terms). Let us state the issue clearly: The Bible authorizes Christians to offer the music of singing in praise and worship of God. Nowhere are Christians instructed to offer the music of playing as a part of true worship. By introducing playing into worship men have added to the word of God. Such alterations of God?s word have been and always will be a sin against God (Deut. 4:2; 1 Cor. 4:6; Gal. 1:8-9; Rev. 22:18-19). We must be content with what the Bible commands us to do. It is not our place to alter what God has spoken (Heb. 12:25). In Old Testament times God?s people worshipped Him using mechanical instruments of music. The scriptures show God?s acceptance of this under the law of Moses (2 Chrn. 29:25-28). Does this mean that God accepts the offering of instrumental music by Christians today (Jno. 4:23-24)? No more than it means God approves of burnt-offerings as a part of our worship of Him. Remember, animal sacrifices were also approved and accepted by God in 2 Chronicles 29:25-28. Read the passage. To appeal to Old Testament usage of instrumental music to justify our use of it today compels one to also offer animal sacrifices to God ? a practice clearly forbidden because of Christ?s sacrifice on the cross (Gal. 5:3; Col. 2:14-15; Heb. 10:10-12). God does not hold us responsible for obeying the Old Testament law today, and we cannot use that law to justify our worship of Him. New Testament teaching on music in worship to God is clear, unambiguous and final in its authority. Singing is commanded of Christians (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). Singing was the practice of the early church (1 Cor. 14:15; Heb. 13:15; Jas. 5:13). Singing is what true worshippers offer Him today (Jno. 4:23-24). Human innovation introduced the use of instrumental music into worship hundreds of years after the days of the apostles (see Instrumental Music in Worship, M.C. Kurfees, pp. 143-197, for extended historical evidence). We are not preaching Christ if our worship is corrupt (Jno. 4:23-24). Our hearts must be right with God as we offer our adoration to Him. And, our action in worship must agree with what God said He will accept. We have no right to change our worship to please ourselves. Remember Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10:1-2). ____________________ For the complete outline go to http://www.bibleanswer.com/dailyduties.htm Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:14-28 DAILY DUTIES Intro. 1. Daily life of Christian, Eph. 2:10; 4:1; Phil. 1:27 (1 Ths. 5:14-28). 2. Some ?daily duties? found in the Bible. I. GATHER THE MANNA DAILY ? Exo. 16:2-4. A. Daily Labor ? 1 Ths. 4:9-12 (Eph. 4:28); Prov. 14:23 (Gen. 3:17-19; Eccl. 2:24; 3:12-13; 5:18; cf. Prov. 19:15). II. DAILY READING OF THE WORD ? Neh. 8:18; 1 Ths. 5:27 (1 Tim. 4:13; 2 Ti. 3:14-15). A. Do Not Quench the Spirit ? 1 Ths. 5:19 (Jno. 6:8; 17:17; Rom. 1:18; Gal. 5:16-18. B. Do Not Despise Prophecies, 1 Ths. 5:20. III. PERFORM YOUR VOWS DAILY ? Psa. 61:8. A. Obligation of Vow before God, Num.30:2 B. Kept with Thanksgiving, 1Ths.5:16,18,23 C. Vow of Marriage, Mal.2:14,16; Mt.19:4-6 IV. DAILY PRAYER ? Psa. 88:9; 1 Ths. 5:17,25. A. Expressions of Faith ? 1 Jno. 5:14-15 (Phil. 4:6-7; Matt. 6:11; 1 Ths. 1:2; 3:10; Eph. 6:18-19). B. Set Habit for Life ? cf. Dan. 6:10. V. DAILY WATCHFULNESS ? Prov. 8:34; 1 Ths. 5:21, 6. A. Watch for what Right & Sin ? 1 Jno. 4:1 (Col. 3:17); Phil. 4:8 (1 Co. 16:13); 1 Pet. 5:8. VI. DAILY CROSS-BEARING, Lk.9:23; 1Th.5:22 A. Sacrifice Self ? Phil. 3:7-8 (Gal. 2:20). B. Rewards ? Matt. 19:27-29 VII. DAILY EXHORTATION ? Heb. 3:13; 1 Ths. 5:14-15, 26. A. Always Pursue what is Good (5:15). ____________________ The Spirit's Sword is a free, weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA Send all questions, comments and subscriptions to the editor at: ssword@bibleanswer.com ********************************************** Joe R Price Email: joe@bibleanswer.com Web Sites: Bible Answers: http://www.bibleanswer.com Mt. Baker church of Christ: http://www.mtbakercofc.org Fax: 775.878.4823 ********************************************** From DavidRiggs01 at comcast.net Fri Oct 22 17:51:11 2004 From: DavidRiggs01 at comcast.net (David Riggs) Date: Fri Oct 22 19:58:27 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] GOD'S ROLE FOR WOMEN Message-ID: <41798EDF.20608@comcast.net> GOD'S ROLE FOR WOMEN By David J. Riggs Intro. A. We studied in our last lesson God's role for men. B. In this lesson, let's consider God's role for women. C. Women are within the priesthood of believers, citizens of the kingdom, and enjoy all of the privileges and blessings therein. Gal. 3:26-29; 1 Pet. 3:9 1. Women share many responsibilities common to men; e.g., in building a happy hone, and in rearing up faithful children. D. In today's society there is growing pressure to have women in leadership roles in the churches. 1. Much of this has come from the change of roles of men and women in our society. E. To faithful Christians, God's word is the final authority on the acceptable roles for both men and women. I. GOD PUT MAN IN THE LEADERSHIP ROLE. A. God placed man as head over the woman. 1 Cor. 11:3 1. This was ordained from the beginning. Gen. 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:13-14; 1 Cor. 14:34 2. Man is head of his wife. Eph. 5:22-24; Col. 3:18; 1 Pet. 3:1,5-6 a. "Head" means "supreme, chief, prominent" (Thayer, p. 345). Compare Christ as head over the church. Eph. 5:23 3. Headship implies leadership. a. Since men have been given the headship, it necessarily follows that men are the leaders and women are the followers. B. Chart #1. (All charts are below this sermon outline). 1. Titus (a man) was to "speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority." Titus 2:15 a. "With all authority" - Greek: epitage, from epi, with; tage, authority. 2. Women are to "learn in silence with all subjection." 1 Tim. 2:11 a. "With all submission" - Greek: hupotage, from hupo, under; tage, authority. 3. Thus, again, women are to take a "learner's" role rather than a "leader's." a. She is to learn in silence under authority. II. WOMEN CANNOT BE APPOINTED AS ELDERS OR DEACONS. 1 Tim. 3:2, 4-5; 3:12; Titus 1:6 A. We learn not only from the positive instruction of the Scriptures, but from the silence as well. 1. If God had wanted women to have an active part in the decision making and leadership roles of the church, He would had appointed them to these offices. III. WOMEN ARE TO LEARN IN SILENCE WITH SUBMISSION. 1 Tim. 2:11-15 A. First, she is to learn in "silence." The same Greek word is used in both verses 11 and 12. 1. The Greek word for "silence" is "hesuchia" (hay-soo- khee'-ah) and is defined: a. "Stillness, i.e. desistance from bustle or language:--quietness, silence." (Strong) b. "...Associated with 'meek,' and is to characterize the spirit or disposition." (Vine) 2. Chart #2 - This word is found four times in the N.T. Acts 22:2; 2 Thess. 3:12; 1 Tim. 2:11-12 a. By looking at the context surrounding the usage of a word, we can better understand it. b. "Hesuchia" indicates a quiet manner (in disposition and speech) as opposed to a loud, clamorous, boisterous, noisy one. B. Not only is the woman to learn in silence with all subjection, but she is not to teach nor usurp authority over the man. 1. In both cases, the second phrase qualifies the first. a. "Let woman learn in silence" is extended "with all subjection." b. "But I suffer not a woman to teach" is qualified by "nor to usurp authority over the man." See chart #3 - 1 Tim. 2:11-12 c. Paul is saying that a woman is not to teach a man in such a way as to have dominion over him. 2. Notice also that the context of 1 Tim. 2 is not confined to the assembly. C. Here are some ways a woman is to teach. 1. First of all, she is commanded to teach. 2 Tim. 2:2 a. "Men" is Greek "anthropos" - a human being whether man or woman. b. Thus, both men and women are to be able to teach others. 2. She is commanded to teach other women. Titus 2:3-4 3. She is to teach her children as shown in the example of Lois and Eunice. 2 Tim. 1:5; 3:15 4. She is to teach in congregational singing. Col. 3:16 5. Women taught in the private situations. Acts 18:26; 21:9 a. Our Bible classes should be considered as private situations. If each Bible class assembled in different places, e.g., in people's homes, it would not be "the church" together. b. When we bring that same situation under one roof, it is still not "the church" together. 6. In all of these situations, the woman is not to teach in such a way as to disregard her subjection to man. a. All arrangements in which she takes the lead over men, or exercises a position over men, are forbidden. b. Modern man is not authorized to "give" her such positions. IV. WOMEN CANNOT SPEAK WHEN THE CHURCH IS TOGETHER. 1 Cor. 14:34-35 A. The word "silence" is from the Greek: sigao, (see-gah'-o) and is used nine times in the N.T. Luke 9:36; 20:26; Acts 12:17; 15:12,13; Rom. 16:25; 1 Cor. 14:28,30,34. Chart #4 B. The Greek word for "silence" means: 1. "...Keep close (secret, silence), hold peace." (Strong) 2. "To keep silence, hold one's peace." (Thayer) C. The word "church" here is the Greek word "ekklesia" and means "assembly, church." 1. See chart #5 "In The Church" 2. "As also saith the law." - Probably from Gen. 3:16 -- "he shall rule over thee." D. See chart #6 - Common Objections. Concl. A. We review our main points: 1. God placed man as head over the woman. 2. Women cannot be appointed as elders or deacons. 3. Women must learn in silence with submission. 4. Women cannot speak when the church is together. B. Women can glorify God by humbly doing the work God assigned them. 1. She should never "usurp authority" where none has been given to her by God. 2. There are a mountain of good works that a woman can do in her God given role. Chart #1 Titus (a man) was to "speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority." (Titus 2:15) Greek: epitage, from epi, with; tage, authority Women are to "learn in silence with all subjection." (1 Tim. 2:11) Greek: hupotage, from hupo, under; tage, authority Chart #2 The Greek word "hesuchia" (silence) 11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. (1 Tim. 2:11-12) 2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,) (Acts 22:2) 12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. (2 Thess. 3:12) Chart #3 1 Tim. 2:11-12 Let women learn in silence------with all subjection But I suffer not a woman to teach------nor to usurp authority over the man Thus, Paul is saying that a woman is not to teach a man in such a way as to have dominion over him. Chart #4 The Greek word "sigao" (keep silence) And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen. (Luke 9:36) And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marveled at his answer, and held their peace. (Luke 20:26) But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go show these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place. (Acts 12:17) 12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. 13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: (Acts 15:12-13) Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, (Rom 16:25) 28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. 29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. 30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. 31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. 35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. (1 Cor. 14:28-34) Chart #5 "in the church" vs. 4 - "he who prophecies edifies the church" vs. 5 - "unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification" vs. 12 - "let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel" vs. 19 - "yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding" vs. 23 - "Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place" vs. 26 - "Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm" vs. 28 - "if there be no interpreter, let him keep silent in church" vs. 33 - "but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints" vs. 34 - "Let your women keep silent in the churches" vs. 35 - "for it is shameful for women to speak in church" Thus, it would not include the private situations (when the church is not together). Acts 18:26; 1 Tim. 2:2; Titus 2:3-5 Even in private situations, she is not to teach over a man. 1 Tim. 2:11-15 Chart #6 Answering Common Objections: I. "The word 'your' means the prophet's wives." A. The word "your" is not in most manuscripts. B. Even if Paul said, "your women," it does not mean prophet's wives only. II. "Paul was regulating a spiritually gifted assembly, and we do not have such assemblies today." A. Paul did not say that "the prophets wives" or "the inspired women" should keep silence in the churches. B. Paul said it shameful for a woman (any woman) to speak in the church. III. "Paul's instructions do not apply to all women because all women do not have husbands." A. Normally, young women do not seek leadership roles; thus, Paul addresses those who normally would have husbands. B. It is the same as "call for the elders" (James 5:14) when there are no elders. Thus, call for the spiritually strong to pray in your behalf. C. Paul instructions simply mean that if they have any questions, let them ask them in the private situations, not when the church is together. IV. "Paul's words do not apply to us today, because it means that a woman could not sing or confess Christ." A. Couldn't the Corinthian women sing or confess? B. Couldn't the prophets who were told to keep silent, sing? C. The context (ch. 14) has to do with addressing the congregation, and Paul instructs women to be silent in the church. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041022/29de2b95/attachment.htm From ken at newmanroad.com Fri Oct 22 12:24:08 2004 From: ken at newmanroad.com (Ken Chapman) Date: Fri Oct 22 19:58:28 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] (R) Studies/Lessons on Worship Message-ID: <20041022172408.89296.qmail@web13523.mail.yahoo.com> Brethren- We are to study "Improving our Worship" or "Getting More out of our Worship Services." Anybody have any lessons or thoughts on this subject. Thanks... In Him, Ken ===== Ken Chapman 2312 S. Florida Ave. Joplin, MO 64804 --------------------- Home: (417) 782-8462 Office: (417) 627-0762 Cell: (417) 438-4835 From harperwest at yahoo.com Fri Oct 22 22:05:46 2004 From: harperwest at yahoo.com (Steven C Harper) Date: Fri Oct 22 22:13:28 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A> Zealous For God Message-ID: <00a001c4b8ad$32320b50$4d4e0945@SCHarperWork> From: TRUTH & REASON, a bulletin of the Glendale church of Christ, Glendale, AZ. Editor: Steven Harper October 24, 2004 Zealous For God When the Israelites camped in the plains of Moab, just outside the Promised Land, we are told that some of them were "joined to Baal of Peor" (Num. 25:3). We also find that some "began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab" (v. 1) and they were invited to "the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods" (v. 2). It is no wonder that we read "the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel" (v. 3) and no wonder He commanded Moses, "Take all the leaders of the people and hang the offenders before the Lord, out in the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel" (v. 4). With this command, Moses said to the judges of Israel, "Every one of you kill his men who were joined to Baal of Peor" (v. 5). As this command was given, one foolish Israelite [Zimri] was so bold to bring a Midianite woman to his tent in the sight of all to commit fornication with her, even as many of his brethren had come weeping to the door of the tabernacle (v. 6). Though some had come to the tabernacle, apparently seeking the mercy of God, some were still foolishly following their fleshly desires while thinking nothing of the consequences of their foolish actions. But one man noted the brazen disregard for God's will and decided to take things into his own hands. When Phinehas, the son of Aaron saw it, "he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body" (v. 8). Because Phinehas took action, "the plague was stopped among the children of Israel." After this, the Lord told Moses that he had turned back His wrath from the children of Israel "because he was zealous with My zeal among them" (v. 11). He would go on to make a covenant of an everlasting priesthood with Phinehas and his household "because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel" (v. 13). Because Phinehas acted with haste and zeal for God, further punishment and destruction for others was averted and he was blessed. Because "whatever things were written before were written for our learning" (Rom. 15:4), we should take a minute to think about some important lessons we might learn from the actions of Phinehas in this situation. Though we may not be in the situation of having to stem the tide of God's wrath on His people such as Phinehas was, there are still some important lessons. First, let us recognize the value of zeal in the sight of God. Note well that God said it was Phinehas who turned back His wrath from the children of Israel, and it was "because he was zealous with My zeal among them." God saw the actions of Phinehas as a demonstration of his zeal for Him and His ways and, for that, he was blessed. Does not God still look upon His people favorably when they display such zeal? That's not to say he expects us to go out and run a javelin through His people who are acting godlessly, but does he not still seek those who are zealous? Has He not promised a reward to those who are diligent for His sake (cf. Heb. 11:6)? Yes! In fact, we are told that we should be "diligent to present yourself approved to God" (2 Tim. 2:15). Are we doing just that? Are we diligent in trying to rightly divide the word of truth, or are we lazy in our attempts to both understand and apply it? And since we are promised a reward if we "diligently seek Him," are we doing that? Or, do we seek Him only in times of trouble or when we are looking to justify ourselves? Diligence and zeal is required of the disciple of Christ, and should be a daily demonstration of our faith. Second, let us note the actions of some of the other people at the time of this sinful behavior. Though some were indulging in sin, there were some who had come to the door of the tabernacle, apparently seeking the mercy of the Lord (Num. 25:6). They apparently believed that a sacrifice or offering would appease the anger of the Lord for the sins of their brethren, and this is to be commended. But what did the most good: offering a sacrifice, or - as Phinehas did - an obvious demonstration of hatred for the sinful actions being committed before all? While the offerings and supplications of the people may have eventually appeased God's wrath and ceased the plague, what they needed was something much more immediate! It was because of the zeal of Phinehas that the wrath of God ceased, and it prevented further punishments and destruction. For us today, we may not be in such a dire situation where God's wrath is decimating the numbers of His people, but we do have sin, rank error, and false teachers amongst the brethren; What are we doing about it? Yes, it is certainly a commendable thing to offer up sincere prayers and intercessions for those affected; it is commendable to continue to study with those who are practicing sin and even those propagating error, for the purpose of getting them to cease. But what is happening in the meantime? While sin continues its raging destruction of God's people, and while these false teachers continue to spread their errors which lead to sin, isn't it time we had a Phinehas stand up and "run the javelin through" [figuratively-speaking] those who are committing sin and propagating error amongst our brethren? [How about using the sword of the Spirit?] Isn't it high time we make a clear demonstration of our hatred for the sin and false teaching amongst us, and of our zeal for God and His ways? YES! That said, I must also offer up the example of another man who was zealous for God: Saul (Acts 22:3). Here was a man who made it his aim to personally persecute and/or destroy the church (Gal. 1:13). He "made havoc of the church" (Acts 8:3), compelling some to blaspheme and deny Jesus, shutting up some in prison, and casting his vote against them when they were put to death (Acts 26:10, 11). All the while, he sincerely thought he "must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth" (Acts 26:9). How did he justify himself? What was the explanation? Later, after he was converted and had been preaching the gospel for many years, he would say of himself that it was done "ignorantly and in unbelief" (1 Tim. 1:13). Though he was zealous, it was a misdirected zeal (Gal. 1:14)! His firsthand experience with this misdirected zeal would allow him to write knowingly of the zeal of his own brethren, a zeal that has led them to reject Christ just as he once had (Rom. 10:1-3). The warning for us is this: "it is good to be zealous in a good thing always" (Gal. 4:18), but let us make absolutely sure we are zealous in the right thing. It is not commendable to God if we have zeal for the wrong thing. Zeal for eliminating sin is commendable, but fault-finding is not; zeal for exposing error and those who teach it is commendable, but doing it just to make a name for yourself is not; zeal for the truth is commendable, but not if we exclude other portions of God's word, or so focus on one aspect that we neglect the rest. The word zeal has the literal meaning of being on fire; bubbling over. In the realm of our faith, we are admonished to be "zealous for good works" (Titus 2:14). Let us ensure we understand what those good works are and what truth is. We should be "on fire" with a desire for God and His ways, but let us - at the same time - be cautious; Fire destroys and can get out of control. -- Steven Harper Truth - is as old as God - His Twin identity And will endure as long as He A Co-Eternity -- Emily Dickinson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041022/78413511/attachment-0001.htm From rabspar at yahoo.com Fri Oct 22 22:48:50 2004 From: rabspar at yahoo.com (Roger Blackwelder) Date: Fri Oct 22 22:52:30 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] RE: Q) Bible Class Material Message-ID: <20041023034850.98946.qmail@web50004.mail.yahoo.com> Thanks to those who replied to my question. All seemed to basically agree about the answer. Brotherly, Roger Blackwelder --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041022/fcb78f4b/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 23 06:01:56 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Sat Oct 23 09:51:18 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) INFLUENCE Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Friday morn- ing to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with an enjoyable day. Here is an article that recently came my way: INFLUENCE There is an old adage which says, "Actions speak louder than words." And that is the truth. We call it "influence." The power one to sway other people along certain courses of action because of his wealth, position, or ability. Influence, either for good or evil, follows in the wake of one's actions and not of what one says he will do or not do. One of the first places I fully came to be aware of this power was in the parent-child relationship. I would see parents warning their children not to smoke. In between their ad- onitions that smoking caused halitosis, hacking coughs, and lung cancer would be a puff from a cigarette and this feeble rebuke, "Now, don't do as I do but do as I tell you to do." Given man's propensity toward evil, I knew how far that advice went for the betterment of mankind. What makes influence such a powerful tool is the fact that each of us possess it. There are people who watch us, who admire something about us, who imitate our actions. If put to its proper use, influence can be a great means of leading someone to obey Christ. Listen to Jesus, "For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you" (Jno. 13:15). Jesus spoke of actions. Paul wrote, "Be ye imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ" (1 Cor. 11;1). Another apostle of Christ wrote of deeds, Peter said, "For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow His steps" (1 Pet. 2:21). To follow anyone's foot- steps, we must walk. The word "example" as used by Peter liter- ally means "an under-writing." It refers to teaching children the alphabet. A copy of the letters of the alphabet would be distribut- ed to each child. They would write underneath the example of the letter as it should be drawn, trying to reproduce it as closely as possible. We must pattern our lives after Jesus. We must do our best to live as He lived, "to be holy as He is holy." Thus, "by their fruits ye shall know them." Influence Begins With The Heart: -- Only as we keep the seat of our intellect, emotions, and will unmixed with evil, can we expect to wield the silent power of influence for good. Solomon wrote, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life" (Prov. 4:23). In the ASV, "with all diligence" is footnoted "above all that thou guardest." We must see the nec-essity of keeping our heart right with God. We must see the dan- ger in letting our thoughts aimlessly wander from sin to sin, of toy- ing with its pleasures in our mind, of calculating our pursuit of it. We must heed the Lord, who was tempted like we are tempted, yet without sin, for He said, "For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, covetings, wickednesses, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, railing, pride, foolishness: all these evil things pro- ceed from within and defile the man" (Mk. 7:21-23). Influence Is The Result Of Doing Good: -- If influence is sought for its own sake, then it is a matter of selfish pride and not an attempt to glorify God. The Pharisees were guilty of seeking their own glory above the glory of the Father. They loved to spread their influence for the sake of spreading their influence (cf. Matt. 6:1-5). Jesus said, "Ye are the salt of the earth...Ye are the light of the world...so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:13,14,16). The reason we do good works and influence others to do good works is not "to be seen of men." Rather, that being seen, others may understand that we serve God to glorify Him. We are the light of the world. We must penetrate the evil world and show forth the excellencies of Christ as surely as the light of a burning star pierces the darkness of night. We must preserve from corruption by giving life to people who are spiritually dying as surely as salt gives protection to meat that would decay and become rancid without it (cf. Phil. 2:15,16). And above all things we must be steadfast, unmovable, con- stant in our endeavor to serve God. We cannot fellowship evil and expect our influence to be good. We must not fraternize the enemy. Our teachings and deeds must be consistent. Surely we can see this in the life of Jesus. "He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad" (Matt. 12:30). -----Chuck Durham via Gospel Power, Vol. 11, No. 40, Oct. 10, 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041023/dac1e3bc/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 23 06:01:59 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Sat Oct 23 10:11:03 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) DOES THE LORD REALLY MEAN IT? (1) Message-ID: <55.64b43099.2eab9427@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the first part of this study on this particular subject. Use to the glory of God. DOES THE LORD REALLY MEAN IT? (1) "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by Thy name, and by Thy name cast out demons, and by Thy name do many mighty works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity" (Matt. 7:21-23). A lot of folk seem to think that the Lord does not always mean what He says. The Scripture above is a good example of that. Just as those of whom the Lord speaks, they think that they can ignore at least some of what the Lord says, and that there will be no consequences. But Jesus shows that the consequences are sure -- good or bad, depending on whether or not we do what He tells us to do. Those folk could boast, "Lord, look at all the work I did for you," but Jesus will reply, "I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." Our eternity depends on accep- ting the fact that the Lord means what He says. He Meant What He Said To Adam And Eve: -- When God put man in the Garden of Eden, He gave them access to all the benefits of the garden. With one exception: "And Jehovah 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'" (Gen. 2:16,17). But the devil came along and said, "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 as God, knowing good and evil" (Gen. 3:4,5). Adam and Eve accepted Satan's premise, and ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Did God really mean it? "And Jehovah God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: therefore Jehovah God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken" (Gen. 3:22,23). Why were they driven out of the Garden of Eden and from God's presence? The prophet answers: "Behold, Jehovah's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, so that He will not hear" (Isa. 59:1,2). Sin separated Adam and Eve from God, and it will do the same for us. God meant what He said. He Meant What He Said To Nadab And Abihu: -- After God had led Israel out of bondage in Egypt, He instituted a system of worship for them. A part of that dealt with the activities of the priests in burning incense: "And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay wood in order upon the fire...Fire shall be kept burning upon the altar continually; it shall not go out...and he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar before Jehovah, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil" (Lev. 1:7; 6:13; 16:12). That seems simple enough. Priests were to use the fire from the altar and burn the incense. But someone didn't pay attention. "And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire therein, and laid incense there- on, and offered strange fire before Jehovah, which He had not commanded them. And there came forth fire from before Jehovah, and devoured them, and they died before Jehovah" (Lev. 10:1,2). After all, fire is fire, so what difference can it make? Because God had not commanded that fire, but required fire from the altar, it was not a small thing. You see, God meant exactly what He said. And when those two sons of Aaron "went beyond" (2 Jno. 9) what God had said, they were punished with sudden death by fire from before Jehovah. Yes, God means what He says. (More will be posted on this Monday, the Lord willing. JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041023/d099e92f/attachment.htm From wswalker310 at juno.com Sat Oct 23 09:04:27 2004 From: wswalker310 at juno.com (Wayne S Walker) Date: Sat Oct 23 10:11:53 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] hymn study, "The Call For Reapers" Message-ID: <20041023.091134.1772.7.wswalker310@juno.com> Wayne Walker here with another weekly hymn study which will also be my lesson for this coming Sunday evening. "THE CALL FOR REAPERS" TEXT: "I sent you to reap..." (Jn. 4.38) INTRO.: A song which encourages us to be reapers in the Lord's harvest is "The Call For Reapers" (or "Far and Near," #387 in "Hymns for Worship Revised" and #108 in "Sacred Selections for the Church"). The text is usually identified as having been written by J. O. Thompson. Early research suggested that a John O. Thompson, who lived from 1782 to 1818, may have been the author, although this would mean that he must have produced the words long before the hymn was first published in 1885. However, later research has determined that the the author was James Oren Thompson, who was born on June 9, 1834, in Waldo, ME. During the American Civil War, he served in Maine's 17th Infantry Regiment, rising from second lieutenant to captain. Thompson's service record indicates that he was a minister upon entering the army, and after the war he joined the Methodist Episcopal Maine Conference in 1866. From there, he transferred to the Providencem RI, Conference, later renamed the the New England Southern Conference, and retired in 1886, when he moved to Keyser, WV, and edited "The Mountain Echo." Afterwards, he went to Charleston, WV, and worked as secretary to the Board of Agriculture. In 1905, he moved to St. Petersburg, FL, where he served as minister of the First Ave. Methodist Church and died on Sept. 28, 1917. The tune (Clemm or Harvesttime) was composed by James Bowman Overton Clem (1855-1927). The son of William D. T. Clem of Keyser, WV, nephew of Methodist Episcopal bishop Thomas Bowman, and cousin to Virginia Clem, wife of writer Edgar Allan Poe, he spent most of his life in Keyser. The first known appearance of the song was in John H. Vincent's "The Epworth Hymnal Containing Standard Hymns," published in 1885 at New York City, NY, by Phillps and Hunt. Among songbooks published by members of the Lord's church, it seems to have first appeared in 1888 in "Standard Church Hymns" compiled by Christopher Columbus Cline (1848-1920). The copyright was renewed in 1913 by the Methodist Book Concern, but later, at least by 1923, it was owned by Eaton and Main. The song suggests that we ask the Lord to send forth reapers into His harvest. I. Stanza 1 says that we need reapers because the fields are teeming "Far and near the fields are teeming With the waves of ripened grain; Far and near their gold is gleaming O'er the sunny slope and plain." A. In the parable of the tares, Jesus used the field to represent the world: Matt. 13.36-38 B. The waves of ripened grain would then represent souls that need to be saved: Acts 18.9-10 C. Thus, the reapers should go far and near, over slope and plain, into all the world: Mk. 16.15-16 II. Stanza 2 says that we need reapers because there is work for morning, noon, and night "Send them forth with morn's first beaming, Send them in the noontide's glare; When the sun's last rays are gleaming, Bid them gather everywhere." A. Jesus' parable of the workers in the vineyard indicates that He wants His laborers to work for Him at all times in their lives: Matt. 20.1-7 B. The work of these laborers is to gather in the harvest: Lk. 10.2 C. This gathering should be made everywhere there are lost souls: Lk. 14.21 III. Stanza 3 says that we need reapers because there are sheaves to be gathered "O thou, whom thy Lord is sending, Gather now the sheaves of gold; Heavenward then at evening wending, Thou shalt come with joy untold." A. The Lord wants to send people to do His work: Isa. 6.8 B. Some workers plant, some water, and others gather the increase that God gives: 1 Cor. 3.6-8 C. The Lord has promised that those who continually sow the seed in tears shall reap in joy and bring in the sheaves with them: Ps. 126.5-6 CONCL.: The choorus emphasizes the need continually to pray for reapers: "Lord of harvest, send forth reapers! Hear us, Lord, to Thee we cry; Send them now the sheaves to gather, Ere the harvest-time pass by." As we ask the Lord to send reapers, let us remember that it may well be that He wishes to use us in this great work. Therefore, we should do everything we can to see that the seed is sown and the harvest gathered as we hear and respond to "The Call For Reapers." Brotherly, Wayne S. Walker 9024 Amona Dr. Affton, MO 63123 home phone: (314) 638-4710 office phone: (314) 842-1612 e-mail: wswalker310@juno.com website: www.defenderoftruth.com From mickc at whizardries.com Sat Oct 23 10:21:29 2004 From: mickc at whizardries.com (Mickey Chandler) Date: Sat Oct 23 10:23:03 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Server downtime Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.2.20041023101600.056eb978@pop.earthlink.net> This is an administrative note to let you know that our servers will be offline for several hours beginning at approximately 11:00 PM CDT on Sunday evening. For those of you in other lands, that will be approximately 5:00 AM UTC. During this time our server will be taken completely offline and moved to a new location. We fully anticipate a smooth and orderly transition so the only real downtime will be during the three to four hours it takes to actually move the server from its old home to its new one. We thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation. -- Mickey Chandler Chief Operating Whizard Whizardries, Inc. (http://www.whizardries.com) Stitchery Mall (http://www.stitcherymall.com) From cbjlaj at cox.net Sat Oct 23 14:10:20 2004 From: cbjlaj at cox.net (Boyd Jennings) Date: Sat Oct 23 14:13:53 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] illustration Message-ID: <417AAC9C.000003.77137@BOYD> Who remembers the boys name & the circumstances involved? He was a starter on his high school football team, which had done well that season, but he refused to participate in the playoff game that was scheduled during an assembly time. Thanks for any help... Boyd Jennings -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041023/8461d3e1/attachment.htm From dmartin5 at concentric.net Sat Oct 23 12:27:35 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Sat Oct 23 14:15:40 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Comments on Joe Price's good article, "Preaching Christ and Worshipping with Instrumental Music?" Message-ID: <002601c4b925$96af0ec0$91306a43@concentric.net> Don Martin to the list: Joe Price recently wrote an excellent article titled, "Preaching Christ and Worshipping with Instrumental Music?" I would like to play the role of the devil's advocate and consider some matters with you. Do not worry, I shall make the truth plain and not confuse truth with error by inserting a lot of ambiguity and equivocation without a clear distinction. Author Joe Price wrote: It is a futile and unscriptural effort for men to designate some revealed truth as "core gospel" while relegating the rest of revealed, authoritative truth to the periphery of spiritual importance. One area wherein this is attempted is the use of instrumental music in worship. Don comments: Joe could not be more correct in his above statement. Yet, we are hearing more regarding all agreeing on the principle taught in the scriptures, but differing in the application of that principle and, yet, still being able to maintain unity. To me, embracing the just mentioned philosophy is necessarily negating Joe's good above statement. In the matter of divorce and marriage to another, the scriptures are plain. For instance, there is only one cause for divorce and that one cause is fornication (Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9, I Cor. 7: 2ff.). However, some say we must simply focus on the core doctrine and the core doctrine is, "...one man and one woman for life." Some say this and then include, "with one exception," all the time defending multiple causes for divorce and those who teach multiple causes. When challenged regarding the error and ambiguity of their teaching, some of these men respond by appealing to Romans 14. Playing the devil's advocate: As Joe well points out, mechanical instruments of music in worship have been a source of major division among the people of God. Allow me now to inject Romans 14, the modern version and its application: 1. We must consider the core doctrine of worship and that is, man is to worship God (Jn. 4: 23). 2. While the biblical principle is accepted and held, some are going to differ regarding the application of this principle of man worshipping God. 3. We must remember the teaching of Romans 14 regarding when men differ on the application of the truth. 4. In order to effect unity in the church amid differences of application regarding worship, we must learn Paul's teaching to be patient one with another (Rom. 14) in the matter of mechanical instruments in worship. To make all this sound more scriptually palatable, I would add: "Romans 14 does not sanction unity in doctrinal and moral diversity (2 Jno. 9-11; Gal. 1:6-10; 1 Cor. 4:6, 17 and other verses expose this error)" (quotation taken from Joe's, "The 'Forgotten Side' of Romans 14"). Is there a problem with the above? Yes, there is a serious problem. Romans 14 can not be used to call for peace and allowance relative to mechanical music in worship because: 1. God has specified the kind of music to be used (Eph. 5: 19, vocal music). 2. To introduce mechanical music, one must add to the scriptures (Rev. 22: 18, 19). 3. Hence, those who contend for mechanical music are teaching error and are not to be fellowshipped (2 Jn. 9-11). Romans 14 does not apply because mechanical instruments in worship are a sin, while the particularity of Romans 14, days, meat, and oinos, are morally and doctrinally indifferent. Editor Joe Price is very clear in his treatment of music in praise to God. Hear him: "New Testament teaching on music in worship to God is clear, unambiguous and final in its authority. Singing is commanded of Christians (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). Playing the role of the devil's advocate: Pertaining to mechanical instruments in worship, why could I not apply Joe's language that he used pertaining to MDR: "At the same time, there are some areas in the application of truth that the Lord has left to personal judgment" ("The 'Forgotten Side" of Romans 14"). Answer: I cannot because the scriptures have addressed the matter of music in worship and have specified vocal music, plain and simple. After this same fashion, the scriptures just as plainly and clearly address one cause for divorcement, fornication (Matt. 19: 9). Author Joe Price wrote pertaining to MDR and Romans 14: Brethren are once again challenged to distinguish the difference between binding truth and allowable differences (cf. Phil. 1:9-11). Is it possible to be united in the truth of the gospel on marriage, divorce and remarriage, and yet differ over some specific points of application? Yes, just as surely as it was for the meat-eater and the herb-eater to differ in their application of food consumption while not having fellowship with the idol ("THE 'FORGOTTEN SIDE' OF ROMANS 14"). Keith Greer also recently appealed for tolerance regarding MDR. While Keith did not mention Romans 14 as such in his article that Joe quoted in,"The 'Forgotten Side' of Romans 14," Joe thought Keith's "application" was the same and I agree (I shall include two out of the six of Keith's quoted points, as quoted by Joe). "Brother Keith Greer recently reminded us of some applications of the Bible's teaching on MDR over which brethren disagree even while they maintain agreement on the divine pattern of one man and one woman for life, with one exception (Matt. 19:4-6, 9). (how can "one exception" be stated with the following number 6, multiple causes, anyway?, dm) The differences in application he noted were: 2. Can an adulterous mate execute a civil divorce against a faithful mate, and the faithful mate be prohibited from remarrying because he/she is the "put-away" mate? 6. Can a Christian put away his mate for the "kingdom's sake" and remain unmarried or be reconciled? ("Are We Doomed to Divide?", Keith Greer, Knollwood Messenger, July 2004)." Brethren, the truth of the matter is the devil does not need any help from me in playing the devil. Mechanical instruments of music do not fit into the protective climate of Romans because they violate what God has taught on the subject. After the same order, divorce for a cause other than fornication cannot be placed into the climate of Romans 14 and neither can the put away later putting away (a second putting away) and being able to marry another. God has legislated on music and divorce and marriage to another and anything and everything to the contrary is sin. Biblical unity is never achieved based on the compromise of truth and the acceptance of sin. Joe Price did a good job in his material, "Preaching Christ and Worshipping with Instrumental Music?" Joe is very capable of clearly and without ambiguity stating the truth. So that there is absolutely no room for confusion, I totally agree with Joe's, "Preaching Christ and Worshipping with Instrumental Music?" I just wish that he had used the same sound approach in his article, "The 'Forgotten Side' of Romans 14." A more fitting conclusion could not be found regarding mechanical music in worship and, I might add, multiple causes for divorce and the put away, whether innocent or guilty, later putting away and marrying another than Joe's own words in his "Preaching Christ and Worshipping with Instrumental Music" article (notice my adapted version following Joe's: "The Bible authorizes Christians to offer the music of singing in praise and worship of God. Nowhere are Christians instructed to offer the music of playing as a part of true worship. By introducing playing into worship men have added to the word of God. Such alterations of God's word have been and always will be a sin against God (Deut. 4:2; 1 Cor. 4:6; Gal. 1:8-9; Rev. 22:18-19). We must be content with what the Bible commands us to do. It is not our place to alter what God has spoken (Heb. 12:25)." Don's adaption: "The Bible authorizes Christians to divorce only for the cause of fornication. Also, the innocent put away is not allowed to later perform another putting away and be able to marry, based on the subsequent actions of the putting away mate..... By introducing multiple causes for divorcement and a second putting away with the sanction of marriage to another, men have added to the word of God. Such alterations of God's word have been and always will be a sin against God (Deut. 4:2; 1 Cor. 4:6; Gal. 1:8-9; Rev. 22:18-19). We must be content with what the Bible commands us to do. It is not our place to alter what God has spoken (Heb. 12:25)." P.S. Joe Price and I recently had an exchange on his "The 'Forgotten Side' of Romans 14" material. This exchange was published to Bible Matters. If you desire to read the whole exchange, contact me and I will email it to you in a Word attachment. Cordially, Don Martin dmartin5@concentric.net Check out our Web sites: http://www.bibletruths.net Ask a question 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 wmessenger at juno.com Sat Oct 23 11:48:26 2004 From: wmessenger at juno.com (William C. Sexton) Date: Sat Oct 23 14:15:59 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] B>A Christian's Voice 10-24-2004 Message-ID: <20041023.115957.-97085377.12.wmessenger@juno.com> Christian’s Voice From Van Buren: Man uses his voice and pen to convey thoughts. Paul mentions using words that by his voice he might "teach others" (1 Cor. 14:19). John says, "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." (Rev. 22:17). My aim is to challenge, inform, and invite - us all to Listen to the VOICE of God. Editor Bill Sexton. 802 Adeline Lane, Van Buren, AR 72956-3530. Phone 479-474-2617. Car phone: 479-650-8399>>> I Have Voice Mail, call me and I can pick it up Volume 6 October 24, 2004 Number 49 _______________________ Reading Schedule for 2004. October 25-29 Isaiah chapter 56-66 and Jeremiah Chapters 1-12 1 John Chapters 3-4 Happy and Profitable Reading! Some things all Should KNOW About The People Of God: 1. Each is a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27 2. Each is a disciple of Christ, a learner (Acts 6:1; 11:26) 3. Each is a believer (Acts 5:14). 4. Each is a saint, set apart for the service of God (Acts 9:13; Rom. 1:7; Phil. 1:1) 5. Each is a priest (1 Pet. 2:9;Rev. 1:6), offering spiritual sacrifice.. 6. Each is a child of God, born into His family (1 Jn. 3:1-2) 7. Each is a Christian, belonging to Christ (1 Pet. 4:16; Acts 26:28) Each of these terms applied to individuals of God’s people is to emphasize some particular aspect of the person’s life, character, relationship to each other and to God. We would do well to take note of these terms and how they are applied. --William C. Sexton Right and Wrong Area Codes --can be troublesome! Lois and I and her sister and brother in law took a recent trip to California. We got to Fresno, on Friday night. First we got lost, and had to have assistance in finding the motel we stayed at. But in the Motel, on the phone the area code was listed “209." I have my Laptop with me, and try to keep up with my e-mail, and so I plug in my computer, using Juno, you can type in your area code, and the number the computer is to call for the local area comes up. Well I put in 209, and I got numbers for a number of places in California, but none for Fresno. I was puzzled for awhile. Then I looked at the local phone directory and saw that the area code was really 559, having been changed! When I typed in the correct number, then I got Fresno, and was able to do my e-mail. Earlier, as we were planning to travel to California, I had tried to call some congregations there, using the area code that are in my “Directory of Churches of Christ,” and was unable to get the people I was wanting to talk to. NOW I realize that the codes have changed, and until that recognition is made, one cannot reach the people they want to contact. This emphasizes and reinforced the principle, does it not, about reaching our heavenly Father. One has to have the correct information as to what one has to do in order to be reconciled to Him. He has declared and published that information in the Scriptures. We may be looking at the wrong code — another code that has been declared by man, or one that has NOT been updated, as in the New Testament. We are told if we do not listen to and heeding the right information then our appeals are not heard. First, Jesus says He is the way, one must come to the Father by Him: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (Jn. 14:6). On must be “in” Christ to be saved, and how one gets there: Hearing the word (Rom. 10:17; Believing Jn. 8:24; Repenting (Acts 17:30-31; being baptized INTO CHRIST (Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:26-27). Secondly, Prayers won’t be heard if one will not listen to the Law: “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.” (Prom. 28:9) --William C. Sexton Today’s Schedule of Yours Truly: Waveland 10:00 AM class, 2 Cor. Chapter 4; 11:00 AM: Sermon: Meaning of Repentance (Matt. 21:28-32); 4:30 PM Bethel, sermon, Going Home (1 Pet. 2:11-12). 6:00 PM Attend at Van Buren, the Lord willing. Difference between being Merciful and Indifferent or "wishy washy!? In A class sometime ago on Colossians 3:8-15 the idea of putting on the new man as we put off the old man, the different behavioral traits, we got into a discussion about the confusion that may result from failing to see being merciful and being "wishy washy." By "wishy washy" is meant, of course, one not standing up for principles but weaving, wavering. One may appear to be tolerant of others, or be forgiving, when all he/she is doing is showing a lack of real concern or conviction, instead manifesting opposite qualities. Indifference manifest itself in various ways, but the real motivation is that one just doesn't really care. That's to be opposed and devalued. 1. There is a need to be willing to have people, who have offended us and done wrong, repent so they can be forgiven. That is the attitude Christians are to develop and manifest, instead of developing hate and wanting them to continue in sin and be lost. 2. Real concern for the well-being of people, requires an active feeling toward people so that they can be helped and benefitted. That is the LOVE spoken of in the New testament and illustrates such in the gift of God in His Son and Christ in offering His life that we may be cleansed and elevated to a height of improvement. 3. Indifference is the attitude that I don't really care. One will not go out of his/her way to help a person, especially after we have been offended by that person. The New Testament is clear that we have an obligation toward the offender (Lk. 17:3-5). When told the duty and extent of it, the apostles ask to have their faith increased. “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.” May we ever have adequate faith to carry out the Lord's instructions happily and fully. 4. Mercy is what God manifested toward us even while we were ungodly sinners (Rom. 5:6-8). His mercy is the gauge we must use to measure ours. 5. The basis for extending mercy to others is that we received mercy from God ( Titus 3:5-7); we can forgive because we have been forgiven ( Matt 6:14-15). “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” It takes constant determination and refocusing on the truth in order to undergo this transformation required by Christ of His people. Beloved are we fully conscious of the requirements of the Lord in our lives? Are we making the effort necessary to demonstrate the change in our conduct? Remember: we are the "salt" of the earth and the "light of the world" ( Matt 5:13-16). The Christian who does not watch his/her speech -- keep it pure, treatment of other -- being truthful and caring, attitude --humble and thankful, brings reproach on Christ and His cause! Yes, beloved, there is a great deal of difference between being merciful, forgiving, and working genuinely to help others be what God wants them to be, and just going along, tolerating, being indifferent. The church of the Laodiceans was “lukewarm,” indifferent, and the Lord tells them to change or else! Be merciful, not indifferent! -William C. Sexton MEASURING THE TEMPLE, WORSHIP, GOD'S PEOPLE! Without spending too much time on interpretation, we wish to look at some powerful and practical lessons found in ( Revelation 11:1-2 relative to the measuring that is spoken of there. We need to recognize, of course, that the Temple of God today is the church ( I Cor. 3:16-17; Eph.2:20-23). It is identified by many other terms, too, each emphasizing some particular aspect of God's people over which Christ rules. The Concept of Measuring! First there is the measuring stick or standard, which has to be the Divine standard. That of course is the word of God ( Isaiah 55:8-9; Matthew 22:29 ). Many people use the wrong standard for measuring divine things, such as creed books, feelings, conscience or perhaps their parent's views or that of a preacher's. None of these are adequate. In as much as many people use these, however, we need to be very careful to see that we don't follow the people in this type of behavior. 1. Notice that the word of God is what shall be the final measuring stick used to gage each of us in all that we do. ( Jn.12:48; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Rev. 22:18-19); Rom. 10:17; 2:16). Paul said that God would "judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according" to his "gospel." By using the word of God, let us see what is RIGHT in the CHURCH: a. What type of organization is it to have? By looking into the New Testament, we see that it has elders ( Acts 14:23). Men qualified to serve in that capacity are described by Paul ( I Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9) Such are to be appointed, to serve in the congregation of which they are members ( Phil. 1:1; I Pet. 5:1-4). a. Each congregation is independent, identical, and autonomous I Cor. 16:1-3). They could manage their own affairs, choosing who would take their contribution to Jerusalem. b. Notice that if we go beyond what is written, we are without God or Christ ( 2 John 9ff). How do we measure up here? 2. The Altar ( The WORSHIP) has to be measured, too. What is to be done by God's people, as they worship Him? The same standard has to be used: The Word of God! a. Teachings of the apostles' doctrine ( Acts 2:42 ). b. Fellowship, or the giving of our money ( I Cor. 16:1-2) upon "the first day of the week." c. "Breaking of bread," that is taking of the Lord's supper ( Acts 20:7; I Cor. 11:17-34; 10:16,21 ), which is to be done on the "first day of the week," too. d. Prayer is an act of worship which is authorized, emphasized, and exemplified in the New Testament. e. Singing "in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs," making melody in our hearts to the Lord ( Eph.5:19 ), while we teach and admonish "one another" ( Col. 3:16 ) is an act of worship which the people of God are to be engaged in! 3. "Them that worship therein," ( THE WORSHIPERS ) are to be measured, too, by the divine standard! This, evidently, would be their behavior or character. We need to be conscious of the fact that if we are in the temple of God, the church, that saved body, we have to be of the character prescribed by God. As Paul wrote Timothy ( 1 Timothy 3:14-15). that he might know HOW to "behave" himself in the house of God, "which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." Perhaps this is an aspect of the Lord's teachings which are often overlooked: The measuring is not done! Is that true in our lives? Has our teachings been of this nature? If it has been, are we aware of the great harm that we are doing to those we teach? Are we aware of the danger involved here? Beloved, let us give adequate attention to this idea and practice of measuring --using the right standard, God's word! --William C. Sexton Book of Second Corinthians -- Chapter 5 Introduction: In the fifth chapter of this book, Paul continues to deal with the facts stated at the end of the last chapter — Man’s state here on earth and what is waiting for him in the next phase of his existence. He begins the chapter with the word “For,” indicating that he is giving the reason for what was stated earlier. 1. We know that when our earthly house (body in which we dwell) dissolved, we have something much better, “a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” While we occupy this earthly house, we groan, being afflicted from time to time, we desire to be clothed with that heavenly, clothing, giving up mortality and entering into that eternal state. (2 Cor. 5:1-4). 2. The one who has provided this eternal state, giving us this expectation, is God, who has also given the “earnest of the Spirit,” as a token or guarantee of His purchase. That being the case, we can be “confident,”.recognizing that while we are here in the flesh, we are “absent from the Lord,” in the sense and to the degree that we are NOT where we will be after the transition. Being here, we walk by faith, of course believing that it is just a matter of time till we shall pass into that eternal state. With that mind set, we actually would prefer to take leave of the body to be “Present with the Lord.” (2 Cor. 5:5-8). 3. However, with our focus on the heavenly clothing, we can and do LABOR so that when the transition comes, we’ll be “accepted of him.” It is important that we ever keep in mind that we shall ALL APPEAR BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST to receive the “things done in the body,” whether they be “good or bad.” Therefore, knowing the “terror of the Lord,” we should be active in the things He has directed us to do, while at the same time resisting all temptation to do otherwise (2 Cor. 5:9-11). 4. Paul doesn’t commend himself to the Corinthian brethren, rather he wants them to be able to “glory” because of what they have achieved by following the message he has delivered them from God, being able to respond to their critics. It has always been the case that the righteous will suffer a certain amount our negative reaction from the unrighteous, going all the way back to Cain and Able. (2 Cor. 5:12-16) 5. The state of newness is that of each person “in Christ,” old things having passed away. This NEW state has been produced by God through His Son, by giving the “ministry of reconciliation” to Paul and other inspired men to proclaim to people. Forgiveness of sins is available to all who hear and heed the message that the “ambassadors of Christ” makes known. Christ has been made “sin for us, who knew no sin; that he might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor. 5:17-21). . Questions: 1. What did Paul say “we know” (2 Cor. 5:1)? 2. What did he say we do here, “desiring” what (2 Cor. 5:2-4)? 3. Who had “wrought us,” and about what can we be “confident” (2 Cor. 5:5-6)? 4. How do we “walk,” being willing for what to happen (2 Cor. 5:7-8)? 5. With what mind set do we LABOR and before what “must” all appear (2 Cor. 5:9-10)? 6. What does the “terror of the Lord” move Paul to do (2 Cor. 5:11-15)? 7. What does he say about KNOWING man and Christ (2 Cor. 5:16)? 8. What is the case for each who are “in Christ” ( 2 Cor. 5:17-18)? 9. What was “committed” to Paul (2 Cor. 5:19)? 10. For what did Paul “pray” and why (2 Cor. 5:20-21)?? __________________________________. ________ A Christian’s Voice 802 Adeline Lane Van Buren, AR. 72956-3530 *****************************************END**************************** Bill Sexton 802 Adeline Lane Van Buren, AR 72956-35-30 479) 474-2617; Car phone 479-650-8399 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041023/74d9d4a6/attachment-0001.htm From tedwards at onemain.com Sat Oct 23 15:04:27 2004 From: tedwards at onemain.com (Tom Edwards) Date: Sat Oct 23 16:10:06 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] illustration In-Reply-To: <417AAC9C.000003.77137@BOYD> References: <417AAC9C.000003.77137@BOYD> Message-ID: <417AB94B.1000500@onemain.com> Boyd Jennings wrote: > Who remembers the boys name & the circumstances involved? > > He was a starter on his high school football team, which had done well > that season, but he refused to participate in the playoff game that was > scheduled during an assembly time. > > Thanks for any help... > > Boyd Jennings Hello Boyd, Here is not the article you are looking for, but one similar. Charlie Vifquain, the son of Scott (a gospel preacher), one weekend had some baseball games in Ashland, Kentucky, where I was preaching. One of them was going to interfer with our Sunday evening service, but I was impressed that he had actually left that game in the fourth inning in order that he would not be late for church -- having time to change from only his cleats to his sneakers. He was certainly an ecouragement to all. http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards2/go/go950702.txt -- Tom Tom Edwards 29603 W. Karen St. Denham Springs, LA 70726 (225) 667-4520 tedwards@onemain.com http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards From dmartin5 at concentric.net Sat Oct 23 15:24:15 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Sat Oct 23 16:10:08 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Question/answer regarding racism Message-ID: <019001c4b93e$451484a0$35306a43@concentric.net> Don Martin to the list: Here is question and answer 131 for the week: Hello Rickey, Thank you so much for your question and for making use of Bible Questions. Please do so again. http://www.biblequestions.org Please check out Bible Truths http://www.bibletruths.net Go to the archives section of these sites for material and also go to the archives search page and type in any subject or word you wish to explore. New material is constantly being added to both sites. Any help you can give us in telling others of these sites will be greatly appreciated. If you are interested in really learning more about the Bible, there is an online Bible study course located in Bible Truths. While on the home page, scroll down and enter. While on the Map Site Page, click on "Online Bible Study Course" in the table. Click on http://www.bibletruths.net to go there. You asked: Why did the Jews in Jesus' time hate the Samaritans? Reply: Simply stated, the Jews were racists! The Samaritans of Jesus' day were often a mixed people and the Jews usually considered them "contaminated" (see John 4). You are encouraged to take advantage of the vast archives of Bible material in www.bibletruths.net. To further comment on your good question, I shall do two things: I shall insert below a previously asked and answered question from the archives of Bible Questions and then comments from Smith's Bible Dictionary. Question: What is the answer to racism? Answer: All honest and aware people know that racism exists. Racism entails the belief that there are general inherent racial limitations and that one's own race is superior. True racism involves bitterness and hatred toward others of a particular or different race. Racism is too often present among whites toward blacks, blacks toward whites, Hispanics toward blacks, and blacks toward Hispanics, ad infinitum. All man have the same origin. When Paul preached to the Athenians, he declared of God, "And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth..." (Acts 17: 26). There is no essential difference between the blood of different races. Hence, an indication that all men enjoy the same origin. In fact, all men are descendants of Adam and Eve, whom God initially created (Gen. 1, 2). We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus taught: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matt. 22: 39). As a rule, true racists do not love themselves. Thus, they cannot love their neighbor. Racism is often a reflection of the self-hatred which the racist possesses! The Samaritan was an object of racial hatred in Jesus' day. Yet, Jesus presents the Samaritan as the "hero" over the priest and the Levite, whom men deemed racially superior (Lk. 10: 30-36). God accepts all races. God rebuked Peter for thinking in terms of racial exclusiveness (Acts 10). Later, Paul publicly rebuked Peter for his racism (Gal. 2: 11-14). We learn from Peter's case that racism is hard to destroy. Beloved, race does not matter with God. "...Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10: 34). Now read the next verse: "But in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness is accepted with Him." God is the answer! Smith's Bible Dictionary: Strictly speaking, a Samaritan would be an inhabitant of the city of Samaria, but the term was applied to all the people of the kingdom of Israel. After the captivity of Israel, B.C. 721, and in our Lord's time, the name was applied to a peculiar people whose origin was in this wise. At the final captivity of Israel by Shalmaneser, we may conclude that the cities of Samaria were not merely partially but wholly depopulated of their inhabitants in B.C. 721, and that they remained in this desolated state until, in the words of (2 Kings 17:24) "the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon and front Cuthah, and from Av. (Ivah,) (2 Kings 18:34) and from Hamath, and front Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof." Thus the new Samaritans were Assyrians by birth or subjugation. These strangers, whom we will now assume to hare been placed in "the cities of Samaria" by Esar-haddon, were of course idolaters, and worshipped a strange medley of divinities....." Thanks again for your good question and for your interest in spiritual matters. I recommend that you print out this email for future reference (web addresses, etc.). You may print out any material you desire in both Bible Questions and Bible Truths (see the copyright provision at the bottom of the home page in Bible Truths). Cordially, Don Martin From dmartin5 at concentric.net Sat Oct 23 15:41:54 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Sat Oct 23 16:10:09 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] May women serve as pastors? (question/answer) Message-ID: <021301c4b940$bc55c680$35306a43@concentric.net> Don Martin here with question number 136 for the week: Hello Linda, Thank you so much for your question and for making use of Bible Questions. Please do so again. http://www.biblequestions.org Please check out Bible Truths http://www.bibletruths.net Go to the archives section of these sites for material and also go to the archives search page and type in any subject or word you wish to explore. New material is constantly being added to both sites. Any help you can give us in telling others of these sites will be greatly appreciated. If you are interested in really learning more about the Bible, there is an online Bible study course located in Bible Truths. While on the home page, scroll down and enter. While on the Map Site Page, click on "Online Bible Study Course" in the table. Click on http://www.bibletruths.net to go there. You asked: Does God Call Women to be Pastors? What scripture is used to say it is not ok or if it is ok? Reply: In biblical terminology, pastors, always in the plural when applied to overseeing a local church, were men who met special qualifications (I Tim. 3, Tit. 1). Women are never presented as allowed to have any leadership role in the early church, but were restricted from such (I Tim. 2: 12). I shall insert and excerpt from, "Elders, Their Work and Qualifications" found in www.bibletruths.net (our reference site). To read it in full, enter through the door on the home page and click on "Archives and Index," then click on the letter "E" on the archives page. Here is the excerpt: "The term "elder" is used two ways in the scriptures: There are those who are elders simply because of age, older men and women (I Tim. 5: 1, 2). There is also the official use of the word "elders" to denote special men who meet certain qualifications and are appointed to the work of overseeing the congregation where they serve (Tit. 1: 5; I Pet. 5: 1-4). It is this latter use of "elder" that we shall herein explore. The scriptures do not teach the modern denominational "pastoral system of government" in which the local preacher presides over the local church. Rather, "And when they had ordained them elders in every church." (Acts 14: 23). It is evident that these special men were very important to the well being and function of the early church (Acts 11: 30; 15: 4; 20: 17; I Pet. 5: 1-4). In fact, the local church is not fully organized in government unless there are elders present (cp. Tit. 1: 5). Elders and preachers or evangelists are not necessarily the same men. One can be an elder/preacher (if they meet the extra qualifications) or one can be simply an elder or preacher. Timothy was an evangelist who worked with the elders in the church at Ephesus (I Tim. 5: 17-22, 2 Tim. 4: 1-5). Peter was an apostle (preacher) and elder (I Pet. 5: 1-4). In the case of elders, there was always more than one or a multiplicity (Acts 14: 23, Phili. 1: 1)..... Different terms used to denote the leaders of God's people. There are three Greek words used regarding the overseers of God's people. There is the word presbuterion or presbuteros. From this word we have the English word "elders" and "presbytery" (Tit. 1: 5; I Tim. 4: 14). "Overseer" and "bishop" are derived from the Greek episcopos (Acts 20: 28; I Tim. 3: 1). From poimen we have the English "shepherd" and "pastor" ( I Pet. 5: 2, 4; Eph. 4: 11). These three Greek words and the resultant six English words all denote the same function and group of men. Presbuteros (elders/presbytery) suggests one who is mature in age and spiritual development. Episcopos (overseer/bishop) involves ruling ability (Heb. 13: 7, 17, cp. I Tim. 3: 4 and 5: 17), and poimen (shepherd/pastor) indicates the care and watchfulness these men are to give to the flock, the local church. The qualification of elders. There are sixteen positive and eight negative qualifications that perspective overseers must meet (as I have them arranged). These requirements are listed in I Timothy 3: 1-7 and Titus 1: 6-9. These qualifications are not optional and all of them are required (the word dei, "must" means "it is necessary," see I Tim. 3:2, 7). We shall at this point list them. Since most of the controversy revolves around "the husband of one wife" and "faithful children," I shall leave these domestic requirements until last so more detailed treatment can be given to them....." Thanks again for your good question and for your interest in spiritual matters. I recommend that you print out this email for future reference (web addresses, etc.). You may print out any material you desire in both Bible Questions and Bible Truths (see the copyright provision at the bottom of the home page in Bible Truths). Cordially, Don Martin From pappy01 at cox-internet.com Sat Oct 23 15:31:53 2004 From: pappy01 at cox-internet.com (Terry Sanders) Date: Sat Oct 23 17:22:56 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A:> King of Kings and Lord of Lords Message-ID: <000b01c4b93f$55792f20$66c64c42@coxinternet.com> Skipped content of type multipart/alternative-------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 145 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041023/d91ffd8e/attachment.gif From ZekeFlores1 at cs.com Sat Oct 23 16:41:33 2004 From: ZekeFlores1 at cs.com (ZekeFlores1@cs.com) Date: Sat Oct 23 17:23:07 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S> Getting Somethng Out Of Services Message-ID: <8.5a5e006e.2eac2a0d@cs.com> This is in response to a request for lessons on worship. Zeke Flores Rio Grande Valley church of Christ Belen, NM ************************************************************************* Getting Something Out Of The Services A. One aim of the church is to make known God's purpose 1. Eph 3:8-12 B. This is done by everyone putting something in to the service 1. Eph 4:11-16 2. The services were designed by God so that we would be built up! C. For this reason, we're told not to forsake our assembling 1. Heb 10:23-26 D. Yet, someone always says, "I never seem to get anything out of the services!" 1. Is the single biggest reason why many churches add dramatic skits, instrumental music, mood lighting, etc to their services. 2. We always answer, "You get out what you put in!" 3. To some, that may seem a trite, worn-out answer. 4. Let's examine how this short answer is so profoundly true. I. The worship services were designed for us! A. True that worship is directed to God, but if we're doing it right, we can't help but get something out of it. B. Singing - What do you get out of it? 1. Certainly is towards God: "In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise" Heb 2:12 2. But also toward one another a. Col 3:16 - Teaching and admonishing 3. But, what if the song-leader isn't that good? Or the singing is too slow, or off-key, or too this or too that? a. Song-leader or other singers are unimportant to your worship, just as pitch, tempo, etc. b. Eph 5:19 - "making melody with your heart " c. That part is up to YOU. C. Praying - What do you get out of it? 1. Notice Jesus' parables regarding prayer a. Luke 11:5-13, 18:1-8 b. Faith is regarded as having a consistent prayer life (1) 1 Thess 5:17 - "Pray w/o ceasing" 2. But, some say, the one leading the prayer doesn't do a very good job. a. Maybe true, but can YOU pray silently for him and your brethren, for health, for wisdom, for strength? b. Eph 6:18-19 3. Surely, what you get out of prayer depends on you. D. The Lord's Supper - What do you get out of it? 1. Many in Corinth weren't getting anything out of the LS a. 1 Cor 11:17-30 (1) Factions - Vs 19, Many weak &sick - Vs 30 2. Why? Because they had perverted the Supper and were eating in an unworthy manner. They had forgotten what the memorial was all about. a. Note 1 Cor 10:16-17 3. Some say, "It's too boring! We need to jazz it up!" a. Why would someone need to "jazz up" the Lord's death? 4. Impossible to eat it in a worthy manner and get nothing out of it! a. "But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup." 1 Cor 11: 28 E. Giving - What do you get out of it? 1. It's impossible to get something out of anything unless we're interested. a. Matt 6:19-21 2. Bible speaks of an attitude in our giving that no amount of $$ can duplicate. a. 1 Cor 16:2, 2 Cor 9:7 b. Here is the attitude: Regularly, proportionately, purposefully, cheerfully. 3. In doing so, the Lord promises we'll get something out of it! a. 2 Cor 9:10-11 It depends on you! F. Preaching/Teaching - What do you get out of it? 1. God's part is to equip us. - 2 Tim 3:16-17 a. This is all God's work and He's done His part. 2. OUR part - "Be diligent...." 2 Tim 2:15 3. What's our attitude toward preaching/teaching? Does it depend on the ability of the preacher/teacher? a. Somewhat. He's got to be able to impart the benefit of his study, but we can't lay all the blame at his feet if we didn't learn something. b. Though the preacher is a monotone, how can you turn to a passage and not make application of it? c. Most would agree that we should be attentive in prayer when we're speaking to God, but how about when God speaks to us thru the reading of His word? d. If people were really expecting God to speak to them thru His word, all Bible classes would be full every time! 4. I put leftovers in my fridge because I expect to get it out later and eat it. God's word is a storehouse wherein He puts our spiritual food. WE must be diligent to take it out and eat it! a. The preacher/teacher plays a large part, but what you get out of preaching/teaching depends greatly on your preparation, participation, and application. Conc Our worship must be in spirit and in truth A. Our spirit engaged in God's truth B. Just is not possible to "worship" and get nothing out of it for then, one hasn't truly worshiped. C. Perhaps the ones Peter describes in 2 Pet 2:17-21 fell because of their failings in worship 1. If you've fallen, we want to help you back up. 2. Let worship be as it was intended: "The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." 1 Tim 1:5 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041023/cab22d30/attachment-0001.htm From thomasc at msu.edu Sun Oct 24 16:51:13 2004 From: thomasc at msu.edu (Craig Thomas) Date: Sun Oct 24 19:27:57 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A>What Saith the Scriptures, Vol. 2, No. 41 Message-ID: <6.0.3.0.0.20041024174932.02a1db68@mail.msu.edu> "What Saith the Scripture?" Vol. 2, No. 41 Preaching Another Jesus Paul warned early Christians some were preaching "another Jesus whom we have not preached" (2 Cor. 11:2-4). Today many are not preaching the whole truth from God's word concerning Jesus. Please consider how some are preaching "another Jesus" today. 1) Preach the baby Jesus without the Lord Jesus. Many pay homage to a Jesus that remains a plastic baby. He never speaks, he never acts, he never commands, he never demands, he remains passive and silent. This is the kind of Jesus they desire to "serve". The real Jesus did not remain a baby in a manger. He grew up, taught us the truth, was crucified for our sins, ascended into heaven and was given "all authority" (Mt. 28:20) as "both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36). We must confess and obey this Jesus to be saved! (Phil. 2:9-12; Heb. 5:9) 2) Preach the compassionate Jesus without the angry Jesus. Jesus was the ultimate example of compassion (Mt. 14:14). But some serve a Jesus who never gets upset and angry. This is not the Jesus of the Bible. The real Jesus was angry at wickedness, sin, false teachers and their doctrines! On one occasion when dealing with wicked people it is said He "looked around at them with anger" (Mk. 3:5). On another, his disciples remarked that "the Pharisees were offended" (Mt. 15:12) by what Jesus said. On another, He was angry enough to call people "Hypocrites!", "blind guides", "Fools", "whitewashed tombs", "Serpents, brood of vipers" (Mt. 23). 3) Preach the tolerant Jesus without the strict Jesus. Many view Jesus as ever tolerant of anybody and anything. The Jesus of the Bible showed great patience, but He never gave unquestioning acceptance! Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Mt. 7:13-14) He also said (Mt. 7:21-23) that religion alone, regardless of how sincere, will not save us! But, we must do the will of His "Father in heaven", otherwise on the day of judgment He will say to us, "I never knew you; depart from Me" (Mt. 7:23). Not presenting this aspect of Jesus is to preach "another Jesus"! 4) Preach the saving Jesus without the judging Jesus. Many people only want to know a Jesus who saves (Jn. 3:16). Undoubtedly the news of salvation is the most wonderful news ever heard. But, the real Jesus is not just a Savior, He will one day also be our judge. Paul said, "the Lord Jesus Christ...will judge the living and the dead at His appearing" (2 Tim. 4:1) and "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (2 Cor. 5:10) Is it any wonder then that in view of this Paul said, "Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men"? (2 Cor 5:11) Are you persuaded to be a faithful Christian obedient to Christ? You should be! What Jesus do you serve? "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58) ******************************************************************** MM MM III Craig V. Thomas M M M M I church of Christ M M M M I Building Location: 2556 Maple Street M M M M I Deckerville, MI 48427 M M M III Mailing address: 350 Pineridge Lane Sandusky, MI 48471-1295 Services: Bible Study-10AM Sunday & 7:00PM Wednesday Worship-11AM Sunday E-mail: churchcr@greatlakes.net WWW: www.greatlakes.net/~churchcr Call 810-648-5009 for more information ******************************************************************* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041024/7102d2b3/attachment.htm From jssmith at electronicgospel.org Sun Oct 24 20:37:33 2004 From: jssmith at electronicgospel.org (Jeff Smith) Date: Mon Oct 25 10:19:16 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S>Series on the Psalms #106 Message-ID: <7160D274-2626-11D9-BDC0-000A95DBC234@electronicgospel.org> Series on the Psalms by J.S. Smith monthly sequential studies in the Psalms, 1996-2008, Lord willing Download audio, presentation and the entire series of sermons from http://www.electronicgospel.org Subscribe to the Woodmont Beacon: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ElectronicGospel/join Psalm 106: Praise the Lord by J.S. Smith of Fort Worth, Texas Introduction i. In some ways, Psalm 106 is a fitting companion to the song the precedes it. Psalm 105 retold much of Israel?s history as it regarded God?s providence and exhortation to faithfulness. This psalm also recounts Israel?s history, but more as it concerns her unfaithfulness to the covenant and rebellions. ii. [Read Psalm 106:1-48.] iii. From Psalm 106, we can learn about the real prospects for rebellion when people gradually forget about the goodness of God toward them. That possibility of apostasy exists for all of us, even the most ardent, and with a shield of faith, we must guard against it. Following a six-verse introduction, the psalmist recounts the rebellions in the wilderness, Canaan and the exile. Discussion I. The Text A. Introduction (Psalm 106:1-6) 1. after that setup, it may be hard to fathom that the psalm begins and ends with the words, ?Praise the Lord,? for Israel had not done that much at all in the midst of these rebellions 2. the key is that Israel?s suffering was entirely self-inflicted and even as she was being punished like a wayward child or put away like an unfaithful mate, God was just and merciful in the process 3. no doubt, the anonymous psalmist is among the rare few who can see clearly their own culpability and confess it, rather than trying to hide from guilt and deny its reality; he admits that we have sinned, committed iniquity and done wickedly 4. without complicating the reasons for Israel?s rebellions, those were the facts B. Rebellion in the Wilderness (Psalm 106:7-33) 1. reading these verses is a bit like riding a roller coaster as you watch Israel?s faith wax and wane a. God proves himself to Israel in Pharaoh?s court, but the people soon forget that when up against the formidable Red Sea, so God parts it and proves himself again b. so they believed, but soon forgot again when their tummies grumbled in the wilderness and God fed them, but even then they complained against Moses and Aaron c. they bowed before a molten calf while Moses tarried on the mountain and complained so consistently that God eventually allowed their generation to expire in the wilderness so that their children could conquer Canaan instead of them d. Moses pleaded for them and preserved their lives, but in the end, even he was left behind because of their provocation 2. sin, backsliding and apostasy tend to come and go in cycles until you make up your mind to quit the process and either give yourself entirely to the devil or finally to God 3. the sin-repent-sin process in neither fulfilling nor edifying C. Rebellion in Canaan (Psalm 106:34-39) 1. when Israel?s second and third generations finally reached Canaan after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness with their faithless parents, they found conquest mostly a simple task with God?s might on their side 2. yet they had not the heart to heed his commands and remove the Gentile squatters entirely from the Promised Land, leaving kings and commoners behind to mingle their idolatrous ways with God?s pure covenant 3. Israel learned their works and served their idols, even sacrificing their children to them, polluting the land with innocent blood 4. Israel became a spiritual harlot, appeasing her husband, then dallying with vile suitors 5. instead of quitting the cycle for God, Israel was choosing the devil D. Rebellion in Exile (Psalm 106:40-46) 1. first the Assyrians and then the Chaldeans rose up and took back the Promised Land from Israel, enslaving and kidnapping those who remained alive 2. in all this, God was punishing his children, but had mercy upon them after a while by motivating earthly kings to send the Hebrews back to rebuild a smaller version of their way of life 3. pride was punctured so that piety could take root E. Doxology (Psalm 106:47-48) 1. why in the world would God care about restoring such an historically rebellious people? 2. for the same reason that he cares about restoring us in spite of our repeated forays back into sins of the mind, heart, hands and feet 3. God is merciful and deserving of praise, for he is patient beyond comparison II. Some Applications A. Cycles of Backsliding 1. many of us get caught in a cycle of sin that is more like the Hebrews? pattern than we would want to admit a. while there are many shortcomings that we manage to overcome completely and rather easily, there is at least one temptation that we can never seem to conquer altogether b. we tend to think of addictions in terms of alcohol, drugs and cigarettes, but any behavior ? good or bad ? can have addictive qualities, in that it provides satisfaction or release c. maybe we are caught in a pattern with gossip, worry, pessimism, lust, anger, hatred, prayerlessness, forsaking worship or any number of things 2. we sin, regret, repent, restore and then sin all over again ? and over again and over again 3. all we really want is to quit the cycle, but how? a. first, you must recognize that you have been called to war, and you will either arise to fight like a soldier of Christ or be taken prisoner eternally by a satanic adversary: 1 Cor. 9:24-27 b. when you make excuses for misbehavior and indulge your addictions, you have surrendered to the devil just as infamously as the Hebrews kneeling before a molten calf: 1 Tim. 6:11-12 c. you cannot afford to be caught by the devil with your armor in the closet: 1 Thess. 5:5-10 1. make belief and love protect your heart from a devil bent on doubt and hate 2. make hope preserve your mind from an adversary intent on defeat and doom B. Spiritual Harlotry 1. Israel played the harlot with Molech and other Canaanite gods, worshipping God in the tabernacle and temple, only to return to the high hills afterward to flirt with death and indignity 2. we pity their superstitious shortsightedness, only to realize that we are less than immune ourselves: 1 Cor. 10:1-14 3. James indicates that friendship with the world is choosing sides against God, making one a spiritual adulterer or adulteress against Christ, our bridegroom in baptism and redemption (James 4:4) a. you cannot be wed to God and mammon at the same time, nor can you play the harlot with the flesh, possessions or pride and then merrily return to praying knees or padded pews like nothing else transpired b. God put away Israel and Judah for such spiritual adultery and we risk the same alienation when we attempt to compel God to share his throne with a tempter who offers such shiny baubles and shoddy bargains: James 4:7-10 C. Puncturing Pride 1. pride often precedes a fall for those who think they stand invincibly fall the hardest; the sound of Goliath crashing to the ground with a rock in the middle of his forehead is that of pride being punctured 2. pride plays a role in this cycle of harlotry because it says that we just won?t get caught by death or the second coming with our armor down; we practically dare God to make us wrong 3. in his patience, God tries to prick our pride so that it will burst and we will return to reality; he spanks his children in the hopes of restoring their reason: 2 Cor. 7:8-11 a. the direct consequences of sin, which God often refuses to ameliorate, are evidence of his discipline, but there are other instances as well b. a word of rebuke by a loved one or even the withdrawal of the church are others c. no doubt there are more that exist in the merciful mind of God, too D. Restoration of the Rebellious 1. the goal of this entire discussion is to convince believers to quit finally the cycle of apostasy and devote themselves entirely to holiness: Heb. 12:11-13 2. a time is coming when it will be too late to slip back into your armor after a period of dalliance: Heb. 12:14-17 3. satisfaction with the cycle of backsliding is part of the illusion of being lukewarm: Rev. 3:15-19 Conclusion Psalm 106 is a wonderful reminder of God?s patience, but also that his patience is eventually exhausted. Let us quit the cycle of apostasy and become on fire for righteousness. ____________________________________________________________________ J.S. (Jeff) Smith Evangelist, Woodmont church of Christ in Fort Worth, Texas www.electronicgospel.org jssmith@electronicgospel.org -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 9606 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041024/07219a08/attachment-0001.bin From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Oct 25 06:23:06 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Mon Oct 25 10:19:18 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) POPULATION CENTERS OF ISLAM Message-ID: <2b.64c703a4.2eae3c1a@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends. Jim Sasser here. A very good Monday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with a very fruitful day. Here are some thoughts that recently came my way: POPULATION CENTERS OF ISLAM After 9/11/01, I along with other brethren wrote several articles on the internet about the background of Islam. I hav- ing dealt with the Islamic religion while preaching in Africa in the early 60's, was requested to come and teach on the sub- ject in several congregations. Having now witnessed what people will do under the Islamic flag, we can see the warning mentioned in the lessons I presented back then. Just a few days ago I read concerning the population centers of Islam as presented in Time Magazine of Sept. 13, 2004. I thought it would be good to pass this information on to you so that you can be fully aware that this devastating religion is spread throughout the majority of the world today. There are over one billion Muslems living throughout many areas of the world. The religion is divided between the Sunnis and the Shi'ites. Sunnis make up about 90 % of the religion and Shi'ites about 10%. Over 200 million live in the islands of Indonesia. Travelling west from there we find the mass majority of Islam scattered across China, India, Bangla- desh, Pakistan, all the middle East, and the majority of the continent of Africa. You might be surprised to know that over 5 million Muslems live in the USA, and are increasing every day. All Muslems, especially the males, are taught the Koran from their very early childhood. The majority of them are taught be very strict clerics sent out from the birthplace of Islam, Saudi Arabia. Anyone who has studied the writings of Mohammad and his immediate followers, know that they teach that Islam is the only true religion and that all other religions and frowned upon and are to be destroyed in the name of Allah. This was shown to be true from the very be- ginning of the Muslem religion, as witnessed by their aggress- ive conquering actions by the edge of the sword in the name of Allah and Islam. This can be learned by the study of the history of Islam beginning in the early 600's A.D.. So, we, as Christians, need to teach against this false re- ligion, that desires the death of all "Christians" or as they put it "Unbelievers." Their special hatred of Israel and their de- sired destruction of it, also calls for the destruction of all of those nations that might be friends of Israel, the USA as the number one friend. So, I am afraid that the terror that is so diabolically pressed upon innocent people, civilians, women and children in the name of Allah, by such a widespread popu- lation of perpetrators, is going to be around a very long time. We need to be faithful Christians, good citizens, and teachers against this aggressive, volital, murderous, false religion. ------Jim Sasser -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041025/0d49f86f/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Mon Oct 25 06:23:11 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Mon Oct 25 10:19:20 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) DOES THE LORD REALLY MEAN IT? (2) Message-ID: <7f.4f30e827.2eae3c1f@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the second part of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. DOES THE LORD REALLY MEAN IT? (2) God Meant What He Said To Naaman: -- Naaman was "commander of the army of the king of Syria...he was a great man," he had leprosy (2 Kgs. 5:1). A young lady of Israel had been taken captive by Syria, and now she served as maid to Naa- man's wife. The maid told her mistress about a man (the prophet Elisha) in Israel who could cure Naaman of his leprosy. So Naa- man, with letters of authority from the king, went to Israel. First he sought the king, but he couldn't help. But Elisha heard of the matter and sent for Naaman (vs. 8). When Naaman came, Elisha didn't even go outside to meet him. Elisha simply sent word by his servant to Naaman: "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and though shalt be clean" (2 Kgs. 5:10). Now, that was simple. In fact, it was too simple for Naaman! "Are not the rivers of Damascus better than any of the waters of Israel?" (vs. 12). He became angry and started for home. But his servant convinced him to do just what God (by Elisha's mouth) had told him. So Naaman went down to the Jordan and dipped seven times, and when he came up after the seventh time, his lep- rosy was gone. Just as God said. You see, the power was not in the water, but in God. But God didn't exercise His power to cure Naaman until he did what God said. God meant what He said. God Still Means What He Says Today: -- God means what He says about the necessity of obedience. Because we are saved by faith (Eph. 2:8; Rom. 5:1), some seem to feel that "faith alone" will save. But God says not: "But will thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?...Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith alone" (Jas. 2:20,24). The faith that saves is faith "which works through love" (Gal. 5:6). The apostle Paul wrote, "Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness" (Rom. 6:16-18). The truth is that we must "purify our souls by obedience to the truth" (1 Pet. 1:22). That's what God says, and He still means exactly that. God Meant What He Said About Baptism: -- The necessity of baptism for salvation. But what did the Lord say? "He that be- lieveth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mk. 16:16). That is much like the command to Naaman, isn't it? It is just too simple, and "After all, water can't take away sins." Again, the arguments today against the necessity of baptism sound just like Naaman. But he finally submitted to what God said, and was cured. Listen to what the Lord says about baptism: "Repent ye, and be bapt- ized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins...They then that received his word were baptized...And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be bap- tized, and wash away thy sins, calling on His name...Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?...For ye are all sons of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ" (Acts 2:38,41; 22:16; Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:26,27). Now, read those again carefully. Does God mean what He says? God Means What He Says About The Church: -- The Lord Jesus Christ said, "I will build My church" (Matt. 16:18). And God's Word states, "He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all... There is one body...And He is the Head of the body, the church" (Eph. 1;22,23; 4:4; Col. 1;18). While the world cries out, "Join the church of your choice," God's word about the church is ignored. Read those passages again -- Jesus built just one church, that church is the one body of which He is the Head. Now, does God mean what He says?! When people are saved, the Lord adds them to that one church: "And the Lord added to the church daily such as were being saved" (Acts 2:47). God Means What He Says About Worship: -- The Lord Jesus said, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth" (Jno. 4;24). God's Word is that truth (Jno. 17:17), and that means that God defines what we do in worship. Thus, we meet together on the first day of the week for the Lord's Supper (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:23-26), and on that same day we "lay by in store" as God has prospered us (1 Cor. 16:1,2). In such gatherings we pray together and study His Word (Acts 2:42). And we sing, as the apostle Paul wrote, "Speaking one to another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with melody in your heart to the Lord" (Eph. 5:19). It is strange indeed that folk who insist on using mechanical instruments of music in worship just ignore the lesson from Nadab and Abihu! When God said use fire from the altar, that ruled out fire from any other source. When God authorizes singing in worship, that rules out any other kind of music. Now, does God mean what He says? God Means What He Says About The Judgment:-- The Bible says, "This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil" (Eccl. 12:13,14). Most folk don't like to think about the final judgment, but God often spoke of it in His Word. "It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment" (Heb. 9:27). Jesus describes the judgment scene in graphic terms in Matt. 25:31-46, and ends with this statement about the wicked: "And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life" (Matt. 25:46). The apostle Paul wrote, "For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, And every tongue shall confess to God. So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Rom. 14:10-12). And the apostle John wrote of the vision God gave hima of judgment: "And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works...And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:12-15). Many will be surprised on that day to learn that God really did mean what He said. Conclusion: -- Friends, why not study the Bible carefully to find what God says, and then make up your mind that God means what He has said? Accept the plain and simple teachings of His Word and obey the gospel in order to be saved. Then serve and work faithfully in that one church which Jesus built. Just as surely as "God is" (Heb. 11:6), that surely we must accept what He said and mold our lives by that Word. There is no other way to become a child of God, a Christian. And there is no other way to please the God of heaven and thereby be saved. --- Clem Thurman in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 53, No. 43, Oct. 22, 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041025/c15926bb/attachment.htm From tedwards at onemain.com Mon Oct 25 10:49:13 2004 From: tedwards at onemain.com (tedwards@onemain.com) Date: Mon Oct 25 22:19:04 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] B> Gospel Observer 10/24/04 Message-ID: <417CDA29.6147.B452A0@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). ____________________________________________________ October 24, 2004 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) The Tail and the Dog (Irven Lee) 2) He Will Get Us Jobs! (James Baker) 3) Diary Of A Bible (anonymous) ____________________________________________________ -1- The Tail and the Dog by Irven Lee We have all heard of the tail wagging the dog. That, of course, refers to the little thing that has assumed a place of too great importance. Many times man loses his proper sense of values and emphasizes the trivial to the neglect of the important. It is much more decent and orderly if everything can be kept in its proper place. Surely we should all be glad to have the inspired apostle to the Gentiles give us a word on comparative values. "For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come" (1 Tim. 4:8). This verse does not say that it is wrong to play or enter into some form of physical exercise as a means of recreation. Neither does it say that it is a sin to forget the stress and strain of life's problems for a few minutes by becoming absorbed in observing an interesting game or in interesting reading. Solomon's remark that there is a time to laugh still makes sense (Ecc. 3:1-8). Man needs to relax. Doctors may advise fishing, hunting, golfing, walking, or even running. It need not bother their conscience to offer such advice because there is no evil in this. Many modern occupations do not give one the proper exercise for physical health, but many modern occupations do threaten mental health. Please do not suppose that the following remarks are intended to discourage the proper effort to maintain physical or mental health. We may be careful not to forget bodily exercise for the good of the physical man, but the apostle would also advise that a man exercise himself unto godliness (1 Tim. 4:7). The latter is the more important exercise because it can mean more in this life, and it looks forward to the life to come. Our senses need to be exercised to discern between good and evil (see Heb. 5:14). Much has been said about America's need for physical fitness. Much should be said about America's need for spiritual fitness. The proper chastening yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby (Heb. 12:11). In our permissive generation many young people reach the age of maturity as spiritual weaklings because they lack this very valuable exercise. A good name is rather to be chosen then great riches (Prov. 22:1). A good name is of greater value in this life than the strong body is to the physical giant who is immoral and vulgar. America has many athletic heroes and lavishes its honors upon them, but America is sick spiritually, and does not seem to notice its spiritual giants. It is great to be physically strong. It is greater to be spiritually strong. This article is not written to influence those who act like pagans. Those who loot, rob, and burn through lack of respect for law and property rights will not read this. This article is written with the hope that it may be worth something to members of the Lord's church. All of us need to be reminded to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33). We may still garden, fish, or watch a game. We must not let the tail wag the dog. We need common sense and self control. During gospel meetings great crowds miss Friday night to see the game at the school. They say they will be there the other six nights of the week. They do not dare miss the game, with the remark that they will see the other ten or eleven games and cannot afford to miss this particular game. My hat is off to those who enjoy games but who gladly and cheerfully put the worship first. It is easy for some to let a television show take precedence over midweek Bible study. Hollywood may influence many church members far more than the apostles influence them, and Hollywood's influence is far from holy. There is a difference in reasonable interest in recreation and in going insane over a game or a hobby. Some spend an unreasonable amount of money for the sport of greatest interest and give an excessive amount of time to the same. The children, needs of the home, and the place of the Lord's church are pushed aside to let the tail wag the dog. Examine yourself if you see any reason to think you might be putting bodily exercise ahead of godliness which has the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. One aspect of the fruit of the Spirit is joy. The search for happiness among the pleasures of this world is a vain search. The peace that passeth all understanding is not obtained in bodily exercise or in some suggested form of modern recreation (read Phil. 4:7). Read the context of this great verse. If one finds no joy in his religion, there is a great possibility that there is little religion. What does the Lord see when He looks on our hearts? Does He see too much emphasis on the fleeting and the trivial, and too little on the eternal and the precious things? Too much emphasis on things that pertain to this life that are legitimate in their proper place can become a form of worldliness. Some have gone so far in their interest in what they call recreation that righteousness is discarded in favor of the social drink, unholy revelling, and lasciviousness. They are asserting their liberty, they seem to think, when, in reality, they are becoming slaves to their own bad habits. It is indeed sad for those who have "clean escaped" to be "brought into bondage" (see 2 Peter 2:18-22). In the parable of the sower, one patch of thorns that choked out the word was the "pleasures of this life" (Luke 8:14). -- Via Guardian of Truth XXVII: 1, p. 24, January 6, '83 ____________________________________________________ -2- He Will Get Us Jobs! by James Baker Ask a person why he plans to vote for a candidate and the number one reason is the promise to deliver on prosperity. Many people in this country have said in the past, "It doesn't matter what a President does in his personal life, as long as he does his job at keeping the economy going." People equate a successful term as President based upon how much money he can put in citizens' pockets. Do you remember the phrase that Ronald Reagan used to deliver the deathblow to Jimmy Carter's re-election plans? Reagan said during their debate, "Are you better off today, than you were four years ago?" People were struck by that statement and voted Jimmy Carter out of office. Now I'm not saying that we shouldn't be interested in living a good life and making lots of money. I am saying that it isn't right to pick a candidate just because he promises to fatten our wallet. We as Christians should seek to know the man's view toward the commandments of God and whether he will pass bills that will effect the laws of Jehovah. A President with a weak economical plan but belief in morals is far better than a President with an appealing economical plan and no belief in morals. Know why that is so? The word of God teaches that it isn't a good economical plan from the mind of man that lifts a nation, but rather the righteousness of the citizens that dwell therein (Prov. 14:34, Prov. 11:11, Psa. 33:12). You see, it is God, not man, who gives the wisdom which enables men to put a nation on a sound economical path with jobs and prosperity for all (Deut. 28:1-68). And when a man's ways please God, He will cause his enemies to be at peace with him (Prov. 16:7). A righteous President with a sorry economical plan, can be blessed by God just like the 300 soldiers that defeated the massive army of the Midianites (Judges 7:7), or the one man that chased a thousand (Josh. 23:10), or like the five loaves and two fish that fed five thousand people (Lk. 9:13-17). So you see, God is willing to help a righteous leader, but He will certainly destroy an evil one (1 Sam. 12:25). ____________________________________________________ -3- Diary Of A Bible Recently I read the "Diary Of A Bible." I do not know the author. Any one of millions of Bibles covered in dust could have written the following: January 10. Been resting for a week. The first few nights of the New Year my owner read me regularly, but he has now forgotten me already, I guess. February 7. Clean up time. I was dusted with other things and then put back on the shelf. February 9. Owner used me for a short time after dinner looking over a few references. Went to Bible school today. March 6. Clean up. Dusted again. Have been in the hall since my trip to Bible school last month. March 30. Busy day. Owner had young people's meeting and had to look up references. He had an awful time finding them but they were there all the time. May 3. In Grandma's lap again this afternoon. She spent most of her time in 1st Corinthians 13 and the last four verses of the 15th chapter. May 7, 8, 9. In Grandma's lap again this afternoon. She spent most of her time reading and sometimes she just talks to me. It is so comfortable there. May 10. Grandma is gone. Back to the same old place. She did kiss me bye before she left. July 3. Had a couple of four-leaf clovers stuck in me today. July 4. Packed in a suitcase with clothes and other things. Off on vacation I guess. July 7. Still in suitcase. July 10. Still in suitcase, though all else has been taken out by now. July 15. Home again in my old place. Quite a nice journey they say, though I did not see why. Aug. 1. Rather stuffy and hot. Have two magazines, a novel and an old hat on top of me. Sept. 10. Used by Mary for a few minutes today. She was writing a letter to a friend whose brother died and wanted appropriate verses. Sept. 23. New mail order catalogue came today. Certainly is getting a lot of attention. More than I ever received. Oct. 10. Wished someone would take these stinking four-leaf clovers out of me. They have been here five months now, and they tickle me, they are so dry and flaky. Nov. 29. Thanksgiving season. Was taken to church last Sunday. Dec. 31. End of another year. Not interesting for me. Maybe next year. -- via "The Pointer," Volume VI, Number 31, October 13, 1974 ____________________________________________________ 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@onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go ____________________________________________________ From danjgatlin at yahoo.com Mon Oct 25 11:55:02 2004 From: danjgatlin at yahoo.com (Dan Gatlin) Date: Mon Oct 25 22:19:06 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] (no subject) Message-ID: <20041025165502.67927.qmail@web41703.mail.yahoo.com> Answering Arguments Against Baptism By Dan Gatlin Brethren have long pointed out that “preaching Jesus” means preaching baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 8:35-36). Paul warned the Corinthians that when “we preach Christ crucified” some would stumble and others would consider it foolishness (1 Cor. 1:22-23). While many in the denominational world agree that belief (Jn. 8:24), repentance (Acts 17:30-31), and confession (Rom. 10:9) are necessary for the forgiveness of sins, they still stumble and consider it foolishness when baptism is preached. Much time, energy, and imagination has gone into making the Bible not say what it clearly does. Men have twisted scripture and sound reasoning to defend human tradition. We will consider some common arguments made against baptism, and how we might respond to them. These are in no particular order. “Baptism is a work, and we’re not saved by works (Eph. 2:8-9).” There are many ways to respond to this. First, consider the context Ephesians 2. Most will stop reading at verse 9, but consider what verse 10 says: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” To the sectarian mind this poses a contradiction. Verse 9 says that salvation is “not of works,” while verse 10 says that we were “created . . . for good works.” Obviously, there are two different kinds of works under discussion. Verse 9 is referring to meritorious works while verse 10 has in mind the works of God. All “works” are not the same. Second, most believe that salvation is by faith only. But the only place where the phrase “faith only” is found is James 2:24: “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” Does James contradict Paul? No, each is dealing with an opposite extreme. The fact is that both teach the same thing from different views. Third, the view that we’re saved by faith and not by works is contradicted by Jesus in John 6:28-29: “Then they said to Him, ‘What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.’” Logically, if we are not saved by works, then we cannot be saved by faith, for Jesus says that faith (belief) is a work. “If what you are saying about baptism is true, then my dear, departed grandmother is lost.” This is actually not an argument since it does not deal with any points of scripture. A good response might be to ask a series of questions. (1) “Was your grandmother an honest, sincere person?” (Hint: everybody answers “yes.”) (2) “If she understood what you now understand, would she have obeyed?” (3) “What do you think she would want you to do (Lk. 16:28)?” (4) “Will your rejection of the scriptures change what is true and save her?” “The Bible says that we’re saved by the blood of Christ (Eph. 2:13; Heb. 9:13-14; 1 Pet. 1:18-19), not by water” This is a false dichotomy. The assumptions is that we are saved by one or the other, but not by both. Calvinism teaches that salvation is solely a work of God, and that man has no part. That presupposition is reflected in this argument. In fact, the blood of Christ is what God has provided, but God expects us to choose salvation and meet His righteous conditions. “There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 3:21). We are saved by the blood of Christ, but access to His blood is through obedience to the gospel. “Mark 16:16 doesn’t say, ‘but he who does not believe and is not baptized will be condemned.’ Therefore, belief is the only thing necessary for salvation.” First, there is a logical progression to the order given by Jesus. One will not (and cannot) be baptized if is there is no belief. “Baptism” without belief is simply dipping in water, and is of no religious significance (Rom. 10:10; 1 Pet. 3:21). Second, the fallacy of this argument can be easily shown with an illustration like this: “He who boards the plane and takes the flight will be in Phoenix, but he who does not board the plane will be left behind.” Does it need to be said, “and does not take the flight” for the message to be clear? If one does not board the plane, then one cannot take the flight. Likewise, if one does not believe, then one cannot be scripturally baptized. Further, if we follow our objector’s reasoning to its logical conclusion, then the moment we have boarded the plane we are in Phoenix (whether we’ve taken the flight or not). Third, we must focus on what Jesus is saying. Is He saying, “He who believes and is saved will be baptized,” or “He who is baptized and saved will believe,” or “He who believes and is baptized will be saved”? Let’s let the text speak for itself. “Paul said that Christ didn’t send him to baptize (1 Cor. 1:17), therefore, baptism is not essential to salvation.” The key to properly understanding 1 Corinthians 1:17 is to recognize that this is a “not . . . but” passage. In this kind of passage, the “not” part of the verse is de-emphasized in order to emphasize the “but” portion. However, we shouldn’t necessarily come to the conclusion that the “not” statement is a prohibition. Consider John 6:27, which has the same “not . . . but” construction: “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life. . .” Jesus is not telling His disciples not to work, as this would contradict passages such as Eph. 4:28; 1 Thess. 4:11; 2 Thess. 3:10; etc. He is emphasizing “the food which endures to everlasting life” as being far more important than “the food which perishes.” The same thing is found in Matthew 10:20 when Jesus gave instructions to His disciples as they preached to Israel: “f or it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” The disciples did do the physical speaking, but they were simply the instrument of the Spirit who was speaking through them. The Spirit is emphasized as the source of their words. When Paul says that “Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel,” he is neither prohibiting nor undervaluing the importance of baptism. He is simply pointing out that his primary duty was to preach. Those who were converted and baptized were part of the “increase” given by God (1 Cor. 3:7). “The thief on the cross wasn’t baptized, and he was saved.” Baptism for the remission of sins did not begin until the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:37-38), so the thief (and Jesus) lived under the law of Moses. Paul is very clear on when the law of Moses came to an end, “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Col. 2:14). Since baptism was not a requirement for salvation under Moses, it was not necessary for the thief. “Baptism is an outward sign of an inward grace.” This is another way of saying we should be baptized because our sins are already forgiven. But the Bible nowhere teaches salvation before baptism. Many have attempted to twist Acts 2:38 (“Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. . .”) by saying that “for” (eis, in Greek) means “because of” rather than “in order to.” While a study of original language is very profitable in this instance, most Christians are not prepared to argue from the Greek. A better response might be to note that Matthew 26:28 has the same grammatical construction as Acts 2:38. Jesus said, “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt.26:28). If eis means “because of” in Acts, then it also means “because of” in Matthew. And, if that’s the case, Jesus is saying that His blood would be shed because man’s sins have already been forgiven (i.e. the blood of Christ is not necessary for forgiveness). Of course, those who make this argument are not willing to follow it to it’s logical conclusion. That baptism is the point at which salvation comes is made clear in many passages. “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). “There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism . . . ” (1 Pet. 3:21). “He who believes and is baptized will be saved . . . ” (Mk. 16:16). “New Testament baptism (Acts 2:38) and the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5) are the same.” While there are many different baptisms mentioned in the New Testament, there is only one (Eph. 4:5) that is required today, and it is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit. First, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a promise not a command. Notice the words of Jesus: “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Lk. 24:49). The parallel to this is found in Acts 1:4-5, “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’” One obeys a command, not a promise. Second, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is recorded only twice, in Acts 2 and 10. When Peter returned to Jerusalem, he recounted the conversion of Cornelius to the rest of the church. In Acts 11:15, he said, “And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.” Many would like to change the phrase “at the beginning” to “from the beginning.” That small change would indicate that the baptism of the Holy Spirit occurred continually throughout the entire period. But, alas, the text says what it says. In the end, when all of man’s arguments are put forth the New Testament still teaches that we must be baptized to be saved. And, many still stumble at the preaching of Jesus. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041025/b41ab3db/attachment-0001.htm From cbraxton at heartoftn.net Mon Oct 25 21:30:04 2004 From: cbraxton at heartoftn.net (Mance J. Davis Jr.) Date: Mon Oct 25 22:19:06 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Question: Does Jehovah always mean "The Father"? Message-ID: <417DB6AC.5080001@heartoftn.net> Brethren, I have always assumed the above was so, but it occurred to me that it might also refer to the Godhead in its fullness. Does anyone know and if so, how can we know? What Biblical evidence is there for this? A related question, when the scriptures speaks of "the disciples" or "his disciples," how can we know that the apostles are meant? Thanks for any insight. Brotherly, Mance J. Davis Jr. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Virus Free Email provided by Heart Of Tennessee Network, LLC. www.1hotisp.net - postmaster@heartoftn.net ----------------------------------------------------------------- From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Oct 26 06:11:08 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Tue Oct 26 12:06:16 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) FAITH IS THE VICTORY Message-ID: <9d.50f89871.2eaf8acc@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my ancient files. Use to the glory of God. FAITH IS THE VICTORY Introduction: -- In Jno. 5:4, the apostle John said: "...and this is the victory tht overcometh the world, even our faith." Jesus Christ said: "...In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (Jno. 16: 33). Christians should not be discouraged and faint by the way just because there will be tribulation. Jesus suggests that He has overcome the world and he exhorts disciples to "be of good cheer." I. OVER WHAT WORLD DO WE NEED VICTORY?: -- A. In Gal. 1:4 Paul tells us that our Lord Jesus Christ "gave Him- self for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world.." B. Concerning Jesus, John the Baptist said: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (Jno. 1: 29). C. We learn from Jno. 15:18,19 that "the world" hates those who are truly following the Lord. D. John tells us in 1 Jno. 5:19 that "the whole world lieth in wickedness." Obviously the world that we need victory over has Satan as the Prince over it. E. To sum up, "the whole world lieth in wickedness," this pre- sent world is evil, it has sin, and it hates those who are true disciples of Christ because it has Satan as its Prince. 1. This is the world over which we need to gain the victory. II. HOW CAN WE BE VICTORIOUS OVER THE WORLD? -- A. In order to be victorious over the world, we must have faith. (see 1 Jno. 5:4). 1. We shold think positively and "be of good cheer." (see Jno. 16:33). B. The faithless can NOT overcome the world. 1. We must truly believe "that Jesus is the Son of God." (see 1 Jno. 5:5). C. For faith to be victorious, it must come by hearing the Word of God, (see Rom. 10:17), and it must be a living, active and obedient faith. D. Jesus prayed that His disciples "might be sanctified through the truth." (see Jno. 17:14-21). 1. The Word of God, when believed and obeyed, will sanctify us. 2. If we are sanctified, we will NOT "walk according to the course of this world." (see Eph. 2:2). E. To be victorious, our faith must not allow us to "be conformed to this world," but we must "be transformed by the renew- ing of our mind." (see Rom. 12:1,2). F. To be victorious, we must NOT allow "the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things" to enter in and "choke the Word" and cause it to be "unfruitful." (see Mk. 4:19; Matt. 13:22). 1. Our faith must cause us to obey God. It must work "by love" otherwise it will NOT avail anything. (see Gal. 5:6). G. Our faith should be such that we overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb, and by the Word of our testimony. 1. This can be accomplished if we love NOT our lives unto the death. (see Rev. 12:11). III. WHY BE VICTORIOUS OVER THE WORLD? -- A. There are several reasons why we should desire to be victor- ious over the world. Let us consider some of them: 1. To overcome the wicked one. John wrote to young men and said, "I write unto you...because ye have overcome the wicked one" (1 Jno. 2:13,14). 2. Our faith is NOT victorious unless it causes us to "overcome the wicked one." B. To escape the second death (Rev. 2:11 says: "He that over- cometh shall not be hurt of the second death." C. To be clothed in white raiment (Rev. 3:8 says: "He that over- cometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment.' D. To sit with Christ in His throne (Rev. 3:21 says: "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne." E. To be a pillar in the temple of God (Rev. 3:12 says: "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God." F. To eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God (Rev. 2:7 says: "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the para- dise of God." Conclusion: Our faith will be tried. We may face tribulation, dis- tress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril or the sword. We may be accounted as sheep for the slaughter. How- ever, we can be "more than conquerors through Him that loved us and gave Himself up for us." Yes, Faith Is The Victory That Overcometh The World! ---- Carrol R. Sutton in The Instruct- or, Vol. 10, No. 1, Jan. 1973. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041026/4634abc0/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Tue Oct 26 06:11:00 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Tue Oct 26 12:06:17 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) THE MARKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH Message-ID: <13d.47b0262.2eaf8ac4@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Tuesday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with a lovely day. Here is an article from my ancient files: THE MARKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH The Marks Of Identity Of The New Testament Church Are Plain And Simple: -- I. Jesus Christ was the builder, head, foundation, and poss- essor of it. (Matt. 16:18; Col. 1:18,24). II. It was established on the first Pentecost after the Lord's resurrection from the dead, in the city of Jerusalem, the record of which is found in (Acts 2). III. Men of God proclaimed the facts of the Lord's death, buri- al and resurrection (Acts 2 - 3 -13 - 17; 1 Cor. 15:1-4). IV. The proclamation of these facts was intended to cause men to believe, for no man culd please God without faith (Heb. 11:6; 2 Cor. 5:7; Rom. 10:17). V. When men had been brought to believe they were then commanded to repent of their sins (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30) VI. Men were obligated to confess their faith in Jesus Christ as being the Son of God (Matt. 10:32; Lk. 12:8; Acts 8:37; 1 Tim. 6:13; Rom. 10:9,10). VII. Men were commanded to be baptized in water for the re- mission of their sins (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 10:48). VIII. This baptism put one into Christ, into the Lord's church (Acts 2:41,47; Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27). IX. In Christ, brethren wore the name "Christian" because it was divinely given and because it gave honor and glory to Jesus Christ (Acts 11:26; Jas. 2:7; 1 Pet. 4:16; Acts 4:12). X. The church was referred to as being the church of the Lord and the the church of Christ (Acts 20:28; Rom. 10: 16). XI. In their worship they taught (2 Tim. 2:2; 1 Pet. 3:15; Matt. 28:19,20): the sang (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; 1 Cor. 14:15): they prayed (Lk. 18:1; Jas. 5:16; Acts 2:42; 1 Thes. 5:17): they observed the Lord's Supper every first day of the week as is shown by consideration of Acts 20:7 together with 1 Cor. 16:2. XII. As a matter of duty and to help others they contributed of their means every first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:2). XIII. They had no creed but Christ, and no book but the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16,17; 2 Jno. 9; Gal. 1:8,9; 2 Cor. 5:7; Rom. 16: 17(. These are the marks of the New Testament church. In Lk. 8:11 the Lord taught that the seed of the kingdom is the Word of God. Every seed brings forth after its own kind. The seed of the kingdom in the first century produced Christians and Christians only; members of the Lord's church only. The same seed sown today will produce the same kind of crop. To produce something else, some other type of seed must be sown. But God forbids the sowing of anything else (2 Jno. 9; Gal. 1:8,9). In order to be a New Testament church we must do what was done in the days of the apostles. We must teach what was taught then. The church of Christ is pleading with all its power for a complete return to simple New Testament Christ- ianity. We teach exactly what the Bible teaches, all of what the Bible teaches, and only what the Bible teaches. If we don't then we are not a true church belonging to Christ. We are to wear the name the Bible gives and worship God accord- ing to the divine pattern. We have no creed but Christ, and no book but the Bible. We call Bible things by Bible names, and do Bible things in Bible ways. We endeavor to speak where the Bible speaks and to be silent where the Bible is silent. In no other way can we be the true New Testament church. ---- Roy Deaver in Just A Moment, 9/25/54 via The Instructor. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041026/4bdc2aff/attachment-0001.htm From kerux at svic.net Tue Oct 26 08:55:43 2004 From: kerux at svic.net (Kent Heaton) Date: Tue Oct 26 12:06:18 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A>Teenage Gyrations And A Lost Word In The Bible (Kent Heaton) Message-ID: <002801c4bb63$98fed350$1137fea9@OFFICE> Teenage Gyrations And A Lost Word In The Bible (Kent Heaton) Teenagers are beautiful people. Looking into their faces betrays the innocence of what their lives represent. Being a teenager is living life through tinted glasses with all the hopes and dreams of tomorrow looming large before them. This is a natural course of life and we find in young people a freshness of youth and vitality. Civil government recognizes the unique place young people have as laws are in place to protect their innocence. We react strongly to any who would tread upon the sacred innocence of teenagers. The Bible is filled with young men and women who served God with devotion and purity. God has placed within His revelation stories to remind and encourage all mankind of the power of youth and the frailty of these early years. Joseph (Genesis 37-50) was a young teenager sold into slavery and yet he maintained his integrity before God. In the book of Daniel, we read about Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; young men taken to Babylon as slaves and still they maintained faith in God. The apostle Paul writes two letters to Timothy to encourage him as a young man to be an example in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith and purity (1 Timothy 4:11-16). Young men and women should be encouraged by the word of God. Society has a great influence upon our young people. They struggle between the pressure of the world and the teachings of Jesus Christ. True happiness and fulfillment in life will only come when the teachings of God's word reign supreme. With this desire comes the responsibility to discern properly the will of God. Licentiousness or lasciviousness is not something that young people are familiar with. This word is not used in our day but it is still a potent word from the Bible. Paul writes in Galatians 5:19 - "Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness . those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." The meaning of licentiousness is conduct and character that is unbecoming, indecent, and unrestrained shameless conduct. In Romans 13:13, Paul admonishes his readers to walk "properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in licentiousness and lewdness." This portrays the idea of unchaste movements of the body. People of God are not to engage in such activities as this fulfills the works of the flesh and does not characterize those who have "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:14). A companion word that is used in place of licentiousness is "lasciviousness". The meaning of this word is to engage in "looseness, lustfulness, a tendency to excite lust, and promote irregular indulgences." The modern application of licentiousness or lasciviousness is dancing. Someone said, "The difference between wrestling and dancing is that some holds are barred in wrestling." Moving the body in the gyrations of the modern dance incite and excite those who engage in such and those who watch. More and more, high school cheerleaders are leaving the arena of "cheering the team" to "delighting the audience" in their dances. Young women (generally with little clothing on) present themselves before large crowds of people and with the beat of the music, exercise everything but discretion. Licentiousness is not a word easily remembered by people but this does not mean that God has taken it out of His word. The unchaste handling of males and females in dance and the exhibition of the body in such display is displeasing to God. Paul wrote that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom (Galatians 5:19-21). Dancing destroys the character of the Christian and removes any glory from God. Do not let indecent movements of the body destroy the beauty of youth. "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth" (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Live for Christ. Do not live for your body. Kent Heaton 207 NE Fourth Avenue Trenton, Florida 32693 352-463-3793 kerux@svic.net www.svic.net/kerux -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041026/251a63c7/attachment-0001.htm From wgoforth at sbcglobal.net Tue Oct 26 11:36:21 2004 From: wgoforth at sbcglobal.net (Wayne Goforth) Date: Tue Oct 26 12:07:01 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Study of Psalms References: <9d.50f89871.2eaf8acc@wmconnect.com> Message-ID: <004a01c4bb79$ef0781a0$b9b89445@domainnotset.invalid> I am looking for a study (or chart) of the book of Psalms that breaks the book down by type of Psalms ...such as Messianic, Psalms of Ascent, Imprecatory, Liturgical, etc. Thanks in advance! Wayne -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041026/7a98b037/attachment.htm From cecildouthitt at juno.com Tue Oct 26 15:27:07 2004 From: cecildouthitt at juno.com (Cecil Douthitt) Date: Wed Oct 27 10:26:04 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Body-Soul-Spirit Message-ID: <20041026.152707.-170685.5.cecildouthitt@juno.com> Gentleman I am working on a lesson on BODY-SOUL-SPIRIT. Any help with how the Bible uses these words, the difference in these words, definitions, etc. will be appreciated. Thank You, Cecil Douthitt From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Oct 27 05:56:14 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Wed Oct 27 10:26:05 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) THE GOSPEL AND CULTURE Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Wednesday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with an edifying day. Here is an article that recently came my way: THE GOSPEL AND CULTURE The gospel of Jesus Christ began to be preached in Palestine during the first century A.D. The spiritual principles set out in the gospel clearly are often expressed in terms of oriental culture, but do not find their source in such culture. Jesus commanded His apostles to preach the same gospel throughout the world (Matt. 28:19) and they did (Col. 1:23). Cultural differences existed between Jewish and Gentile societ- ies. They existed between the east and the west of the Roman Empire. And yet, the apostle Paul clearly prohibited the changing of the message preached for the accommodation of cultural differ- ences. To the Galatians he wrote, "I marvel that you are turn- ing away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:6-9). The Lord in- tended the same gospel to be the power unto man's salvation in each part/culture of the Roman Empire. It has been the habit of men over the centuries since the gospel began to be preached to slowly adapt its message to their cultural values. Donald Carson, in his commentary on 2 Cor. 10-13, made a perceptive observation about the response of man to the gospel: "We find it easier to interpret the gospel in terms of our received culture than the other way around...The gospel will purify and trans- form any culture; or, more accurately, the gospel will purify and transform the people from any cultural heritage who bow unreserv- edly to Jesus Christ. By this means it will modify or eliminate many of the culturally transmitted values of those new Christians; and they in turn may in some measure influence their culture and society as salt exerts its influence in food (cf. Matt. 5:13). But there will always be some who are controlled by a light 'Christian- ized' version of their own culture; i.e., their controlling values spring from the inherited culture, even when such values are deeply pagan and not Christian." (From Triumphalism to Maturity, p. 40). I believe that we are doing this very thing with the gospel in western culture. We embrace certain values without recognizing that they find their origin in culture rather than Scripture. For exam- ple, as western culture has become more tolerant to the practice of homosexuality, churches are following suit. The same phenome- non can be observed with respect to the role of women, divorce and standards of modesty. The only way to avoid the mistake of adapting the gospel to our cultural values is to become intimately familiar with what the Script- ures actually say. Let's get back to studying the Bible! ------- Allen Dvorak via Gospel Power, Vol. 11, No. 41, Oct. 17, 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041027/a63686ba/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Wed Oct 27 05:56:18 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Wed Oct 27 10:26:06 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) HOW FAITH BEHAVES Message-ID: <143.36d25f72.2eb0d8d2@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study that rec- ently came my way. Use to the glory of God. HOW FAITH BEHAVES Faith is the foundation on which the Christian system rests. Without faith, there is no Christianity, no Jesus Christ, no salvation for man. "Without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Heb. 11:6). It's passage with which nearly every Christian is familiar and to which every Christian subscribes. Faith is necessary, we all know that. But the passage doesn't stop at that point: it doesn't quit when it says "without faith it is impossible to please Him." Nor does it stop when it says, "for he that cometh to God must believe that He is." It goes on to say, "and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Now, that part gets left out most of the time. And yet, it's just as much a part of the verse as is the first part. What that says is that belief, by itself, is not sufficient. There's just more to faith than mental assent. There must be some action to demonstrate that faith, some activity that supports the content- ion that God is and that He rewards the faithful. Faith must believe itself. Well, how does faith behave? First, It Behaves Obediently: -- True faith does not question God. It does, without question, what God says to do. And it does not do what He prohibits. True faith has such abiding confidence in Who and What God is that there is never any question about what He requires. For instance, if He says we should be baptized for the remission of sins (Mk. 16:15,16), there is no hesitation about that: we just say, "here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized" (Acts 8:36)? If He says "forsaking not the assem- bling of yourselves together" (Heb. 10:25), we don't hesitate about that or ask why, we just go assemble with the saints. When He says that the "disciples came together on the first day of the week to break bread" (Acts 20:7), the true believer doesn't question why that is required, he just comes together with the saints every first day of the week to observe the Lord's Supper. Real faith obeys without question. Secondly, Faith Behaves Consistently: -- That is, it doesn't vacillate; it stays steady al the time. There is no such thing as a part-time faith, oen you put on and take off when it's convenient. You either have faith full-time or you don't. And to just say you have it is not tantamount to having it either. Faith is not something that you put on and put off, it's something you embrace for the duration. "He that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed," we are told (Jas. 1:6). Faith is firm. Faith is fixed. Faith is secure. Faith is consisten, enduring, established and uncompromising. That doesn't mean that faith is mean-spirited; but it does mean that you cn't bend it to fit the society or change it to accommodate the masses. Faith Behaves With Hope: -- In fact, faith and hope are just about inseparable. Faith, for instance, believes all that God has said on a matter; and it puts its confidence in that so firmly that hope is the result. For instance, when the Hebrew writer gives us a characteristic definition of faith he says, "Now faith is the sub- stance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hope, you see, rests on a man's faith. Without faith, there isn't any real hope. Faith firms hope; hope is supported by faith. Both desire and expectation of heaven are the product of an abiding faith (1 Pet. 1:3). And when there is a coupling of faith and hope, based on the assurances and promises of God, it becomes "a liv- ely hope," one that includes "an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth no away," for those who are "kept by the power of God through faith..." (1 Pet. 1:4,5). Just as surely as those verses are connected contextually, so is the faith and hope of which they so eloquently speak. Finally, True Faith Is Not Mis-placed: -- Faith in God is stronger than anything man can imagine. Look at the ancients described in Heb. 11. By it "the elders obtained a good report." Enoch's faith pleased God and because of it, he was "translat- ed." Noah believed God and saved the people. Abraham went out "not knowing where he went," but knowing that by doing so, he was pleasing God. Sarah, Moses, Joseph, Gideon, and a host of lesser lights, pleased God by their faith and all "obtained a good report by faith" (Heb. 11:39). Faith caused all of them to receive the blessings of God. The fact is -- faith works. And it is the same for us. Believe Him, do what He says, and be blessed. It's simple -- and yet as difficult -- as that. What about your faith? Is it there? Is it active? Is it real or imagined faith? Only you and God know for sure. Remember, "faith without works is dead, being alone" (Jas. 2:17). So, "be ye doers of the word and not hearers only..." (Jas. 1:23). ----- Dee Bowman via Gospel Power, Vol. 11, No. 41, Oct. 17, 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041027/f52bbd97/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Oct 28 05:50:03 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Thu Oct 28 10:13:54 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) NOW IS THE TIME TO OBEY THE GOSPEL Message-ID: <79.370015fb.2eb228db@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Thursday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with a very fruitful and rewarding day. Here are some short say- ings that you might enjoy: NOW IS THE TIME TO OBEY THE GOSPEL "Not yet," said the youth. "I don't want anything to interfere with my pleasure. When I grow older I'll think about my soul." "Not yet," said the young married man. "I am just beginning to do well in life. When I see my business prospering, then I shall have more time." "Not yet," said the middle aged business man. "I've worked so hard to place my business where it is today. I want to take it easy awhile and devote more time to recreation." "Not yet," said the gray-haired man. "Somewhere along the line I have picked up some bad habits I'll have to conquer first. Then too, it would involve several changes, and when you get my age these changes are difficult and you don't want to make many." And so he lived without God and died without hope. How sad! His big sin was procrastination. Is that yours today? "Today if ye shall hear His voice, harden not your hearts." "Now is the acceptable time: now is the day of salvation." -----via Gospel Digest. ************************************************************************ Dangerous Symptoms: -- When the way to the meeting house seems too long: when you dislike to speak with the brethren: when the sermon makes you mad instead of penitent: when reading the Bible puts you to sleep: when you fret if called on to assist in the service or perhaps give a little more; then BEWARE! You are showing all the symptoms of becoming a BACKSLIDER! via Tidings of Truth. ************************************************************************ Sentence Sermons: A lot of people spend six days sowing wild oats, then "go to church" on Sunday and pray for a crop failure. Love that doesn't understand the language of sacrifice is not love. Silence is one of the great acts of conversion. The first screw that comes loose in the head is usually the one that controls the tongue. You should not be on the rocks, but on the ROCK. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041028/b4121f3c/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Thu Oct 28 05:50:06 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Thu Oct 28 10:13:55 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) THE CHURCH VERSUS DENOMINATIONS Message-ID: <30.6424d4fc.2eb228de@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study taken from my ancient files. Use to the glory of God. THE CHURCH VERSUS DENOMINATIONS The church was built by Jesus Christ, (Matt. 16:18). All denom- inations were established by men. The church is built upon Christ, (1 Cor. 3:11). Denominations were all built upon the ideas, movements, and theories of men. Jesus built ONE church, (Jno. 10:18; Matt. 15:18; 1 Cor. 12: 20). Men have built many denominaitons. The church was purchased with the blood of the Son of God, (Acts 20:28). He did not purchase any denomination with His blood. Jesus is the Head of the church, (Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22,23). Men serve as heads of the various denominations. Jesus Christ is the Lawgiver of the church (Matt. 28:18; Acts 2:38; Jas. 4:12). Men give the laws which govern denominations. The church is governed by the Word of God, (Acts 20:32; 1 Cor. 4:17). Denominations follow man-made creeds. Christ is the Savior of the church, (Eph. 5:23). Denominations have no savior. All of the saved make up the church, (Acts 2:47; 1 Cor. 1:2; 6: 11). Denominations claim to possess only some of the saved. All spiritual blessings are in Christ, the church, the body of Christ, (Eph. 1:3). There is no promise of any spiritual blessing in denominationalism. The church teaches for doctrine the commandments of God, (Matt. 15:9; Gal. 1:8,9; 2 Jno. 9). Denominatiosn teach for doctr- ine the commandments of men. The church wears no human names, (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 1:2; Acts 4:12). Denominations wear human names. The church began in Jerusalem about A.D. 33, (Acts 2). All denominations have begun since that time at various places. --------Jimmy Thomas in The Instructor, Vol. 10, No 2, Feb. 1973. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041028/ddae99df/attachment.htm From list_mail at mhallen.com Thu Oct 28 09:23:38 2004 From: list_mail at mhallen.com (Matthew Allen) Date: Thu Oct 28 10:17:28 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A> They're Gonna Do It Anyway Message-ID: <003901c4bcf9$bca4ebe0$2001a8c0@PREACHER> They're Gonna Do It Anyway... Our culture continues its steady march from traditional stances on morality and ethics. Practices go on today with barely a commotion that only a few years back would have had entire communities in an uproar. I don't know about you, but at times I find myself in an emotional tug-of-war. I am partly filled with great hope and optimism: surely there is a silent majority of people out there who have strong principles of morality and possess godly values. The other part of me is not so optimistic: As the generations go by, people have grown to question all that is right and embrace all that is wrong. It does not help my optimism when I hear that those who play a significant role in the development of our future leaders and members of society embrace ungodly practices and write it off as "teens will be teens." Disturbing reports come out of school dances all over the country. "Bumping and grinding" and other provocative dancing are now the norm. "Bumping and grinding" is described as back to front dancing where a girl gyrates against the pelvis of a boy standing behind her. Some have described the dance as "sex with your clothes on." This spring, a controversy over this type of dancing erupted in Fort Wayne, IN. One student, who defended this kind of dancing said, "I've grown up with it. That's the way dance is. You have to grow with the times." Some schools across the country have banned dirty dancing. One school administrator in California says, "it is like pornography...there are instances when a girl will be on the floor and there will be guys on top of her," gyrating in sync to the song. The San Jose Mercury News describes the dancing in this way: "There are times when a student's head is nuzzled in another's crotch. Or legs are hung around hips as pelvises thrust against each other. Basically, it's anything that looks like sex." (www.renewamerica.us/columns/zeiger/040424) While some schools do an admirable job in prohibiting such behavior, others are not so firm in their resolve. For example, some school administrators insist the DJ make an announcement about "appropriate behavior," but then take no further action to stop the dirty dancing. There are just too many people to control and no way to stop it. In some school districts, administrators are fearful that if students are sent home for inappropriate conduct they will have to endure the complaints of parents. Others rationalize that "teens will be teens and they're gonna do it anyway." It is a sad day when school officials do not have the backbone to stand up to parents who would allow their children to engage in such offensive behavior. Yes...my more pessimistic side is winning out. When it comes to moral issues, the ones we entrust to be positive role models for our children seem to be questioning all that is right and embracing all that is wrong. Dirty dancing falls into a category of behavior that is clearly condemned in Scripture. Romans 13:13 says, Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality. "Sensuality" refers to "wanton (acts or) manners, as filthy words, indecent physical movements, unchaste handling of males and females, etc." Those who serve God must cease this kind of behavior in order to be pleasing to Him. In fact, those who engage in such behavior will not inherit the kingdom of God. This is not based on one man's opinion, but the inspired word of God. Galatians 5:19-21 says, Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But...children will be children and they're going to do it anyway. Really? Who says? How many teenagers demonstrate great courage in withstanding peer pressure? How many more would withstand peer pressure if they had the proper guidance at home and school? When parents and a school district operate under the "they're going to do it anyway" mentality they in effect are giving their stamp of approval on the immoral behavior despite weak-kneed objections to the contrary. Unfortunately, a number of parents and school administrators have caved into the spirit of moral compromise that pushes "black and white" issues into "gray areas." We need leaders in the community who will have courage enough to stand up to indecent and ungodly behavior! We need parents who will teach their children how to be confident, how to stand on their convictions, and how to know right from wrong. Principles of morality and godly values do not change with the times! There are some behaviors that will always be wrong no matter what entire generations of people say. Let's get away from living in flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. (1 Peter 4:2) Matthew Allen mhallen@sbcglobal.net Matthew (Matt) Allen Minister - Brownsburg church of Christ 2100 S. Hornaday Rd., Brownsburg, IN 46112 Office: (317) 852-4645 Mobile: (317) 797-5324 mhallen@sbcglobal.net sdrazorback@yahoo.com matthew@mhallen.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041028/adeae375/attachment-0001.htm From danjgatlin at yahoo.com Thu Oct 28 10:53:57 2004 From: danjgatlin at yahoo.com (Dan Gatlin) Date: Thu Oct 28 12:05:04 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S>Growing in Character Message-ID: <20041028155358.13144.qmail@web41726.mail.yahoo.com> Growing in Character Intro: A. All of us growing older every day. Can't do much about that! 1. There’s a good and bad side to that. a. The bad part is the effects of age. Loss of memory, deterioration of the body b. The good side is that we gain experience & knowledge. 1) And we should grow closer to the Lord. 2) “Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” (2 Cor.4:16) B. Many areas of growth are the result of our deciding to grow. It requires effort on our part. C. Lets look at some areas in which we may grow. I. We Can Grow Up. A. Everyone starts out as a “babe in Christ.” B. Consider some of the negative qualities that children have. 1. “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—” - Eph 4:14 a. They are easily deceived (too trusting). b. Some predators prey on children because they are easy marks. 2. 1 Cor.3:1-3 Children fight & bicker, “You’re not my friend anymore.” a. Sometimes adults aren’t too different. They need to “grow up.” b. Mature Christians don’t behave (or think) that way. C. Children have some very positive attitudes. “Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.” - 1 Cor.14:20 1. Children are forgiving. “I’m never going to play with you again!” Ten minutes later they’re playing. 2. “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” - Matt.18:3 II. We Can Grow In Grace & Knowledge. A. “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” - 2 Pet 3:18 B. The basic meaning of “grace” is “unmerited favor.” More precise meaning is determined by context. 1. God’s grace is given, not earned. (Though man must meet God’s conditions before it is given.) 2. To “grow in grace” means a deepening of our relationship with God. C. Growing in knowledge comes from study. We are motivated when we study things that interest us. 1. You may have hobbies or interests where you’re excited to learn more. 2. Learning more about God’s word should be more than just a mere hobby. a. How often do we read or study God’s word? b. How often do we turn to Him in Prayer? 3. Knowing God means knowing His word. “Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.” - 1 Cor. 15:34 a. Paul was speaking to Christians, and he said that they didn’t know God. b. In context, they didn’t know what God said about the resurrection, therefore, they didn’t know God. c. “Knowing God” is not simply a feeling or experience, it is believing what He reveals about Himself and His will. III. We Can Grow In Faith. A. "We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other" - 2 Thess. 1:3 B. “Faith” is also used in different ways in the Scriptures. 1. Obedient faith, which is action prompted by belief. 2. “The faith” is NT doctrine delivered by the Holy Spirit. 3. Then there is “my personal faith.” This describes the things in which I trust, and put my confidence. a. The Jews put their confidence in the flesh (Phil.3:3-4). Their conviction was strong, but it was in the wrong thing. b. We choose to have either a weak or strong faith. Strong faith isn’t something that just happens to us. C. Rom. 10:17 tells us how faith comes, & grows. By hearing the word of God. IV. We Can Grow In Love. A. “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another” - Rom 12:9-10 B. “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,” - 1 Pet. 1:22 1. “Only love can be divided endlessly and still not diminish.” - Anne Morrow Lindbergh C. Love manifests itself in many ways. Rom. 13:8-10 1. Love is best expressed through our actions. “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” - 1 Jn.3:18 2. Love is shown in forgiveness. Lk.7:37-38, 44-47 (esp.47) V. If We’re Not Careful, We Can Grow Weary. A. “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” - Gal. 6:9 1. One of the first indications of discouragement is lack of prayer. “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” - Lk. 18:1 B. Elijah became discouraged in 1 Kings 19, but God told him of 7,000 others who were faithful. 1. We may go long periods of time and see no obvious fruit to our labor. Remember: "in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart". 2. It may be that, like Jeremiah, we convince very few. We must endure so we can gain the reward. C. The key to overcoming discouragement: “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” - Heb. 12:1-2 VI. We Can Grow Cold. A. In our attitude toward God. 1. Jesus said to the church at Ephesus, “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” (Rev.2:4). 2. Relationships require work. a. Anybody married longer than 2-3 months knows this. b. God tells us how to keep from growing cold. 1) “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” - Jms.4:8 2) Jesus told the church at Laodicea to “be zealous and repent” (Rev.3:19). 3) Heb. 10:22-23 B. And in our attitude toward one another. 1. “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” - Matt.24:12 a. The context is the destruction of Jerusalem. b. Where divine law is not respected, love vanishes. c. When people don’t believe they’ll answer to God, they won’t respect His word. Men will follow their own course. 2. This is another way of describing indifference to one another 3. “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another.” - Rom.12:15-16a VII. We Can Grow More Worldly. A. “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.” - Phil 3:18-19 B. Materialism can be difficult to avoid, because we need material things for our physical survival. We must remember: 1. Material things are temporary. “while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” - 2 Cor. 4:18 2. Material things will vanish away. Heb.1:10-12 C. In the end, the only thing that matters is your relationship with God. Conclusion—All of us are growing in some direction; either in our relationship with God or in our ties to the world. Where are you headed? A. Consider the question asked by Peter in 2 Pet.3:10-12 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041028/53181efb/attachment-0001.htm From kthomas at ntslink.net Thu Oct 28 11:15:19 2004 From: kthomas at ntslink.net (Kenneth E. Thomas) Date: Thu Oct 28 12:05:06 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] "The Purpose of A Lighthouse" Message-ID: <41811B16.DD6EA3B4@ntslink.net> Kenneth E. Thomas to the list; I just whipped out the following poem. I thought perhaps some may enjoy it and possibly use it some time in teaching. The Purpose of A Lighthouse By Kenneth E. Thomas Light houses were for man?s safety, before computers ruled the day. The way to keep from going aground, in bad weather or when gone astray. Regardless of fog or tempestuous seas, the light guided you lest you stray; Fog horns would also sound an alarm, guiding to the strait and narrow way. Thinking of this reminded me of Jesus, who is ?the way, the truth, the life?; He will guide one to the Father, walking with Him is walking in light! In Him was life; and the life was light, that all men through Him might believe. Is Jesus the light that lights your path; As you walk through life?s stormy seas? 10/28/04 -- Kenneth E. Thomas kthomas@ntslink.net "A word to the wise is sufficient." Pekin church home page address: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/7017/pekin_ch.html -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041028/d12ee69a/attachment.htm From pappy01 at cox-internet.com Thu Oct 28 16:15:53 2004 From: pappy01 at cox-internet.com (Terry Sanders) Date: Fri Oct 29 08:16:50 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A> A Living Document? Message-ID: <001101c4bd33$4f5b9400$66c64c42@coxinternet.com> Skipped content of type multipart/alternative-------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 145 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041028/be96a213/attachment-0001.gif From dmartin5 at concentric.net Thu Oct 28 19:29:52 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Fri Oct 29 08:16:51 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Bible Questions and Bible Truths updates Message-ID: <001d01c4bd4e$68f37160$0b306a43@concentric.net> *********************************************** Don Martin with news about our updates: *********************************************** We continue our Web site work with the belief that good is being accomplished. In fact, we set a new record last week regarding the number of questions processed, answered, and any needed follow up work done. The new Featured Question for www.biblequestions.org is, "What does Romans 5: 21 mean?" (Below.) Regarding those of you who submit questions, we appreciate your patience. You can submit a question by going to the home page of Bible Questions and following the instructions. Question: What does Romans 5: 21 mean? Answer: I especially appreciate questions which call for an exegeses of a verse. The verse reads, "That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." A look at the context. When considering a given verse, it is imperative that we also consider the context. The context concerns what was lost because of Adam and what is gain by Christ. Sin and death entered by Adam (vs. 12). Sin and death affect all men "for that all have sinned, " Paul explained (not the arbitrary transmission of the sin of Adam). Grace came through the one man Jesus (vss. 15, 17). Many were made sinners because of Adam (vs. 19). Many, to the converse, are made righteous by the obedience of Christ (Ibid.). A closer look at Romans 5: 21. There are two matters in contrast: sin reigning unto death and grace reigning through righteousness. Sin's reign is connected with Adam and the reign of grace is associated with Christ. A key word in our verse is "righteousness." "Righteousness" is important because grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life. Some view "righteousness" (the state of being right) as Christ's personal righteousness. Hence, the teaching that men are saved directly and only by Jesus' holy life. To be consistent, those who so understand righteousness in verse 21 ought to say the same regarding verse 19 (some do). The same way men are made sinners by Adam, men are made righteous by Christ. The truth is each man becomes a sinner when he sins (following Adam's example, vs. 12), and each man becomes righteous when he follows Christ's example (see Ps. 119: 172, Phil. 2: 5-8). Beloved, the state of disobedience precludes righteousness and eternal life. It is only in righteousness (doing right) that grace reigns. The new Current Truth for www.bibletruths.net is, "Sports and the Christian" (see below excerpt). You may read the material in full by entering through the door on the home page and clicking on "Current Truth" in the table on the Site Map page. Here is the excerpt: "...Contrary to modern opinion, the teaching of the scriptures is to control every aspect of the life of the Christian (Matt. 6: 33). This is true even to the point of every thought being brought into captivity "to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10: 5). Work, government, families, the local church, conduct toward those without and within, all fall under the influence of the scriptures (I Tim. 5: 8, cp. Col. 3: 22, 23; Rom. 13: 1-7; Eph. 5: 22-6: 4; Heb. 10: 25, Eph. 4: 16; Col. 4: 5, I Thes. 5: 14). The gospel teaches the Christian how to dress, talk, and think (I Tim. 2: 9; Eph. 4: 29; Phili. 4: 8). There is not a single area, including recreation, which is not to be governed by Jesus' Lordship and teaching. Regarding sports, need I point out the continued interest on the part of the average person? Intense interest in sports started with Imperial Rome, some historians tell us....." Cordially, Don Martin From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Oct 29 05:46:37 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Fri Oct 29 08:16:52 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) SATAN'S BAIT Message-ID: <12c.4f8ff6a3.2eb3798d@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Friday morn- ing to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with a fruitful and invigorating day. Here is an article that recently came my way: SATAN'S BAIT "Do not love the world, nor the things that are in the world, If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 Jno. 2:15). I read an interesting story a while back about a method used by some hunters to catch monkeys in places like Africa or Asia. The hunter hollows out a gourd and makes a hole in its side just big enough for a monkey to put in its hand. The gourd is then filled with nuts or fruit and securely fastened to a tree. The curious monkey is attracted to the smell of the fruit or nuts in the gourd and reaches inside to grasp a hand full. The hole in the gourd is large enough to allow an open hand to go into the gourd but is too small for a hand filled with food to be brought back out of the hole. So, since the monkey refuses to let go of the hand full of food, he is an easy prey for the hunter. Being unwilling to let go of his prize, he actually traps himself. (This sort of reminds me of some of Aesop's Fables we used to read from our readers in grammar school many years ago. JWS). Is this not a similar method that Satan uses to entrap us? He tempts us to take hold of more and more of this world's possess- ions. We think these things will make us better or more secure. Yet, as long as we stubbornly hold on to them, we are enslaving ourselves to the things of this world. How do we expect to lay up treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:19-21) if we're using both hands to hold on to the treasures of the earth? How relevant is John's warning for us in 1 Jno. 2:15 as noted above? John goes on to say "the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever" (vs. 17). Doing God's will or Satan's will is a choice we all have to make. The rewards of doing God's will are eternal (Matt. 7;21) but follow- ing after the world (Satan's way) is only temporary. Remember what happened to the Monkey. Don't be fooled by Satan's bait. ------Shane Williams in The Lilbourn Light, Vol. 5, No. 7, Oct. 2004. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041029/848a2b1f/attachment-0001.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Fri Oct 29 05:46:41 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Fri Oct 29 08:16:53 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) "QUIT YE LIKE MEN" (1) Message-ID: <1ad.2a2bf7ec.2eb37991@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is a study from my ancient files. Use to the glory of God. "QUIT YE LIKE MEN" (1) In 1 Cor. 16:13, the apostle Paul gave some much needed ex- hortation to saints of God when he said: "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, QUIT YE LIKE MEN, be strong." Christians are to "give strict attention to" their attitudes and actions lest they fall into sin. Caution must be exercised. We should actively "take heed lest we fall" (see 1 Cor. 10:12). The admonition to "stand fast in the faith" must not go unheeded. Earnest effort should be made "to stand firm," i.e., to persevere in the faith. One must know the teachings of Christ in order to "stand fast in the faith." The exhortation to "QUIT YE LIKE MEN" is as appropriate now as it was in the first century. Some of the saints at Corinth had not developed into spiritually mature men at the time Paul wrote to them. They were "as babes in Christ." (1 Cor. 3:1-3). They were characterized by envying, strife and divisions. These sins evidenced their carnality. One of them was a fornicator of the worst type (1 Cor. 5). Some of them were "going to law" with their brother in Christ, and that before unbelievers (1 Cor. 6). The Lord's supper was not being properly observed, some were using it as a social meal and eating to fill themselves before their brethr- en who did not bring such meals to eat at that time, since they had come together to take of the emblems of the Lord's supper, fruit of the vine and unleavened bread (1 Cor. 11:17-34). It seems that some may have been mis-using some of the spiritual gifts, received by the laying on of the apostles' hands, that were giving to them by the Lord to carry on the operation's of the church at that time, but were to cease "when" that which was "perfect" the law of liberty, the written Word of God, was come (1 Cor. 13 and 14). The admonition to "QUIT YE LIKE MEN" definitely needed then and it is certainly needed today because of prevailing condit- ions. According to Thayer, the words translated "quit ye like men" mean "to show oneself a man, be brave" (Thayer's Lexicon, pg. 43). Berry's Greek, English Lexicon says the meaning is "to act like a man, to be brave" pg. 9. The NASB says: "act like men." In 1 Cor. 14:20 Paul said: "Brethren, be not children in under- standing: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understand- ing be men." He also said: "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things" (1 Cor. 13:11). All of us who are Christians should see the need of becoming "full- grown" in Christ Jesus. We should "be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doc- trine, by the sleight of men and by cunning craftiness" (Eph. 4;14), but we should "put away childish things" and grow and develop into spiritual adults. Many problems in the family as well as in the church are caused by spiritual immaturity. Little children are untaught, unskilled and very immature. This is evidenced by many of their actions. Most children are easily hurt, will cry often and pout when things do not go according to their desires. There is a similar situation in the church. Many "saints" are easily hurt, will cry often and pout when things do not go according to their desires. Paul said: "QUIT YE LIKE MEN!" Children are unstable. They are very changeable and incon- sistent. A child finds it difficult to work long at a time. He rarely finishes a job. Many "saints" are afflicted with instability. They are inconsistent. Successful living demands constant attention and steadfastnes. Paul said: "QUIT YE LIKE MEN!" (More will be posted on this subject tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041029/f008436b/attachment.htm From jssmith at electronicgospel.org Fri Oct 29 08:10:24 2004 From: jssmith at electronicgospel.org (Jeff Smith) Date: Fri Oct 29 08:16:56 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A>Saving Daylight Message-ID: Saving Daylight by J.S. Smith Daylight Saving Time is a bit of an anachronism, created ostensibly to move the daylight to an hour later to benefit people who rely on such things. Today, we live in a 24 hour world and Daylight Saving Time tends to vary in popularity between springing forward (yawn) and falling back (ahh). Yet there is something important there in the notion of saving daylight, of making the most of the precious few hours we have. Paul writes in Romans 13, 11?And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12?The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13?Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14?But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. Day is at hand, the Holy Spirit reasons, and with it should come a new resolution to walk properly, as if everyone could see both your actions and your very thoughts. The night is spent ? that period of time in which the young or apathetic procrastinate about reformation and persist in indulgence. The time has come to put on the armor light and to save the daylight by denying the tempter the opportunities we have so thoughtlessly given him till now. Save the daylight by quitting revelry and drunkenness (that party attitude that compromises godly inhibitions), lewdness (both sides of the allure of the flesh ? causing it with immodesty and desiring it to the point of rebellion) and strife and envy (the products of pride and worldliness). There has to come a point in time at which you realize you are wasting your days on things of dubious virtue and value. ?For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles? (1 Peter 4:3). The will of the Gentiles is a reference to all the immorality that had been incorporated into their hedonistic lifestyle and which held some attraction even as one was converted to Christ. Today, that lifestyle is glamorized on television and in movies so that even some Christians are being heard to contend for its consideration. Brethren are defending the Prom, abbreviated attire, mixed-gender swimming and even social drinking in spite of passages like these that so readily define those things as spiritual darkness. The will of the Gentile specifically included the very things Paul condemned in Romans 13, but goes further in exploring the dangers of intoxicants. ?Drunkenness, revelries and drinking parties? are prohibited in verse 3 as the list of three starts at total intoxication and works its way back through half-drunkenness to the simple act of drinking alcohol (Thayer). If the whole duty of man is to fear God and keep his commandments ? and it is (Eccles. 12:13, Matt. 7:21-27) ? then these deeds which were formerly done mostly under cover of night have no place in the lifestyle of the saints. We just don?t have enough time to waste on actions that bring shame to the kingdom and threaten to remove our names from its enrollment (2 Peter 2:20-22). We might once have been darkness, but now we are children of light in the Lord who may have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness (Eph. 5:8-11). ?See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is? (Eph. 5:15). When we fall back on our clocks with the end of Daylight Saving Time for another year, urgency is suddenly added to the afternoon. Very little daylight exists between the end of the common workday and the night. Not much time for errands and enjoyment is left. The same can be said for the twilight years of a person?s life, as death seemingly approaches and the days are obviously numbered (Psalm 90:10). Sadly, what we fail to learn from Scripture, we tend to learn by experience, but too late to make much difference. ?Come now, you who say, ?Today or tomorrow ?? whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away ? Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin? (James 4:13-17). Daylight Saving Time. Frankly, I could do without it, especially when I have to spring forward and lose an hour?s fellowship with my pillow. But, are we learning to make the most of the day by living in the light and by doing the right thing? There are so many more opportunities today to do evil and be excused ? by everyone but God. Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, ?I have no pleasure in them.?? JEFF S. SMITH Evangelist, Woodmont church of Christ Fort Worth, Texas http://www.electronicgospel.org Free subscription to Woodmont E-Beacon: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ElectronicGospel/join John 14:6 ~ Romans 16:16 From jssmith at electronicgospel.org Fri Oct 29 08:20:04 2004 From: jssmith at electronicgospel.org (Jeff Smith) Date: Fri Oct 29 08:24:07 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A>All Saints' Day Message-ID: <3F257F06-29AD-11D9-9AD2-000A95DBC234@electronicgospel.org> All Saints? Day By J.S. Smith These days, November 1 ? All Saints? Day on the Catholic calendar ? is dwarfed in popularity by the day that precedes it, Halloween, or All Hallows? Eve. The two days, one which unscripturally celebrates the martyrdom of men like John the immerser, and the other which attaches itself to the opposite realm of the evil and macabre, however, are inextricably linked in history. Catholic authorities explain the origin of ?All Saints? Day?: ?It is instituted to honour all the saints, known and unknown, and, according to Urban IV, to supply any deficiencies in the faithful's celebration of saints' feasts during the year. In the early days the Christians were accustomed to solemnize the anniversary of a martyr's death for Christ at the place of martyrdom? (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04171a.htm). Those ?early days,? however do not extend back into the New Testament, for there is no book, chapter or verse at all for a celebration of martyred saints like Stephen or John. The early church contented itself with a weekly memorial to the sacrifice of Christ, but left no tradition of celebrating the births or deaths of anyone else (1 Cor. 11:23-34). In reality, the presence of these autumnal holidays indicates the failure of the apostate church to evangelize away the pagan traditions it encountered. The entire package of All Hallows? Eve and All Saints? Day is a transparent attempt to co-opt the Druid observance of Samhain at summer?s end. The superstitious Celtics ?paid tribute with gifts and food (and sometimes it was rumored sacrifices) to the spirit world to insure that next year?s crop would be bountiful. It was a time for communicating with the dead and receiving wisdom from past ancestors to insure prosperity? (http://ohoh.essortment.com/halloweentrivia_rzls.htm). The nascent Catholic apostasy had not the mettle to preach against such false convictions and so they accommodated them instead, as they did in creating Easter and Christmas in response to pagan traditions of spring and winter. ?When the Christians set about to convert the pagans, some adaptation of these spiritual rituals had to be made to keep the Pagans in the Church. Therefore, November 1st became ?All Saints Day? to honor all those in heaven and October 31st was tacked on as ?All Hallows Eve? or Halloween, the night when all the dead are remembered? (Ibid). The danger in adopting Catholic creations as our own religious practice is that these mere traditions of men have been transformed into false doctrines with the appearance of divine sanction when there is none (Matt. 15:9). Secular participation in trick-or-treating, egg hunts is usually harmless, so long as they are not confused with the Catholic and pagan traditions. That is not always easy, though. Halloween has an allure for evils like vandalism while Easter and Christmas are practiced religiously by the majority of our neighbors, who may not understand our partial participation. If we are going to pursue the secular aspects, we must be steadfast against the rest and be ready to give an answer as to why (1 Peter 3:15). ___________________________________________________________ Contact the author online at jssmith@woodmontchurch.org. JEFF S. SMITH Evangelist, Woodmont church of Christ Fort Worth, Texas http://www.electronicgospel.org Free subscription to Woodmont E-Beacon: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ElectronicGospel/join John 14:6 ~ Romans 16:16 From onealpha2 at mchsi.com Fri Oct 29 08:38:51 2004 From: onealpha2 at mchsi.com (artur loeber) Date: Fri Oct 29 15:15:54 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Question Message-ID: <418247EB.000008.16681@OEMCOMPUTER> Skipped content of type multipart/alternative-------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 4777 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041029/aa6dbc37/attachment.gif -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 2252 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041029/aa6dbc37/attachment-0001.gif From joe at bibleanswer.com Fri Oct 29 15:01:34 2004 From: joe at bibleanswer.com (Joe R. Price) Date: Fri Oct 29 15:15:55 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] B>The Spirit's Sword (VIII:18) - October 31, 2004 Message-ID: <4182A19E.3040601@bibleanswer.com> THE SPIRIT'S SWORD (Volume VIII, Number 18 - October 31, 2004) "And take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17) Published by: The Mt. Baker church of Christ 1860 Mt. Baker HWY Bellingham, WA 98226 Visit our Web Sites: Mt. Baker church of Christ: http://mtbakercofc.org Bible Answers: http://www.bibleanswer.com The Spirit's Sword: http://www.bibleanswer.com/ssword.htm Editor: Joe R. Price In this issue: ____________________________________ -What the Word of God Does -Paying Respect to the Dead -Sermon Outline: --God, Our Father --Noteworthy News: The Vote You Cast ____________________________________ WHAT THE WORD OF GOD DOES Joe R. Price The following question was posted on the Bible Answers guest book this week: ?exactly what does the word do?? The word of God is a mighty force. Since it is the word of God and not man, we would expect it to be powerful, and it is (Heb. 4:12). The word of God ?effectively works in you who believe? (1 Ths. 2:13). Here are some of the things God?s word is capable of doing: ? It reveals the mind and purposes of God, 1 Cor. 2:10-13; Eph. 3:3-5 ? It records reasons to believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, Jno. 20:30-31 ? It produces faith, Rom. 10:17 ? It is an incorruptible seed by which one is born again, 1 Pet. 1:23; Jno. 3:5; Jas. 1:18 ? It is God?s power to save sinners, Rom. 1:16; Jas. 1:21; 1 Cor. 1:18-21 ? It gives life, Matt. 4:4; Jno. 6:63 ? It sanctifies, Jno. 17:17 ? It strengthens, Acts 20:32; 1 Pet. 2:2 ? It exhorts and convicts sinners, Titus 1:9 ? It reproves, rebukes and exhorts, 2 Tim. 4:2 ? It endures forever, Matt. 24:35; 1 Pet. 1:23 ? It cleanses, Eph. 5:26; Jno. 15:3 (Psa. 119:9); 1 Pet. 1:22 ? It instructs in righteousness, 2 Tim. 3:16-17 ? It completely equips a person to serve God, 2 Tim. 3:16-17 ? It completes the love of God in one?s life when obeyed, 1 Jno. 2:5 ? It is a light to guide our path, Psa. 119:105 ? It is the standard of judgment in the last day, Jno.12:48; Rev. 20:12 Many more things could be added to this list. It is important to realize that the word of God can and will do all of these things, but only if we choose to let it do so. We must implant the word of God in our hearts and obey it in our lives (Jas. 1:21; Matt. 7:21). It is a living and powerful word that can bring to life a person who is dead in sin (Heb. 4:12; Rom. 6:17-18). But that will only happen when that sinner believes and obeys the word. God wants you to be saved, but He does not force you. He has given you a word you can read, understand, obey and be saved (Matt. 28:19-20). Why not believe and obey God?s word now, so its work can be accomplished in your life? ____________________ PAYING RESPECT TO THE DEAD Joe R. Price We get a number of Bible questions from our websites (www.bibleanswer.com and www.mtbakercofc.org), and we do our best to answer them all. The following was received earlier this week: ?I was wondering what the Bible said about visiting or paying respect to the dead?? The Bible says a number of interesting and relevant things about paying respect to the dead. Of course, such respect is directly related to the life that the person had lived. The burial of a corpse was itself a mark of respect, since unburied bodies was viewed as disgraceful (Jer. 16:4). When the dead bodies of Saul and his sons were hanged on the wall of Beth Shan, valiant men retrieved and buried them, and then, out of respect and remorse, fasted seven days (1 Sam. 31). The respectful burial and remembrance of the dead is traced to ancient times. When Sarah (Abraham?s wife) died, he mourned for her and purchased a burial site, where he and subsequent generations were also buried (Gen. 23; 25:9-10; 49:29-33). When Jacob died his body was embalmed (after the custom of the Egyptians) and his death was mourned a total of seventy days (Gen. 50:1-3). A great funeral procession took his body from Egypt to the tomb of his fathers (Gen. 50:4-14). All of this indicates genuine respect and regard for Jacob. The embalmed remains of Joseph were respectfully kept for hundreds of years and then dramatically carried from Egypt during Israel?s exodus and wilderness wandering into the land of promise, and there finally laid to rest (Gen. 50:24-26; Exo. 13:19; Josh. 24:32; Heb. 11:22). These are just some of the recorded examples of burial and respect for the dead in the Old Testament (Nu. 20:29; Deut. 34:8). The New Testament also records the showing of respect for the dead. Jesus mentioned the practice of maintaining the tombs of the dead, as well as decorating them in memory of the deceased (Matt. 23:27-32). Although Jesus rebuked the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees (who adorned the graves of the prophets and the monuments of the righteous while rejecting the very word of God those prophets spoke), He did not criticize the customs themselves. To show respect for the dead with monuments, headstones, flowers and other such grave site adornments are customs that are not condemned in the word of God. After the death of Lazarus, his sisters are seen mourning his passing while others comforted them (Jno. 11:28-31). When Jesus observed Mary?s grief, He groaned in his spirit, and wept (Jno. 11:32-35). The woman who found Christ?s tomb empty had gone there to pay their respect for the dead by intending to complete the process by which the body was made ready for interment (Lk. 23:53-24:1). Widows are seen near the dead body of Dorcas as they showed her handiwork to Peter and remembered her good life of faith (Acts 9:36-39). And of course, Christians pay respect to Jesus every week as they remember His sacrificial death on the cross for human redemption (1 Cor. 11:23-29). There is no greater memorial than the Lord?s Supper, which Christians eat until He comes again. It is a good and right to pay our respect to the dead. The Bible says: ?Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; and the living will take it to heart? (Eccl. 7:2). A number of lessons can be learned whenever we ?go to the house of mourning? and pay our respect to the dead. We will close by noting some of these lessons. 1. It is a time to remember that we will also die. None of us are strong enough to overcome death; none are swift enough to evade this intruder (Eccl. 8:8). It is ?appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment? (Heb. 9:27). 2. It is a time to be thankful for those who have departed. We are thankful for the love of departed parents, the sacrifice of patriots and the faith of God?s people who have now gone to their reward. Though they are dead, men and women of faith continue to speak, and we should listen to their messages (Heb. 11:4). 3. It is a time to resolve to have a righteous influence on others while we live. We pay respect to the dead because their life has touched ours. We are better because they lived. As we reflect on and remember the lives of those who are now dead, we are moved to in turn touch the lives of others in good ways (Matt. 5:13-16; 2 Tim. 4:7-8). 4. Now is the time to get right with God. Life is brief and uncertain, but death is sure (Jas. 4:13-17). So, now is the time to obey God and prepare to meet Him (Amos 4:12; 2 Cor. 6:2; Acts 10:34-35; 17:30-31). Pay respect to the dead; and get ready to die. ____________________ For the complete outline go to http://www.bibleanswer.com/godourfather.htm Scripture Reading: Romans 8:12-17 GOD, OUR FATHER Intro. 1. A father is to be respected & loved: He nurtures & teaches his children; he provides & protects them; they depend on him (Matt. 6:9; 7:9-10; Prov. 4:1). 2. God is our Father, & that great relationship compels us to give Him our highest praise & deepest devotion, Mal. 2:10; Eph. 4:6; 1 Cor. 8:6. I. GOD, OUR FATHER, CHOSE US IN CHRIST. A. Adoption, Eph. 1:4-5, Gal. 4:4-7; Rom. 8:12-15; 2 Cor. 6:16-18 (Deut. 32:5-6). B. Redeemed, Eph. 1:6-7; Jno. 1:12; Matt. 12:50; Gal. 3:26-27 C. Inheritance, Rom. 8:16-17; 1 Pet. 1:3-9. II. GOD, OUR FATHER, LOVES US: OBEY HIM (1 Jno. 3:1-3; Jno. 14:15). A. Provides & Protects, Deut. 1:30-31; Matt. 6:31-32; 7:7-11 (6:33); 1 Chrn. 29:10, 13-14. B. Defends Us, Psa. 68:5 (10:14, 18); 146:9 (Deut. 10:18); Acts 20:35; 1 Ths. 5:14. C. Saves Us, Rom. 5:8; 1 Jno. 4:7-11. D. Sustains Us, Isa. 46:3-4; Heb. 13:5-6. III. GOD, OUR FATHER, DISCIPLINES US: ACCEPT HIS DISCIPLINE. A. Correction, Prov. 3:11-12; Deut. 8:5; Heb. 12:5-11; 5:7-8. B. Punishes Sin, Psa. 89:30-33; Jas. 1:2-4. IV. GOD, OUR FATHER, HAS COMPASSION FOR US: FEAR HIM (Psa. 103:11-14; Mal. 3:16-18). A. Mercy for the Moment, 1 Tim. 1:2; Lk. 15:20; Matt. 6:14-15. B. Mercy for Eternity, 1 Pet. 1:3; 3 Jno. 4. Conclusion: Isa. 64:8; 1 Pet. 1:17 ____________________ NOTEWORTHY NEWS (Current events in the light of Scripture) THE VOTE YOU CAST Joe R. Price This is not an endorsement of a candidate. It is a moral and spiritual call that is based on the Bible truth that God rules in the kingdoms of men and He gives rule and power to whomever He chooses for His purposes (Dan. 4:17). The governments of men are under the authority of heaven, and God?s purposes will be accomplished on this earth (Matt. 6:10; Jno. 19:10-11; Rom. 13:1). We are granted a privilege and responsibility in our country that many do not have; the vote. On November 2 the ballots will be cast; indeed, the dye will be cast. What direction will we go as a nation? What should guide us as we decide who will get our vote for president, vice-president, and many other elected offices? Here are a few suggestions. Will the person who gets your vote use his authority to honor God and man (1 Tim. 2:1-2)? Those who do not are more likely to serve themselves instead of the principles of righteousness and justice. Let us pray (and vote) for candidates of integrity and honor who respect and value the life of all people, including our unborn. Will the person who gets your vote protect the innocent and punish evil-doers? Romans 13:1-6 says rulers are God?s servants to do this very thing. May the Lord put and keep in place such authorities. Will the person who gets your vote rule with wisdom or folly (Eccl. 10:5-7)? Wise rulers bless their subjects, but foolish leaders are a scourge upon the land. Look for wisdom guided by humility and truth. Remember: ?Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people? (Prov. 14:34); and, ?Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord? (Psa. 33:12). ____________________ The Spirit's Sword is a free, weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA Send all questions, comments and subscriptions to the editor at: ssword@bibleanswer.com ********************************************** Joe R Price Email: joe@bibleanswer.com Web Sites: Bible Answers: http://www.bibleanswer.com Mt. Baker church of Christ: http://www.mtbakercofc.org Fax: 775.878.4823 ********************************************** From pappy01 at cox-internet.com Fri Oct 29 15:53:41 2004 From: pappy01 at cox-internet.com (Terry Sanders) Date: Sat Oct 30 11:23:07 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A> A Living document? redux Message-ID: <000d01c4bdf9$5fa3e760$66c64c42@coxinternet.com> Skipped content of type multipart/alternative-------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 145 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041029/a4b139ae/attachment-0001.gif From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 30 05:32:06 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Sat Oct 30 11:23:09 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S) "QUIT YE LIKE MEN" (2) Message-ID: <53.19580871.2eb4c7a6@wmconnect.com> Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. Here is the second part of this particular study. Use to the glory of God. "QUIT YE LIKE MEN" (2) I. SOME OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF MEN: -- A. Soberness: -- Those who are spiritually mature are "sober". Paul urges Christians to "be sober" (1 Thes. 5:6,8; 2 Tim. 4: 5). Peter likewise exhorts God's elect to "be sober" (1 Pet. 1:13; 5:8). To "be sober" means "to be calm and collected in spirit; to be temperate, dispassionate, circumspect" according to Thayer's Lexicon, pg. 425. You should "act like a man" by being sober. B. Temperance: -- Peter urges Christians to add "temperance" to "knowledge" (2 Pet. 1:6). "Temperance" is "self cont- rol." Mr. Thayer says it is the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, especially his sensual appetites. Daniel exercised temperance (Dan. 1:8). C. Patience: -- Christians should be "man enough" to add "patien- ce" to "temperance" (2 Pet. 1:6). "Patience" involves "stead- fastness, constancy, and endurance." It causes a person to be loyal to God even when trials and sufferings are numer- ous and severe. James said: "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing" (Jas. 1:2-4). Paul said: "...be ye stead- fast..." (1 Cor. 15:58). D. Willingness To Fight: -- Although Christians are not to engage in carnal warfare, they are engaged in a life or death struggle with the forces of evil. This struggle is against the spiritual hosts of wickedness. Paul exhorted Timothy to "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Tim. 6:12), and to "endure hard- ness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2 Tim. 2:3). The Hebrew writer reminded the first century saints to whom he wrote that they had "endured a great fight of afflictions" (Heb. 10:32). He pointed out to them that they had "need of patience," that after they had done the will of God, they "might receive the promise" (Heb. 10:36). Fainthearted saints are not willing to "fight the good fight of faith" as did the apostle Paul (2 Tim. 4:6-8). E. Love: -- Saints should have genuine love for God, for His Word, for the brethren, for the church, and even for their enem- ies (Matt. 22:37; 2 Thes. 2:10; 1 Pet. 1:22; 1 Jno. 5:2; Matt. 5:44). True love i a genuine concern for the feelings and wel- fare of others. Brethren, when we are tempted to act childish, let us all remem- ber that Paul said: "QUIT YE LIKE MEN!" ---- Carrol R. Sutton in The Instructor, Vol. 10, No. 2, Feb. 1973. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041030/08bfdc1f/attachment.htm From J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com Sat Oct 30 05:32:02 2004 From: J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com (J5827Sasser@wmconnect.com) Date: Sat Oct 30 11:23:10 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A) WHEN PAUL WAS DEFEATED Message-ID: Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here. A very good Saturday morning to each and everyone. May God bless you and yours with an enjoyable and fruitful day. Here are some short sayings from my ancient files: WHEN PAUL WAS DEFEATED Paul once got the defeat of his life! No, it was not at Lystra where he was stoned and left for dead, for he planted a church there. It was not at Philippi where he was beaten with rods and put in stocks, for he planted a church there, too. Now was it at Thessalonica where he was mobbed, for he built a church in that city. No, it was not at Corinth nor Ephesus where he was persecuted, for he successfully de- fended the cause of truth in those cities. Where was Paul defeated? At Athens! At Athens where no violence was shown, but where they were just INDIFFERENT to the cause of truth! Indifference to the invitation of Christ! How subtle and how dangerous indifference is! Indifference can destroy a soul just as surely as adultery or murder. "How can we es- cape if we neglect so great salvation?" (Heb. 2:3). Christian, if you value your soul, don't be INDIFFERENT toward the Lord and His church! ----- Bill J. Humble, via The Instructor. ************************************************************************ A fool's tongue is always long enough and sharp enough to cut his own throat. If Christ is kept outside, there must be something wrong inside. You are never defeated unless you defeat yourself. He is no fool who parts with what he cannot keep in order to get that which he cannot lose. Be patient with the faults; they have to be patient with yours. The length of one's life is of less importance than the breth and depth. Any dead fish can float down stream, but it takes a live one to swim up stream. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041030/24876f17/attachment.htm From dmartin5 at concentric.net Sat Oct 30 09:32:51 2004 From: dmartin5 at concentric.net (Don Martin) Date: Sat Oct 30 11:23:11 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Questions/answer (Question 110 for the week) Message-ID: <00db01c4be8d$56b6c020$64306a43@concentric.net> Hello Jack, Thank you so much for your question and for making use of Bible Questions. Please do so again. http://www.biblequestions.org Please check out Bible Truths http://www.bibletruths.net Go to the archives section of these sites for material and also go to the archives search page and type in any subject or word you wish to explore. New material is constantly being added to both sites. Any help you can give us in telling others of these sites will be greatly appreciated. If you are interested in really learning more about the Bible, there is an online Bible study course located in Bible Truths. While on the home page, scroll down and enter. While on the Map Site Page, click on "Online Bible Study Course" in the table. Click on http://www.bibletruths.net to go there. You asked: I have been raised catholic. I have been going to a Baptist church and I like it better it is more interesting. I admit I don't know the bible as well as I should and I really want to learn it. Ok here are my questions 1. Who wrote the bible and where the people who translated it and wrote it so we could understand it trustworthy? Because it is their own translation and vision of what it says. 2. I know Jesus died for us sinners and the ungodly so we can go to heaven. So what I am getting out of that is anyone who does not believe in him can not go to heaven. What about all the people in the bible that lived before his death and died before his death or even before his birth, like Mosses,Noah,etc. Are they in heaven? 3. The calendar has the years of BC and AD. I know BC is before Christ and I would assume that AD is after death. So did time stop while Jesus Christ was alive on earth? Your answers to my questions will really help me with my studying. Reply: You have asked three separate questions and I shall address them in the order submitted. Let me first mention, though, that you would probably benefit from the Online Bible Study mentioned above. I shall watch for, "Lesson One" from you. 1. Notice the following excerpt from, "The Bible" located in www.bibletruths.net "...God used about forty persons in writing the Bible. The Holy Spirit inerrantly guided these men so there would be no mistakes (I Cor. 14: 37, Acts 1: 1-4). A number of books which are purported to be inspired actually make no such claim. "And whoso receiveth this record, and shall not condemn it because of the imperfections which are in it, the same shall know of greater things then these." writes one of the writers of the Book of Mormon (Mormon 8: 12). The first writer of the Bible was Moses (Genesis through Deuteronomy) and the last John (Revelation). About 1500 years were consumed in writing the Bible. The Bible contains 66 books. These books have the internal and external vestiges of authenticity and they have been subjected to every imaginable test to determine their canonicity and have endured (see "The Apocrypha" in Archives)....." Material that you should consider in addition to, "The Bible" is, "How the Bible came to be," also located in www.bibletruths.net To read these articles and more regarding the Bible, enter through the door on the home page and click on "Archives and Index," then click on the letter "B" on the Archives page. 2. Regarding your good question two, all men look to Jesus' blood for salvation (Matt. 26: 28). This is true regarding those who lived before Jesus and those subsequent to Jesus. Jesus' blood flows in both directions (Heb. 9: 15). 3. Concerning question three, please consider the following: According to Webster's dictionary, "AD" or "A.D." is from the Latin term, "Anno Domini", meaning "in the year of the Lord". It is supposed to refer to years counted from Christ's birth. However, because of some initial inaccuracies and uncertainty over when Christ was born, there is probably a 4 to 8 year discrepancy (meaning Christ was probably born between 8 B.C. and 4 B.C.). Accordingly, BC or B. C. is usually used of before Christ. I recommend you read, "Ancient Christianity, a Trip Back in Time" found in Bible Truths (see excerpt below). To read the material in full, click on http://www.bibletruths.net and enter through the door. When on the Site Map page, click on "Archives and Index," then click on the letter "C" on the Archives page. "...Have you ever really given serious thought to Christianity, what exactly is Christianity and has it always been as it is today? "Christianity" in most people's view, is a conglomerate of all religions, regardless of how remotely they resemble the scriptures, that profess to believe in Jesus Christ. This belief in Christ, the founder of Christianity, may involve an actual belief in his person and teaching or simply a general acceptance of the historicity of Christ, the fact that a man named Jesus lived. I invite you to take a trip back in time, all the way back to the First Century....." Thanks again for your good question and for your interest in spiritual matters. I recommend that you print out this email for future reference (web addresses, etc.). You may print out any material you desire in both Bible Questions and Bible Truths (see the copyright provision at the bottom of the home page in Bible Truths). Cordially, Don Martin From drichardson at bootheel.net Sat Oct 30 09:34:23 2004 From: drichardson at bootheel.net (Dan Richardson) Date: Sat Oct 30 11:23:12 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S > Scary Things In The Bible Message-ID: <000a01c4be8d$8ee1ded0$8d249d3f@Dan> Here's my "Halloween sermon" I plan to preach tomorrow. Perhaps others will find it useful. brotherly, Dan Richardson SCARY THINGS IN THE BIBLE INTRO: 1. Halloween emphasizes imaginary scary things - fun for the children. 2. However, the Bible emphasizes scary things that are real - we need to beware. I. THE DEVIL: 1 Pet. 5:8; 2 Cor. 11:14; Jn. 8:43-45 II. HELL: Matt. 25:46; Mk. 9:47-48; Rom. 2:5-6, 8-9; Rev. 20:14-15; 21:8 III. THE LIVING DEAD (given to pleasure): 1 Tim. 5:6; 2 Tim. 3:4 IV. THE MAN WITH TWO HEADS (trying to serve God & this world): Matt. 6:24; Jas. 1:4-5 V. THE HEADLESS CHURCH MAN (Diotrephes): 3 Jn. 9-10 VI. THE WOLF MAN (false teachers): Acts 20:29; Matt. 7:15; 2 Cor. 11:13-15 VII. THE POINT OF NO RETURN: Heb. 6:4-8 A. Sin enslaves: John 8:34; Rom. 6:16-17 B. The conscience can be seared to being unfeeling: 1 Tim. 4:2 C. The heart is hardened: Lk. 8:12 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041030/9c9bf548/attachment.htm From drichardson at bootheel.net Sat Oct 30 11:34:45 2004 From: drichardson at bootheel.net (Dan Richardson) Date: Sat Oct 30 15:19:21 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S > The Christian On Election Day Message-ID: <003901c4be9e$5eec9650$2f249d3f@Dan> Here's a sermon I plan to preach tomorrow. Thanks to Don McClain's article, "What This Election Is About" for the idea and most of the material. brotherly, Dan Richardson THE CHRISTIAN ON ELECTION DAY INTRO: 1. Mixing religion & politics is dangerous business; the church has no work in that area - PERIOD: 1 Tim. 3:15 2. But, when political issues cross over into the realm of religion, promoting things immoral, Christians should take a stand and speak out. a. Church has responsibility to teach truth - ALL OF IT, including moral issues raised in political campaigns. b. What a great privilege & opportunity we have Tuesday to have something to do with the direction this country goes. 3. This sermon will not tell you who to vote for, but merely remind us as Christians of our responsibility and the consequences of supporting immorality. I. CHRISTIANS VOTE WITH A DIFFERENT VIEW OF GOVERNMENT A. "In God We Trust" has become a meaningless phrase to most Americans. 1. America has become self-sufficient like Israel was: Deut. 8:11-14 2. The things of God are foolishness with many: 1 Cor. 1:18, 21 B. Christians know civil government is from God for our good: Rom. 13:1-7 C. We should support it: 1. As law-abiding citizens 3. Paying taxes 2. In prayer 4. By voting II. CHRISTIANS VOTE BY A DIFFERENT VALUES SYSTEM A. Question recently asked on a radio talk show: "What is the key issue that determines how you vote?" It depends on where your heart is: Matt. 6:21 1. For some, it's the preservation of our natural resources 2. For others, it's the economy 3. For still others, its national protection against terrorism 4. For some, its health care. B. For the Christian, our concerns are spiritual / moral: 1 Tim. 2:1-7 1. Our standard is the Bible, God's word: 2 Tim. 3:16-17 2. Some protest the gov't shouldn't legislate morality (what about rape, murder, etc?); they really protest our standard, the Bible and criticize the President because he reads it and prayers. 3. Our vote, therefore, cannot support the issues of immorality that we face this Tuesday - abortion, homosexual marriages, the cloning of "embryonic" stem cells for research. 4. To do so would make us partakers with evil men in their sins: Eph. 5:7, 11; 1 Tim. 5:22; cf. Paul, Acts 7:58 - 8:1 III. CHRISTIANS VOTE WITH A DIFFERENT VIEW OF NATIONAL SECURITY A. With many, nuclear armaments, a strong military, and a strong economic base are the primary factors that will determine the strength of our nation and secure its future. B. God says otherwise: Prov. 14:34; Dan. 4:17 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041030/9c55bfd6/attachment-0001.htm From brianyeager at wordsoftruth.net Sat Oct 30 11:43:19 2004 From: brianyeager at wordsoftruth.net (Brian A. Yeager) Date: Sat Oct 30 15:19:22 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] S> Let Us Not Be Weary in Well Doing Message-ID: <41594B620195DDC1@mta6.wss.scd.yahoo.com> (added by postmaster@mail.san.yahoo.com) Good Afternoon: This is Brian Yeager from Butler, PA wishing you all a very good day and sharing a sermon outline for the lesson I am preparing to preach tomorrow. Let Us Not Be Weary in Well Doing Introduction: A. The point of our lesson is made twice in the New Testament in two different contexts: 1. In a context detailing spiritual work: Galatians 6:9 2. In a context dealing with the need to work instead of being busybodies or face congregational discipline: II Thessalonians 3:13 3. The point - in all the good that we do let us not become tired in those good things. B. What is meant by the term "weary"? 1. Strong's # 1573 according to Thayer: "To be utterly spiritless, to be wearied out, exhausted." 2. Webster: "Having the strength much exhausted by toil or violent exertion; tired; fatigued." C. What are we speaking of when talking of "well doing"? 1. Well doing leads to eternal life: Romans 2:6-7 2. Well doing sets an example to the ignorant: I Peter 2:15 3. Well doing is the opposite of evil doing: I Peter 3:17 4. Well doing commits our souls to God: I Peter 4:19 I. We Must Be Resolved [Determined] in Light of Many Discouraging Factors of a Christians Life A. We sing " I am resolved no longer to linger." 1. Are we determined to carry out God's work? Paul was, even in the face of persecution: Acts 20:24 2. Forget what was and press on to what will be: Philippians 3:13-14 3. Continue in the faith, don't rest in your current position down: Colossians 1:23 4. We must be fruitful in every good work: Colossians 1:10-11 5. We need to make the most of the time we have: Ephesians 5:15-16 6. Remember: a. James 2:17 b. James 2:20 c. James 2:26 7. How often should you be busy working for the Lord: I Corinthians 15:58 B. There are plenty ways that the devil will try to make us tired and give up. 1. The weaknesses we have in the flesh: Matthew 26:41 a. We live in a carnal world that promotes carnal things: Ephesians 2:1-2 b. But, to go with the carnal mind and way of life: Romans 8:6-8 2. Discouragement: I Kings 19:9-18 3. Being overwhelmed: Matthew 19:26 a. James 5:11 b. I Peter 5:7 4. The trying of our faith: James 1:2-3 C. We need to move from those things that exhaust towards Him who strengthens: 1. Philippians 4:13 2. II Timothy 4:16-17 3. I Peter 5:8-10 4. Psalms 18:1-3 II. We Cannot Allow Ourselves to Be Exhausted A. The race we will run for the Lord is a life-long course: 1. Matthew 16:24-26 2. Philippians 3:7-11 B. Have faith in God to renew your strength: 1. Psalms 97:10 2. Psalms 118:14 3. Isaiah 40:31 4. Romans 8:28 5. II Timothy 3:11 C. Have enough joy in the work of the Lord that you never feel you are being asked to do too much: 1. Paul was willing to be poured out as a drink offering to the service of his brethren for God: Philippians 2:16-18 2. I Timothy 4:8-10 III. For in Due Season We Shall Reap, if We Faint Not A. What is the due season? It is the time in which we would be rewarded of we do not faint: 1. Matthew 25:31-46 2. Romans 14:11-12 3. II Corinthians 5:9-10 4. II Timothy 4:1 B. Realize, we shall gain a reward if we do not faint: 1. Luke 6:22-23 2. I Corinthians 3:8 3. Galatians 6:7-8 Conclusion: A. Let's not be weary in well doing, but thankful for the opportunity to labor for the Lord: Colossians 3:15 B. Count your blessings, they came with a cost! I Peter 1:18-19 C. What price is sufficient reimbursement in your eyes? What point is enough? How can you repay God? LET US NOT BE WEARY IN WELL DOING, for it is all we can do to show our appreciation and love towards God and our Savior Jesus Christ!!!! Brian A. Yeager brianyeager@wordsoftruth.net http://www.wordsoftruth.net 126 First Street Butler, PA 16001 724-282-9417 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041030/49542533/attachment-0001.htm From tedwards at onemain.com Sat Oct 30 11:49:05 2004 From: tedwards at onemain.com (tedwards@onemain.com) Date: Sat Oct 30 15:19:23 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] B> Gospel Observer 10/31/04 Message-ID: <41837FB1.24777.9DBCFE@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). ____________________________________________________ October 31, 2004 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) Are We Using Enough Bread and Fruit of the Vine? (Tom Edwards) 2) News & Notes ____________________________________________________ -1- Are We Using Enough Bread and Fruit of the Vine? by Tom Edwards Some of us considered recently of just how much of the unleavened bread and fruit of the vine is necessary for taking the Lord's Supper. For there are some individuals who feel that the small portions we use -- just a "pinch" of the bread and a couple "thimblefuls" of the fruit of the vine -- are not enough to be called a "supper," any more than a "sprinkling" or a "pouring" could be called a "baptism" (immersion). And so it has been suggested by some people that, if we are going to use such small quantities, perhaps then we should more accurately call the communion "the Lord's Pinch and Sip." Maybe you, too, have questions -- and some troubling ones -- about the necessary amounts that should be used in observing the Lord's Supper; so let us consider this topic today. First of all, would we not find this phrase, "the Lord's Pinch and Sip," very demeaning for something that should be regarded as the most important memorial this world has ever known -- and ever shall? For this expression is actually focusing on the wrong thing -- the physical instead of the spiritual. In a similar manner, if we would consume just a little bit more of the bread and the fruit of the vine than we normally do, would it then be all right to call it a "snack"? It might be the quantity of a snack, but I think we can each see how out of place such a term would be -- and how flippant, disrespectful, and irreverent -- to use it to refer to the Lord's Supper. Even though "snack" is not an "evil" term, it would be truly improper to use it in reference to the communion. For it would be emphasizing the wrong thing -- the physical emblems -- rather than the highly important truth of what those emblems stand for and that intimate communion one has with God while partaking. And if one is putting all the emphasis on the physical, and thinking that he or she must eat the same quantity of the Lord's Supper as in any other supper, then would it not be possible for that individual to become emotionally troubled over whether he or she had actually taken enough or not -- even after consuming a handful of bread and 16 ounces of the fruit of the vine? Could there not be doubts? We need to remember, though, that the Lord's Supper is a "spiritual" feast for commemorating Jesus' death, and that is what our attention is to be centered on. To not do so properly, one can actually become "guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord" (1 Cor. 11:27) and, thus, incur "judgment to himself" (v. 29). Paul points out to the Corinthians that some had been guilty of this very thing, and "For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep" (v. 30). What further emphasizes the spiritual nature of the Lord's Supper is Jesus' promise to be present and also partake of it in the kingdom with them (Matt. 26:29) -- reminding us, too, of His words that "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst" (Matt. 18:20). Obviously, Jesus is not physically present when doing this; but spiritually He is. God's kingdom is the church, spiritual in nature and "not of this world" (Jn. 18:36). As the Bible shows, the Christian is in the kingdom; and, therefore, made to sit in "heavenly places, in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6. See also Col. 1:13; Rev. 1:9). The question has been raised, however, "Why bother with the physical stuff [in the Lord's Supper] if it's wholly spiritual? Why not just stop having physical elements at all?" The best way to answer this is to acknowledge that the bread and fruit of the vine are to be used because Jesus Himself instituted these physical elements to represent His body and blood, respectively, and which are to be taken in remembrance of Him (1 Cor. 11:23-25). Also, we can liken this to the physical words that are printed in the New Testament. They are made from ink and on paper, but they can become within our hearts "spirit and life" (Jn. 6:63). What do we emphasize about the gospel, though, the ink and the paper -- over the spiritual illumination of those physical words? It was God's intent that the gospel would be recorded, written down, put into physical form so that we can read and understand (Eph. 3:1-5) and become the Lord's spiritually-minded people by it. So we certainly don't want to disregard the physical nature of the gospel -- or we will never arrive at the spiritual (See Rom. 10:17; 1:16; 1 Pet. 1:22,23). In similar manner, we partake of the physical elements in the Lord's Supper, but they evoke spiritual meaning to us, as they symbolize the body and blood of our Savior who made the atonement for every transgressor. As Jesus states concerning the taking of these emblems, "...do this in remembrance of Me..." (1 Cor. 11:24,25). This, therefore, is the purpose of the Lord's Supper. Eating larger quantities of this supper, however, will not enable us to remember more of Jesus. In addition, the very fact that the Lord referred to the bread as His body, and the fruit of the vine as His blood, stresses the spiritual nature of this meal. But as we think of these physical emblems, would we feel that by eating more of the bread, we would then have more of Christ's body? Or that by drinking more of the fruit of the vine, we would then have more of His blood? When we take of the communion, some brethren eat slightly larger pieces of bread than others do, but we are still partaking of the same one body of Christ. Some will drink slightly more grape juice than others drink, but we are still sharing of the same blood. One is not really benefiting more by eating or drinking more than one who would eat or drink less. These differences make no differences when it comes to the purpose of the Lord's Supper and our communion with God. If, however, we would begin eating large quantities, as if it were a literal meal that would satisfy our hunger, we would then be making something out of the communion that the Lord had never intended; and this is exactly what Paul had prohibited in his instructions to the Corinthians. For some had corrupted the Lord's Supper by making a mere carnal meal out of it. Paul, therefore, admonishes them in 1 Corinthians 11:22, by saying, "What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink?...." and goes on to warn in verse 34, "If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment...." Therefore, the Lord's Supper was not for the purpose of satisfying hungry bellies. So by using the small quantities that we do, it helps us obey Paul's charge and keeps the focus where it should be -- on the spiritual aspect of the meal, and not the physical. This instruction for the hungry to eat at home before they came to church to take of the Lord's Supper is also another indication that the quantities to be used in the communion would be small. For they were not to use the communion to satisfy their hunger needs. And, in addition, if the only way that the communion could be a "supper" would mean consuming the amount normally eaten in a supper, then would not these people be guilty of gluttony, who obeyed the instruction to eat their meals at home and then thirty minutes later, for example, would be taking of the Lord's Supper? Have you ever tried to do two Thanksgiving Day meals -- one at 2 PM and the other an hour or two later? In looking at the word "supper," in referring to the communion, it comes from the Greek word "deipnon," which is also translated three times in the NASB as "banquets" and once as "banquet." So could we not, therefore, think of the communion as being even more than a "supper"? For a banquet is a "lavish meal" or "feast," an "abundant meal"; and to "feast" is to "eat sumptuously." Does this mean, however, that a group of 50 Christians should be lavished with hundreds of communion trays and gallons of grape juice to make it more like a banquet? And then, again, isn't a banquet with more variety than one food item and one kind of drink? Would that mean, though, that we should then add to the Lord's Supper to give it an abundant assortment -- apple in the pig's mouth, piping hot roast beef and mashed potatoes steeped in gravy, steaming buttered corn and green beans, grapes dangling over the table's edge, dinner rolls bulging out of the basket, cakes and figs, pumpkin pie a la mode, a table sprawled with a wide variety of food and drink? That sounds like a "banquet." But the Lord's Supper is not a banquet or meal in that sense. So why, therefore, is the term "Supper" used to refer to the communion? First of all, because that is what the Bible calls it; but it actually calls it even more than merely "a supper" -- rather, it is "the Lord's Supper" (1 Cor. 11:20). So we can feel very comfortable in using that phrase; and when we do, we should know that we are talking about something much more than merely an ordinary meal. For what is the purpose for a supper, an ordinary meal, generally speaking? Is it not to fill our bellies and nourish our bodies? Is that, though, the purpose for the Lord's Supper? As we have seen, it is not. For in the Lord's Supper, the purpose shifts from the physical to the spiritual. In it, we are concerned with nourishing our spiritual man, realizing that "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4) -- and the command, with regard to the communion, to "do this in remembrance of Me" is one of those instructions. We can liken the spiritual nature of the Lord's Supper to that "food" which Jesus speaks of in John 4:31-34. In this passage, He is not emphasizing physical food, but rather the spiritual food that is acquired through doing the will of the Father; and, therefore, He exhorts others to "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life..." (Jn. 6:27). So "food" doesn't always mean physical "food," nor should we think of a "supper" as always meaning what we would generally think of a supper, when it is being used in a spiritual sense instead -- such as in the case of the "marriage supper of the Lamb" (Rev. 19:9), where we know there will be no eating of physical food at all -- but there will be intimate communion with God! The term "Supper" in "the Lord's Supper," therefore, expresses this intimate communion the Christian has with the Lord, as well as with other saints. For we need to realize that eating together, during the days of the apostle Paul, connoted more of a deep personal relationship between people than it does in our time. Back then, it showed a close association these individuals had with each other; and the command, therefore, to "not even...eat with such a one" (1 Cor. 5:11), as a disciplinary action, would have had more of a humiliating impact on the one being socially ostracized. So the very idea of having a "supper" together would indicate very close ties or intimate associations these people had with each other. But in the Lord's Supper, it is a way in which the Christian communes with God Himself; and so it expresses the intimate spiritual relationship the child of God has with the Lord and fellow saints. As mentioned previously, even Jesus is partaking with them -- but, obviously, spiritually speaking (Matt. 26:29; Matt.18:20) -- and it is not necessary to take large quantities of the bread and fruit of the vine in order for this to be so. Rather than teaching that a large amount of the bread and fruit of the vine must be taken in order for the Lord's Supper to be observed scripturally, we infer the opposite to be true. That to take too much would make something out of the supper for which it is not intended. For since it is a spiritual feast, larger quantities of bread and the fruit of the vine cannot make it more so, but can detract from it and pervert it when consuming too much. And one last closing thought: do you remember those (of John 6:26) who sought the Lord only for the bread? I'm not saying that people would want to take of larger portions in the communion merely for a similar reason; but by taking just a little, are we not then showing that we are seeking after the spiritual significance of this meal -- instead of merely the physical aspect of it? It doesn't matter to us whether we can feel full in our bellies. Rather, we are focusing on Jesus and His love for us, as seen at Calvary, while we take of this spiritual feast that commemorates His death. We realize that this memorial supper is a time for thankfully meditating on Jesus' atonement for the sins of the world and being truly mindful of the great importance of it (1 Cor. 11:23-29). May the Lord's Supper, therefore, always be to us something more important than even our "necessary food" (cf. Job 23:12). ____________________________________________________ -2- News & Notes We were sorry to hear of the passing of Christie Holt's grandmother and offer our sympathy to all the family and friends. Let us keep them in prayer. Also on our prayer list is Eloise Craver (who recently picked up a bad case of poison ivy), Luther Shuff (who will have to be scheduled for some out-patient surgery soon), Joe McGregor (for the inflammation in his joints), and Joe's brother-in-law Bill Pierce (who is not doing well physically). We welcome those of you who are visiting with us today -- and hope to see you again soon! ____________________________________________________ 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@onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go ____________________________________________________ From wswalker310 at juno.com Sat Oct 30 09:23:56 2004 From: wswalker310 at juno.com (Wayne S Walker) Date: Sat Oct 30 15:19:25 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] hymn study, "Thine Is The Glory" Message-ID: <20041030.133924.2580.1.wswalker310@juno.com> Wayne Walker here with another weekly hymn study. "THINE IS THE GLORY" "O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Cor. 15.55) INTRO.: A song which stresses the victory of Christ over the grave is "Thine Is The Glory." The text was written by Edmond Louis Budry, who was born on Aug. 30, 1854, at Vevay in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. A student of theology with the "Faculte libre" in Lausanne, Switzerland, he served as minister at Cully and St. Croix, near Lausanne, from 1881 to 1889, and then returned to his hometown to become minister of the Free Church in Vevey, where he remained for 35 years. This hymn, "A toi le gloire," is dated 1884 and with some of his other works appeared in 1885 "Chants Evangeliques" published at Lausanne. It began to be famous after it was also published in the "Y.M.C.A. Hymnbook" at Lausanne in 1904. It was translated into English in 1923 by Richard Birch Hoyle (1875-1939). The English version first appeared in the 1925 "Cantate Domino" published for the World's Student Christian Federation of Geneva, Switzerland. In England, the song begins, "Thine Be The Glory." Budry produced the words of over sixty chorales, many of which have appeared in French hymnbooks. Besides his original hymns, he translated German, English, and Latin lyrics into French. Some scholars believe that he drew his inspiration for "Thine Is The Glory" from the words of Friedrich Heinrich Ranke, which were first published in 1908. The tune (Maccabeus) was composed by George Frederick Handel (1685-1759). It is adapted from Othniel's victorious procession in the original version of Handel's 1745-1748 oratorio "Joshua." The music was transferred around 1751 from "Joshua" to later versions "Judas Maccabeus" which was originally staged in 1746. There it has remained, set to the chorus, "See, the conquering hero comes." The melody was first used as a hymn tune in Thomas Butts's "Harmonia Sacra" of 1760, where it was set to Charles Wesley's "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today." After his retirement in 1923, Budry continued to write poetry and died on Nov. 12, 1932, at Vevay. The only hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church for use among churches of Christ to include the song that I know of are the 1986 "Great Songs Revised" edited by Forrest M. McCann, the 1992 "Praise for the Lord" edited by John P. Wiegand, and the 1994 "Songs of Faith and Praise" edited by Alton H. Howard. The rousing song recounts the resurrection of Christ and the events surrounding it. I. Stanza 1 centers on the angels who rolled the stone away "Thine is the glory, risen, conquering Son; Endless is the victory Thou o'er death hast won. Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away, Kept the folded graveclothes where Thy body lay." A. Jesus Christ is the risen, conquering Son: Rom. 1.3-4 B. He has won an endless victory over death because He destroyed the devil who had the power of death: Heb. 2.14-15 C. This occurred when angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away: Matt. 28.2-3 II. Stanza 2 centers on the women who came to the tomb and later saw Jesus "Lo! Jesus meets us, Risen, from the tomb; lovingly He greets us, scatters fear and gloom. Let His church with gladness hymns of triumph sing, For her Lord now liveth; Death hath lost its sting." A. Jesus met the women as they ran from the tomb to tell the apostles: Matt. 28.9-10 B. While Jesus does not appear to us physically today, yet He still meets and greets us through His word to scatter fear and gloom as we accept the truth of His resurrection: 2 Tim. 8 C. Therefore, His church should sing with gladness hymns of triumph to the risen Lord: Col. 3.16 III. Stanza 3 centers on Thomas who at first doubted the resurrection "No more we doubt Thee, glorious Prince of Life! Life is naught without Thee; Aid us in our strife. Make us more than conquerors, through Thy deathless love; Bring us safe through Jordan to Thy home above." A. Thomas doubted when he heard of Jesus's resurrection, but when he saw He believed: Jn. 20.24-29 B. Since then, those who have not seen yet have believed because of the overwhelming evidence presented can be more than conquerors through Him who was dead but now is alive: Rom. 8.37 C. And through faith, as God brought the Israelites over Jordan into the Promised Land, so will the Lord bring us over the Jordan of death into the eternal Promised Land of heaven: Josh. 3.1-17 CONCL.: The chorus repeats the victorious opening words of the song: "Thine is the glory, risen, conquering Son; Endless is the victory Thou o'er death hast won." The death of Jesus on the cross was necessary for our sins. But His death really means nothing without His resurrection to validate it. Therefore, because He was raised from the dead, and by His resurrection gives us hope of being raised from the dead when He comes again, we should say to our Lord Jesus Christ, "Thine Is The Glory." Brotherly, Wayne S. Walker 9024 Amona Dr. Affton, MO 63123 home phone: (314) 638-4710 office phone: (314) 842-1612 e-mail: wswalker310@juno.com website: www.defenderoftruth.com From rabspar at yahoo.com Fri Oct 29 23:08:52 2004 From: rabspar at yahoo.com (Roger Blackwelder) Date: Sat Oct 30 15:20:23 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] A>I Approve This Message, with corrections Message-ID: <20041030040852.48114.qmail@web50009.mail.yahoo.com> I’m Roger Blackwelder, and I Approve This Message Over the past several months, I have begun to feel an intense aversion to the phrase “I approve this message.” When I first heard the phrase, when it was first used in the president’s reelection campaign, I saluted it, impressed with the savvy slogan. It helps to have a good, signature phrase, and the Bush campaign scored a hit with “I approve this message.” Not only is it a catchy slogan, the phrase says something substantive: the related advertisement is not simply the work of a third-party, some special interest group with a stake in the campaign; no indeed, the candidate himself or herself supports the advertisement. Sadly, my initial reaction of deference soured as the typical happened; in my view, the slogan was misused and abused as the campaign season continued. I believe that three ways in which the slogan has been used have application to the words of our Lord, who, at times, gave thunderous approval to His message. First, the sheer number of times the phrase has been used has lessoned its effect. I first heard the phrase used on a television commercial as part of the Bush campaign. The phrase works, so it did not take long for everyone else to start using it. Given the incredible number of candidates who are running for what seems like a ridiculous number of elected offices, the phrase has begun to dominate the airways. As the use of the phrase has increased, the effect of the phrase has decreased. The phrase has become an overplayed song, one you used to sing along with when it was first released, but having heard it 4 billion times, you simply tune out now. God approved His message in a number of ways, even using His own voice on a few occasions during the life of Jesus. When Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan, God voiced His approval from heaven (Matthew 3:17), endorsing the person of His Son before Jesus began His ministry. In Matthew 17, Jesus was transfigured before the eyes of Peter, James and John. As He shone in glory, Moses and Elijah came to speak with Him. When Peter suggested making tabernacles for all three, God proclaimed from heaven, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” (Matt. 17:5). In the end, they were left with Jesus. As God approved the person of Jesus, He approved the authority of His words. In John 17, talking about His coming crucifixion, Jesus said, “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? '’Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. ‘Father, glorify Your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it and will glorify it again’” (John 17:27-28). God approved the person of Christ, the authority of His word, and here, the nature of His mission. Jesus would die on the cross, but God would raise Him up in glory (Philippians 2:9-11). When God used His voice in confirmation, the importance of the message became clear. Another problem with the use of the “I approve this message” slogan is the use of it to approve the wrong messages. Some candidates have used the slogan in questionable advertisements. The Judy Belk campaign has identified her opponent as a lapdog, running a series of commercials with a poodle in them. Her opponent is the lapdog, catering to special interest groups they say, but she will be the guard dog. When her campaign office called recently, looking to use the church to distribute material, I coolly refused. I recognize that involving the church in a political campaign is possibly unscriptural and certainly imprudent, but I made it clear that I would not support the Belk campaign, regardless of who her opponent was. The “lapdog” commercials cross the line into smear-politics. She approved this message, but the message was not a good one. God’s message, in contrast, is something we can always be proud of. Looking forward to the opportunity to come to Rome, Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith’” (Romans 1:16-17). If the message being proclaimed is the gospel, we should always approve the message. Sadly, men often reject the gospel in pursuit of their own lusts. Paul continues in Romans 1:18, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” Those who suppress the truth do so to their own destruction. Peter spoke of Paul’s letters in 2 Peter 3:16 saying, “as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaugh t and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.” Approve God’s message; it is the only message that can save. Finally, some candidates have used the slogan in a way that demonstrates a lack of understanding about the phrase’s meaning. An advertisement last month left me scratching my head. The candidate himself was on camera, talking about himself and his campaign, concluding with the phrase “My name is _______ and I approve this message.” Duh. How could he not approve the message when he was the one doing the talking? Is it possible to speak the message but not approve it? Actually, the answer to this question is “yes.” The cause of this paradox is hypocrisy. We can come to church, going through all the motions, but fail to approve the message. Jesus quoted Isaiah saying, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me’” (Mark 7:6). We can also fail to approve the message by failing to live it. Politicians are renowned for promising something to get elected only to abandon the cause once in office. Failing to practice what we preach is hypocrisy. We must do more than know the truth; we must live the truth. Only then do we approve the message. Roger Blackwelder West Mobile church of Christ rabspar@yahoo.com --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Address AutoComplete - You start. We finish. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041029/e0d7c321/attachment-0001.htm From wmessenger at juno.com Sat Oct 30 21:24:37 2004 From: wmessenger at juno.com (William C. Sexton) Date: Mon Nov 1 10:50:26 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] B>A Christian's Voice 10-31-2004 Message-ID: <20041030.212941.-94539905.18.wmessenger@juno.com> Skipped content of type multipart/alternative-------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/msword Size: 26709 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.biblematters.com/pipermail/biblemat/attachments/20041030/48d6b4ef/attachment-0001.dot From kmalone6 at juno.com Sun Oct 31 06:48:01 2004 From: kmalone6 at juno.com (Keith B Malone) Date: Mon Nov 1 10:50:27 2004 Subject: [Biblemat] Commentary on Acts Message-ID: <20041031.141941.-178996107.5.kmalone6@juno.com> Brethren, I am getting ready to teach the book of Acts. I was curious as to which commentaries helped you the most. I am trying to a "collection" together for reference. Thanks for your input, Keith Malone