Historical Posts
Preaching with Consistency
Faithful preachers of the gospel are charged with preaching a consistent message to those who will listen to them. With so many preachers preaching so many different things in the “religious world,” consistency is something that is sorely lacking. But, the kind of consistency that Bible challenges us to present in sermons is not so difficult to understand.
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” – 1 Timothy 4:1-2
In 1 Timothy 4, the apostle Paul issued a solemn charge to the young minister: “Preach the word.” In order to present a consistent message, it is necessary for preachers to routinely base their preaching upon the Word of God.
In Philippians 2:5, Paul wrote: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” The implication of this command is that, it is possible for us to know the mind of Christ, and if it is possible to know the mind of Christ, then it is possible to communicate His will to others.
If preaching is based solely upon the Bible, then it will be consistent. One of the hallmarks of man-made religion is inconsistency. Man-made religion tends to be inconsistent with itself and with the Bible. For example, in the case of churches which teach the doctrine of the impossibility of apostasy, this doctrine contradicts other doctrines that they teach. If it is true, that once a person is saved he can never be lost again, why do these churches also teach that one must attend worship services and do benevolent works for others? If what they teach about the impossibility of apostasy is true, then what compelling reason would anyone have to try to reform themselves and live a faithful Christian life?
Of course, the doctrine of the impossibility of apostasy also contradicts the Bible. Warnings against falling from the grace of God abound in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 10:12; Galatians 5:4; Jude 24). Not only are Christians warned against the loss of their salvation, but they are also instructed as to how they can fortify themselves against such a loss (Acts 20:32).
The Bible presents a consistent message, and it is the job of gospel preachers to convey it accurately.
Preaching with Honesty
“Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” – Acts 20:26-27
Preachers must be honest with the people to whom they preach. One might think that much is obvious, but most preachers are under constant pressure to tell people what they want to hear, rather than what they need to hear. The apostle Paul felt this pressure acutely, and indicated as much, when he wrote to his brethren in the churches of Galatia: “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16).
Many preachers dare not to say anything that might be perceived as controversial, lest they cause someone in the congregation to be offended. The result of this policy is sermons that are only loosely based on the Scriptures, and that are designed to make the hearers feel better about themselves as they are, rather than challenging them to improve. As a result, ecclesiastical cowardice rules the day – and many people will be lost because of it.
Preachers do not need to preach only on controversial subjects, but they need to do as Paul did, when he was in Ephesus: preach all the counsel of God (Acts 20:26-27). The fact of the matter is that every soul needs to hear everything that God has to say. Preachers who will not be honest with their hearers about God’s will for them are only guaranteeing that the people to whom they preach will be lost eternally.
Preachers who are honest with themselves know that when they preach the Word of God to any group of people, there will be those who will not accept it. But they must not allow this fact to cause them to “water down” the message. It is their task to boldly stand and speak the truth, with love in their hearts (Ephesians 4:15).
Preaching with Authority
“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God…” -1 Peter 4:11
Jesus captivated multitudes of thousands of people at a time because, when He preached, “he taught them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes” (Mark 7:29). People were hungry and thirsty for righteousness, and Christ gave them food for their souls (Matthew 5:6; John 6:35). Biblical preaching is supposed to do the same thing for people in the modern world: it is supposed to feed their souls (1 Peter 5:1-3).
That is why Biblical preaching must be authoritative. If it is not, then it will not provide the spiritual sustenance that people need so very much. The vast majority of souls walking the Earth are withered and emaciated – starving for what only authoritative Biblical preaching can provide. Paul described the condition of those whose souls are lost as being “dead” while they “liveth” (1 Timothy 5:6). Only the message of God’s Word can bring these dead souls back to life (Ephesians 2:1).
The problem with most preaching that is done in churches today is that it lacks authority from the Word of God to back it up. In most churches, sermons consist of one or two quotations from the Scriptures and then a series of illustrations, jokes and inspirational stories. In 2 Timothy 4:1-2, preachers are charged to “preach the word.” God does not want preachers to entertain people with anecdotes, but to “persuade men” to obey the will of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:11). To accomplish this lofty goal, preaching must be authoritative.
As indicated earlier, it is the Word of God, which is the source of all religious authority. Colossians 3:17 reads, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” To speak or to act in someone’s name is to do so by their authority. Therefore, preachers are required to preach and to teach in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ-having the authority of His Word to verify everything that is said.
Beware of preachers who overuse the phrase, “I think.” Frankly, it does not matter what any preacher thinks about anything. It only matters what the Bible says. Preaching that is not reinforced with multiple references in Scripture is not authoritative preaching. When I was learning to be a preacher, my teachers would say, “Always include lots of Scripture in every sermon. Then, you can be sure that at least that much of your sermon is correct.” That admonition still rings true today.
Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide
What we call a “conscience” is defined by some as a “sense of ought,” which compels us to do what we believe to be right and to shun what we believe to be wrong.
It has been depicted as an angel perched on our shoulders, whispering into our ears (temptation is portrayed as a demon perched on the other shoulder, whispering into the other ear). The Bible tells us that our conscience can be “good” (1 Timothy 1:19) and “pure” (1 Timothy 3:9), but it can also be “evil” (Hebrews 10:22) and “defiled” (Titus 1:15). Our conscience can “bear witness” (Romans 2:15) and “give testimony” (2 Corinthians 1:12), but if we violate our conscience, it will surely “convict” us (John 8:9).
In Acts 24, the apostle Paul stated that he had always tried to live with “a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men” (Acts 24:16). In Acts 23, he testified that he had “lived in all good conscience before God until this day” (Acts 23:1). Even though he had enthusiastically persecuted the Lord’s church, he always did what he believed to be right (1 Timothy 1:12-13).
The human conscience can be a valuable guide to help us navigate our way through life – but only if it is properly trained.
Your conscience can’t guide you to Heaven, if it’s not programmed to get you there.
A conscience is like a GPS device. It will give you directions to get you where you want to go – but only if you program it for the right destination. It is not possible for any human being to find his way to Heaven on his own (Jeremiah 10:23). When we attempt to do so, we invariably choose the wrong path (Proverbs 14:12). Only with help from the Word of God can we ever hope to find the way that leads to eternal life (Psalm 119:105).
You must train your conscience with the right tools.
The Bible is the road-map that can guide us from Earth to Heaven, but we have to follow its direction. Some people resist the gospel, because their conscience has been trained with the wrong tools (like the Koran, the book of Mormon, the doctrines of men, etc.).
They are like Saul of Tarsus, who persecuted the church; thinking that he was doing what God wanted him to do (Acts 22:1-4; 23:1). They have spent so much of their lives in a false religion that they must unlearn the errors they have come to embrace.
Only the Bible can train our conscience to guide us to Heaven (Psalm 119:11,104,130).
You must be careful that your conscience does not become “seared” (1 Timothy 4:1-2).
This happens to people, when they allow their hearts to become “hardened” toward God (Hebrews 3:12-13). This is what happens, when we become comfortable with sin (Jeremiah 6:15). Also, this is how a conscience becomes “evil” and “defiled.”
Sometimes, the process starts when someone or something “wounds” a “weak” conscience (1 Corinthians 8:12; Matthew 18:6).
We must closely guard our consciences against damage.
However, your conscience can always be repaired and retrained.
As long as there is life left in us, there is always a chance for us to make our hearts right with God (2 Peter 3:9).
The only sins that will condemn us on the Day of Judgment are those of which we will not repent and for which we will not ask forgiveness (Ecclesiastes 12:14). The Bible is a great “tenderizer” of the hearts of men (Hebrews 4:12).
It is simply a matter of our willingness to submit to the will of God.
It’s okay to let your conscience be your guide – as long as it has been trained to do so, by the Word of the Lord!
The apostle Paul was successful in his effort to live with “a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men” – even though he had been an avowed enemy of the church of Christ. The key to his accomplishment was that, when he was confronted with the error of his way, his conscience compelled him to do the right thing (Acts 9:3-6).
If your conscience is urging you to obey the gospel plan of salvation and become a member of the Lord’s church, don’t ignore it! Don’t let your heart become hardened and your conscience seared against the call of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Your only hope of an eternal home in Heaven is to let the Lord show you the way.
The Law of Exclusion
It has been rightly observed that the Bible reveals to humanity certain concepts, which are not expressly quantified in specific terms, but are manifestly present in the Scriptures, nonetheless. Some call these the “unwritten laws” of God.
They are no less important than any of God’s other laws, and an understanding of them is essential to living a faithful Christian life and to a sound interpretation of the Bible. Among them is what some call, “The Law of Exclusion,” to which I would like us to give some thought today.
The Law of Exclusion is a simple concept: “When God specifically commands us to do something, every other possible action is automatically excluded.”
We make use of this law in our everyday lives. For example, when a wife makes a shopping list for her husband, she simply writes down a list of items that she wants him to buy at the store. She does not have to list all of the items in the store that she does not want him to buy. It is understood that, when she lists the items she wants, every other item is automatically excluded. We all understand this concept and we make use of it every day. Is it not reasonable to conclude that God understands the same concept and makes use of it in the Bible?
There are quite a few examples of the Law of Exclusion in action, in the Scriptures.
One is seen in the account of the construction of Noah’s ark. In Genesis 6:14-16, the Lord said to Noah, “Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.”
Noah was given some very specific commands about how he was to build the ark. For instance, he was commanded to make it with “gopher wood.” No one knows exactly what kind of wood gopher wood is, but Noah knew, and the Lord did not have to tell him about the kinds of wood He did not want him to use.
Another example of the Law of Exclusion in action is seen in the account of the fatal blunder committed by Nadab and Abihu. In Leviticus 10:1-2, the text says, “And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.”
These two men died because they offered incense to God, using a source of fire, “which he commanded them not.” In the Law of Moses, God had specified where He wanted the fire used to offer the incense to come from. In doing so, He automatically excluded every other source of fire – making these other sources illegal, under Old Testament law. Nadab and Abihu died, not because they did something God had commanded them not to do, but because they had done something God had not authorized them to do.
Under the Law of Christ, the Law of Exclusion still applies.
In passages like Ephesians 5:19, God has specified that Christians must sing, as a part of the worship they offer Him. Playing mechanical instruments of music is automatically excluded by the Lord, since their use is not listed in the command to sing. Yet, in most denominational churches, such instruments are used to accompany the singing that is done.
Some say, “Well, the Bible doesn’t say not to use it.” But, according to the Law of Exclusion, the Lord does not have to list all of the things He does not want us to do in our worship. He simply tells us what He wants and everything else is automatically excluded.
God’s unwritten laws exist for our benefit.
Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose.”
On some level, this passage bears reference to the Law of Exclusion. We may not be able to point to a book, chapter and verse where it is stated directly, but we may rest assured that it exists, and that it has a direct bearing upon how we perceive the Lord’s commandments.
Let us all learn the Law of Exclusion and make application of it when we read the Bible.
What is the “Sin Unto Death”?
Many times, in the more than 20 years I have been preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, I have been approached by people who were genuinely distraught, because they believed that they had committed a “sin unto death,” and that they could not possibly be forgiven for it.
They have convinced themselves that they have committed a sin so heinous… so perverse… so offensive to God that He will not possibly forgive them for it. They are beside themselves with grief over their spiritual situation, and they are looking to a preacher for answers. Is there a sin for which God will not forgive us?
What is the “sin unto death?” The Bible has the answers!
The Bible indicates that there is only one sin, which the Lord will not forgive. In Matthew 12, Jesus’ enemies whispered to others that He had the power to cast out demons only because He was in league with the Devil (Matthew 12:22-24). Christ responded to this accusation with a firm denial, and then pointed out that His enemies were putting their own souls in jeopardy by attributing the power of God to the Devil (Matthew 12:25-30).
Then, the Savior said this: “All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men” (Matthew 12:31).
According to Thayer, the Greek word rendered, “blasphemy” in the text is one that literally refers to “speech injurious to another’s good name.” In the very next verse, Jesus added: “And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come” (Matthew 12:32).
The Lord’s enemies had been slandering the Holy Spirit by attributing Jesus’ power to the Devil and not to divinity. We must be careful not to do the same thing today, lest we find ourselves in a similar position.
It is important to note that Jesus said, “All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men.” that means that God will forgive us for even the sins that we consider the most serious.
Sexual sins… violent sins… deviant sins can all be forgiven, if only we will repent and obey the Lord’s instructions in the Scriptures (1 Timothy 1:15).
But if our contempt for the Holy Spirit is so great that we are willing to verbally slander Him, then we will not repent, we will not obey, and there remains no hope for us (Hebrews 6:4-6).
As for the “sin unto death,” that is a fairly simple concept. Such a sin is one that we take with us to our graves.
By definition, it is a sin of which we will not repent and for which we do not receive forgiveness; so we take it with us to our death beds (1 John 1:9). A classic example of a “sin unto death” is suicide. By definition, suicide is the murder of oneself. It renders the one who commits it incapable of repenting and being forgiven for his sins. Judas, for example, could have repented and gone back to the other apostles and been forgiven for his betrayal of the Son of God, but he sealed his own eternal destiny when he chose to end his own life (Acts 1:16-20).
That is why it is so important for Christians to keep sin out of their lives and to immediately repent and ask God for forgiveness when sin does get into their lives.
Christians who languish in unfaithfulness run the risk of being unprepared, when the hour of their departure from this world arrives (Matthew 25:1-13). We may not know the day or the hour in which the Lord shall return, or how much time is left until we reach the end of our own lives on Earth, but we cannot afford to assume that there is plenty of time for us to repent. We must make our hearts right with God right now—for we may not have another chance in
the future!
As long as we are alive, we can make things right with God.
Let us make our peace with Him while we still can, and carry none of our sins with us, when we enter into eternity!
“If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.” – 1 John 5:16
Do the Right Thing
In the fifteenth Psalm, King David posed an important question: “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” (Psalm 15:1). In essence, he was asking, “Who will be in Heaven?”
In response to his own question, the psalmist listed almost a dozen qualities that are consistently found in everyone who will one day walk the streets of gold. The first two of those qualities are of immediate concern, in this article.
“He that walketh uprightly,” is one who journeys through life with his head held high, because his sins are forgiven and he has nothing to fear (Hebrews 10:19-22).
“…and worketh righteousness” refers to one who consistently does the right thing, when he is confronted with a choice between right and wrong courses of action (Romans 6:16-18).
Every day, God’s children are confronted with temptation to sin, and must choose to do the right thing, in order to go to Heaven (1 Corinthians 10:13). We must learn to do the right thing, in every situation, if we want to go to Heaven.
The Right Thing Is Usually Not Easy to Do
In almost every moral/ethical dilemma we may face, the right thing to do is not going to be the easiest thing to do. As a matter of fact, the right thing to do is usually inconvenient, and problematic. By way of contrast, the wrong thing to do is typically the easiest way out of a dilemma. It is almost always the choice that promises to make light work out of the heaviest difficulties.
The difference between the right and wrong ways to handle a dilemma is best illustrated in the Savior’s teaching on the difference between the way to Heaven and the way to Hell. “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth to life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
The way to Heaven is difficult and fraught with obstacles, but the way to Hell is easy and much less difficult to navigate.
The Right Thing Is Usually Unpopular
As Jesus state in the preceding verses, “many” will choose to follow the way to Hell and “few” will follow the way to Heaven.
When confronted with a choice between doing what is morally right and doing what is morally wrong, most people choose to do wrong – often because that is what everyone else is doing.
This is why the Bible discourages us from using popularity to justify our actions. As the Lord advised the people of Israel, “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil” (Exodus 23:2).
It was the majority of people who perished in the great flood (Genesis 6-9), and the majority of people who shouted for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ (John 19).
Just because a particular course of action is popular – it does not necessarily follow that it is the right thing to do. The right thing is not usually the popular thing to do.
The Right Thing Offers Few Worldly Rewards
Many times, when confronted with a dilemma, doing the right thing is not easy, because it offers us no personal gain. We are a society of mercenaries, who are more interested in how we may profit from a situation than in suffering a personal loss for the greater good.
Yet, the Word of God urges us to be self-sacrificing and to place the good of others ahead of our own advancement (1 Corinthians 6:7). We must imitate the example of our Lord, who came to Earth, not for His own good, but for ours (Mark 10:45).
Simply because a given course of action is advantageous to us – it does not necessarily follow that it is the right thing to do.
These spiritual principles could be applied to any sinful act. Take lying, for example. Some of the reasons why it is so tempting to lie, when confronted with a situation in which telling the truth might not be so advantageous to us, are because it is easy to tell a lie, it is something that most people do every day, and it can save us from personal embarrassment. The problem with lying, of course, is that it is a sin, which will surely condemn us to eternity in Hell (Revelation 21:8). Like any sin, lying can carry with it some dire consequences, which can have a lasting negative effect upon our lives on Earth (Galatians 6:7,8).
Verily, it is always better to do the right thing, than to do the wrong thing, in any situation.
Skeptical Christianity
Many of the oldest denominations have a history of keeping their membership under control by keeping them ignorant of what the Bible actually says.
Prior to the Protestant Reformation, Bibles were literally chained to the pulpits of churches and were considered to be objects of mystery by the laity. Even the oldest of the Protestant denominations continued to make the Bible the exclusive property of the clergy by teaching their membership that it was just too mysterious for them to understand, and that one must be “ordained” before he may even begin to understand its secrets. Even in the twenty-first century, there remain those who never call into question what their preacher tells them, because they have been taught not to study the Bible for themselves and to depend completely upon the clergy to tell them what to believe.
This is not in accord with the will of God!
As a matter of fact, the Bible teaches Christians to be skeptical of what they are told, and to demand proof of the veracity of what is preached to them. “Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me [Jesus]” (John 5:39). “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). These are only a few of the Bible verses, which help us to understand that skepticism is a desirable quality in every member of the Lord’s church.
Some argue that having faith means that you cannot have answers to some of life’s essential questions.
But the Bible describes faith differently. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The text does not say that faith is something we have, in spite of a lack of evidence, but rather that faith is something we have because of the evidence. Whereas one might say, “I don’t know if God is out there, but I have faith,” a New Testament Christian says, “I know that God is out there—therefore I have faith.”
Many point to Second Corinthians 5:7 as proof of the assertion that faith is some kind of an ethereal feeling we have, rather than a firm conviction. But, when the text says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight,” it is not saying that we walk by faith because we have no sight. Rather, it is declaring that faith is superior to sight. Our sight may be deceived, but our faith cannot be deceived, because it is based upon substantial evidence (Hebrews 11:1).
Faith is not a blind leap in the dark.
It is a kind of trust that we have in God, because we know that we have good reason to trust in Him “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Faith is about being convinced of the reality of God, and then putting complete trust in Him. “But 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” (Hebrews 11:6).
Being a skeptical Christian does not mean that one has no faith.
As a matter of fact, it is absolutely essential for every Christian to have strong faith. As questions of your preacher and your Bible class teacher, when you do not understand what they are saying to you. Look up the passages of Scripture that they cite and see if what they are telling you is true. Preachers and Bible class teachers can make mistakes and they can have sinister agendas, so do not simply accept everything you are told about religion, without question.
If the people in your church are discouraging you from asking questions and searching the Scriptures, then it may be time for you to seek a church where the pursuit of Bible knowledge is encouraged, rather than discouraged. At the churches of Christ, skepticism is a virtue, rather than a vice.
People learn the truth by seeking answers to their questions.
It is my sincere hope and fervent prayer that you will find the truth you seek.
Hosea and Gomer: A Living Lesson
Hosea was a prophet of the Lord who lived and worked in Israel—the northern kingdom, in the period of time when God’s people were divided into two kingdoms.
Israel was composed of ten tribes of the Hebrew people, who separated themselves from Judah and Simeon after the death of Kind Solomon (1 Kings 12). Their capital city was Samaria (1 Kings 16:23-24). The kings of Israel set up idols for the people to worship, so they would not go back to the Temple in Jerusalem, which was controlled by Judah (1 Kings 12:26-33). The kings of Israel did not rely upon God for protection, but made alliances with neighboring nations (Hosea 10:13). Because of Israel’s continued devotion to evil, God was going to punish the entire nation (Hosea 9:3).
It was Hosea’s job to warn the people of Israel about their impending doom, and to appeal to them to repent, before they would no longer be able to do so.
Hosea’s name means, “salvation” and that is the theme of his book. Even though the people of Israel did not deserve it, God was willing and eager to forgive them (Hosea 14:2-4). But, since they had earned it for themselves, God was also prepared to punish the people of Israel for their sins (Hosea 9:7; Romans 6:23). To explain his relationship with the Israelites, the Lord used Hosea’s marriage as a living lesson.
HOSEA AND GOMER GET MARRIED
The Lord told Hosea to marry a “daughter of the age,” which is generally understood to mean a woman who was typical of most women in Israel, at that time (Hosea 1:2). They added three children to their family: Jezreel, meaning “God Will Scatter,” was the first; Lo-ruhamah, meaning “No Mercy,” was the second; Lo-ammi, meaning “Not My People” was the third (Hosea 1:3-9).
It was not long, however, until Gomer violated her marriage vows and began to sell herself, as a prostitute (Hosea 2:2). Gomer’s betrayal of her husband’s love was just like Israel’s betrayal of God’s love. Just as Gomer sold herself, in prostitution, Israel had done the same by engaging in the worship of idols (Hosea 4:17). Gomer had committed adultery against her husband and Israel had committed spiritual adultery against the Lord.
As members of the Lord’s church, we are the bride of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:22-32).
We are in the same position as Israel was, in ancient times (Galatians 6:16). Just as God expected faithfulness from Israel, He expects faithfulness from us (Revelation 2:10). When we sin against God, we are guilty of spiritual adultery, just like Israel. Imagine how you would feel, if you found out that your spouse was unfaithful to you. That is how God feels, when we are unfaithful to Him!
One interesting aspect of the relationship between Hosea and Gomer is that, even while Gomer was being unfaithful to Hosea, he still provided for her needs (Hosea 2:8). In a twist of irony, Gomer did not know that it was her husband who was looking out for her, and she gave the credit to her lovers (Hosea 2:5).
In like manner, God had provided for Israel’s needs, even while Israel was being unfaithful to Him. Like Gomer, Israel did not perceive what God was doing, and gave credit to the false gods with which they had committed spiritual adultery (Hosea 10:1). Just as Hosea was angry with his wife’s continued unfaithfulness, so God was angry with Israel’s continued unfaithfulness (Hosea 2:9-13).
Think about all of the good things that God provides for us, in our lives.
Even though so many of us frequently stray away from the path of righteousness, the Lord still takes care of our basic needs (Matthew 6:24-34). It is no wonder, then, that the anger of the Lord is kindled against those who turn their backs upon Him (Romans 1:32).
The end of the story of Hosea and Gomer is a happy one. Gomer was unfaithful to Hosea for a very long time, but she eventually sunk so low, that her lovers put her up for sale (Hosea 3:2). But, Hosea loved Gomer and was willing to buy her back (Hosea 3:1). He would take his wife back home, but only if she would realize how much better off she was with him than with her lovers (Hosea 3:3).
Israel had reached a very low state in its spirituality (Hosea 4:6). Yet, God still loved Israel and was willing to forgive. Israel would have to go into a period of captivity, but when they learned that they are better off with God than with idols, they would be restored (Hosea 3:4,5).
No matter how low we may get in our own spirituality, God will never stop loving us (Hebrews 13:5).
When we realize that we are better off with God than without Him, the infinite mercy of the Lord shall provide us with a way of restoration (1 John 1:9).
Without Excuse
Have you ever heard the old saying, “An excuse is just a gift wrapped lie?”
Perhaps you have not heard this saying, because excuses are so ubiquitous in modern society. Human beings have been making excuses for bad behavior since the dawn of history. As far back as the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve tried to make excuses for eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:11-13).
But, in Romans 1:18-21, the apostle Paul wrote, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”
People who rejected God in the ancient world were “without excuse,” just like us, in the modern world, when we do the same.
The Scriptures show us that God does not accept excuses.
Romans 1:20 shows us that there is no excuse for denying the existence of God. In Luke 14:16-24, the parable of the great supper shows us that there is no excuse for refusing the Lord’s invitation.
In Matthew 25:14-30, the parable of the talents shows us that there is not excuse for being a poor steward of the Lord’s blessings.
In First Samuel 15:1-35, the story of King Saul’s refusal to obey the Lord’s commands shows us that there is no excuse for disobeying God, when He tells us what He wants us to do.
But, why do people make excuses, in the first place?
Sometimes, people make up excuses for their bad behavior, in order to avoid the consequences of their actions. This sort of activity is seen every day, in criminal court proceedings. Some are so desperate to escape punishment for the crimes they have committed that they will make up any excuse at all, which might help skew perceptions in their favor.
Sometimes, people will make up excuses for their bad behavior, in order to prevent others from casting them in an unflattering light. This sort of activity is seen frequently, in the world of politics. When politicians are caught in a scandal, they will make up any excuse at all, which might keep the tide of public opinion from turning against them.
Usually, people make up excuses for their bad behavior, in order to assuage their own feelings of guilt they have for what they have done. People become comfortable with their own sins by convincing themselves that what they did is not really all that bad, and that the Lord will surely not hold it against them. Hebrews 3:13 warns us not to be deceived by the “deceitfulness of sin,” which can lull us into a false sense of security. If we become comfortable with our sins, then we will not repent of them and we shall surely perish (Luke 13:3).
There are many reasons why we are without excuse, when it comes to our sinful behavior.
For one thing, God has shown us that He loves and cares for us by the grandest gesture of all: the sacrifice of His only begotten Son (Romans 5:8; John 3:16; Revelation 1:5; Galatians 2:20).
Also, we must consider the fact that others who have disobeyed the Lord have not fared so well (1 Corinthians 10:11; Romans 15:4).
Furthermore, we must admit that God has given us numerous opportunities to change our ways (2 Peter. 3:9; Ephesians. 5:16; James 4;14; 2 Corinthians 6:2). The gospel of Jesus Christ is such a simple thing for us to comprehend and to obey, that there is no excuse for failing to do so (Mark 12:37b).
The efforts of those who encourage us, pray for us, exhort us, plead with us, show concern for us, and teach us leave us without excuse for failing to do something about our sins (2 Corinthians 5:11; Acts 8:4; Hebrews 3:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:11-14).
The blessings that God sheds so abundantly upon us make it so that there is no excuse for failing to yield to His will (Acts 14:17; Romans 1:20; Psalm 19:1).
Excuses are a barrier between Earth and Heaven.
Instead of making up excuses about why we cannot get to Heaven, we ought to be making progress on the path of righteousness.
In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
Stop trying to justify your sins, and take ownership of them. That is the first step in the process of repentance, and Word of God declares that there can be no salvation from sin without repentance (Acts 17:30).
Giving of our Talent
“For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.” – Matthew 25:29
Paul, in praise of the Christians of Macedonia, wrote: “How that in great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering of the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God” (2 Corinthians 8:2-5). The fact that these Christians were willing to give more than just their money those who were in need is most impressive, indeed!
The various abilities we all possess are gifts entrusted to us by God. Whether we are capable of great feats of physical strength and endurance, diplomatic interpersonal skills, extraordinary intelligence, or any other such like ability, we all have God to thank for what we are capable of doing. But, are we using our various talents for the glory of God, or we simply wasting them selfishly?
In His “Parable of the Talents” (Matthew 25:14-30), Jesus made the point that, no matter how many talents we may or may not have, God expects us to use those talents and not simply hide them from the world. If one has a talent for teaching, one must find a way to use that talent for the cause of Christ; if one has a talent for singing, then one must find a way to use that talent for God’s glory; if one has a talent for preaching, then one must preach the gospel to all who will listen. Making the best use of our God-given talents is not an optional proposition: it is something we all must do, if we want to go to Heaven!
There are Christian doctors who go on medical mission trips, so they can use their talents to glorify God. There are Christian young people who go on door knocking campaigns, so they can be useful in the Lord’s service. It doesn’t matter who you are, or how much talent you have, God can use you in His kingdom!
Giving of our Means
When one thinks about the Bible doctrine of giving, money is usually the first thing that comes to mind. In 1 Corinthians 16:1-2, the apostle Paul succinctly stated that giving of our means is supposed to be part of the worship that Christians offer to God. “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” The “collection for the saints” to which Paul referred was money that he was raising to take with him to Jerusalem, so he could present it to the elders of the church there for the relief of Christians who were suffering financially (Acts 11:29-30). He wanted the members of the church in Corinth to set aside money for this effort by giving of their means on the first day of every week, so there would be no need for a special collection, when he arrived.
This passage authorizes the church to take up a collection on the first day of every week. This is meant to be part of the worship that the church offers to God, because the first day of the week was “when the disciples came together” (Acts 20:7). It also authorizes the church to put up money “in store.” Churches may have savings accounts and checking accounts. Churches may budget money for specific purposes. The church is not authorized to hoard money, but it is authorized to have a plan, or a purpose for the money that is collected, on the Lord’s Day (Luke 16:9).
“Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store…” – 1 Corinthians 16:2
As to the amount of money that Christians are supposed to give on the first day of every week, there is no limit. The New Testament does not teach that Christians are supposed to give a tithe, or a “tenth” of what they possess or earn, but that they are to give “as God hath prospered” them. That means that it is up to the individual Christian to determine the amount of money he will contribute on the Lord’s Day. Of course, every Christian should bear in mind that the giving he does is part of the worship he offers to God, and that God would not be pleased with a half-hearted gift (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). Also, it should be noted that we all owe the Lord a debt that is far greater than our ability to pay. We cannot put a price on what Jesus did to purchase our redemption, so the truth is that owe God everything we have. Let us all consider these things when we give of our means.
The Purpose of the Supper
Why do Christians eat unleavened bread and drink fruit of the vine on the first day of every week? The obvious answer is, “Because the Lord told us to,” and that is a correct answer. After all, Jesus did say, “This do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19b). But, there is more to the Lord’s Supper than just going through the motions of observance. There is a purpose behind it that every Christian must understand, if they are going to partake of it “worthily” (1 Corinthians 11:27-29).
1 Corinthians 11 is an account of the establishment of the Lord’s Supper, which runs parallel to those that are given in the Gospels. It is identical to the accounts found in Matthew, Mark and Luke, but it also expands gives us additional information. In 1 Corinthians 11:26 KJV, the text says, “For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.” This means that the Lord’s Supper is a living memorial of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, which is meant to endure until He returns to bring the last age of the world to an end.
Like statues and other memorials erected by men to commemorate the valiant deeds and sacrifices of others, the Lord’s Supper is meant to testify to the world about Jesus Christ and the valiant sacrifice He made for all humanity. When we partake of the unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine, our mind are meant to recall the Biblical account of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord. It also serves as a reminder that the Lord is coming back to the Earth to judge us all (2 Corinthians 5:10).
1 Corinthians 10:16 describes the Lord’s Supper as “communion” with the Lord. That is why most tend to regard it as a solemn occasion. While it is only one part of a worship service, which also consists of singing, prayer, giving, and preaching, it is a time when God is said to be acting in accord with us. When we fail to commune with God every week, our souls miss something that they desperately need. Don’t just go through the motions of observing the Lord’s Supper, but think about what it really means.
Emblems of the Supper
The common practice in the churches of Christ is for the Lord’s Supper to consist of bread, which is unleavened, and grape juice, which is unfermented. As is the case with most everything that is done in the worship of the Lord’s church, we do this, not because it is our tradition, or because it is our preference, but because of what is written in the Word of God.
We know “that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread,” and we know that it was likely the very same kind of bread that He and His disciples had been eating at the “Last Supper,” but how do we know that it was unleavened? We know this, because this meal took place during “the feast of unleavened bread” (Matthew 26:17). This was a time when Jews were to put all leaven out of their houses and eat only bread which was unleavened (Exodus 12:6,18). Leaven is that which causes bread dough to rise. Therefore, unleavened bread is flat bread, which has no airy quality about it. Today, we use what is essentially a cracker, which has no leaven in it, at all. In certain denominations, it is popular to use leavened bread, but this is not in keeping with the Biblical pattern.
In like manner, the “fruit of the vine” (Matthew 26:29) is exactly what the text suggests: unfermented grape juice. The juice of grapes was safer to drink than water and it tasted better, too. We know that this is what Jesus used in instituting His Supper, because alcohol was considered a leavening agent by the ancients and would have been unwelcome at the feast of unleavened bread. Some denominations use wine in their observances of the Lord’s Supper, but this is not in keeping with the Biblical pattern.
The First Day of the Week
A significant difference between the churches of Christ and other churches is the practice of observing the Lord’s Supper every Sunday. Some churches do so only twice every year (at Christmas and Easter), some include other holy days on the calendar, and some have a “Communion Sunday” once every month. The practice of a weekly supper is not what most people today would consider to be the norm in Christianity.
But, what if I told you that ancient Christians, in the earliest days of the Lord’s church made the Lord’s Supper a regular part of their weekly worship services? The best evidence of this is seen in Acts 20. The first few verses of the chapter record Paul’s three-month excursion into Macedonia. We see in Acts 20:6 that Paul sailed from Philippi to Troas, where he rejoined traveling companions who had arrived there before him. He stayed for a week in Troas, and preached to the church there at their weekly assembly.
“And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together…” – Acts 20:7
The language of Acts 20:7 indicates that “the first day of the week” was “when the disciples came together.” That is why the modern church meets for worship on Sunday – not because it is Sunday – but because it is the first day of the week. 1 Corinthians 16:2 also indicates that the first day of the week was the day in which the church gathered for its regular assembly. Hebrews 10:25 indicates that ancient Christians understood these regular gatherings to a compulsory exercise. Relevant to this discussion, 1 Corinthians 11:20 indicates that an observance of the Lord’s Supper was supposed to be part of the weekly worship assembly. Paul rebuked the church in Corinth for failing to observe the Lord’s Supper, as they were supposed to do so. Members of the church in Corinth had made the Lord’s Supper into a common meal, which was not even shared among all the brethren. Paul reminded them of the emblems and purpose of the supper, as he encouraged them to get back what they ought to have been doing all along.
Does the church where you worship celebrate the Lord’s Supper on the first day of every week? If not, then I would like to invite you to consider worshipping with the church of Christ in your community. In accordance with the Biblical pattern, we partake of the Lord’s Supper, as a regular part of our weekly worship, just like our brethren did, in ancient times.
Divided Assemblies
A growing phenomenon in the modern religious scene is the notion that, in order to appeal to young people, churches must divide their worship assemblies into smaller groups, which cater the perceived needs of specific ages. Some “small groups ministries” involve the formation of a “children’s church,” which meets somewhere else, while the grownups are meeting in the main auditorium. Others subdivide the kids into special groups for teenagers, adolescents and smaller children, which have their own activities apart from the worship of the adults. Still, others divide the adults into smaller groups, which meet in the homes of other brethren, or in nursing homes, and other institutions. These divided worship assemblies take place mostly on Sunday nights, but they are also known to be part of the Sunday morning routine, in some congregations.
Many brethren raise nary an eyebrow to this practice. To them, it is “no big deal.” But, what does the Bible say about the worship assemblies of the church? Did the ancient church ever divide its worship assemblies along the lines of age? Is there any precedent in the New Testament for such a practice? Do divided worship assemblies really produce the results that people anticipate?
What’s wrong with having divided worship assemblies?
An Absence of Biblical Authority
The greatest problem with “children’s church” and “small groups ministries” is that there is no authority granted for such practices, in the New Testament. When the ancient church assembled for the purpose of worshipping God, all the members of the local congregations were expected to be present (Hebrews 10:25). Even when a worship service took place during the evening hours, there was never any indication that some were excluded from being part of the assembly (Acts 20:7). Sometimes, it is argued that such a practice is no different than when the church divides into smaller groups for the purpose of Bible study. Indeed, there are many examples of small groups of people meeting for the purpose of Bible study, in the New Testament (Acts 5:42). But, when the church assembled to worship God, everyone was supposed to be included (1 Corinthians 11:20-34). Divided worship assemblies do not just remove children from the main group of worshippers, but also adults who are overseeing the children. Instead of worshipping with their brethren, they are babysitting in another location. Some may argue that this practice is no different than what goes on, when a parent takes a crying baby into a nursery, or a training room. But, the difference is that, in most cases, they can still follow along with what is going on in the assembly of the saints. They do not have to exclude themselves and their children from worshipping God.
A Lack of Indented Results
Divided assemblies are not only wrong from a Scriptural standpoint, but they are also wrong from a practical standpoint. For many years, the Stop Nine Church of Christ, in Byesville, Ohio had a huge youth group, which existed virtually independently from the rest of the church. They had their own worship, their own Bible studies and their fellowship activities – separate from everyone else. After a while, the elders began to notice that most of the youth who came up through this system tended not to worship with the adults, when the time came for them to do so. After some checking, they found out that their young people felt out of place in the main assembly of the church, because they had always been excluded from it. They were accomplishing the opposite of their intended result!
When youth groups “skip church” to go to hockey games, or have super bowl parties, or play basketball, what lessons are they learning? When little children are excluded from the worship services of the church, so they can go somewhere else and play, what are we teaching them? It just stands to reason that, if we want our kids to value and appreciate worship, we must not exclude them from it. Children need to see that church is important to their parents, in order to learn that it is important to them. Don’t take your kids to church with the intention of getting rid of them for an hour. Take them to church with the intention of worshipping God with them!
Consider also the needs of adults in a local congregation. They are supposed to know and care for one another (Romans 12:10). How can they do so, if they are divided from one another on Sunday evenings? How are visitors at these assemblies supposed to meet the elders of the church, if they are away with one of the small groups? Indeed, how are the elders supposed to oversee a flock that is scattered in various locations?
Parenting Pitfalls
Even with almost two decades of experience, raising a son, I hardly feel qualified to offer any advice at all on the subject of parenting. The material in this article is compiled from many sources, both in print and on the Internet. The solutions to the problems mentioned are entirely Biblical. As I have said many times before: I am not a counselor, but I can tell you what the Bible says about whatever challenge you are facing.
Over Praising
It has been reported that many young adults enter the workforce with a profound sense of entitlement. They expect success, even if they have done little or nothing to earn it. Some assume that they will be quickly promoted, even if they have not yet mastered their job. Others think that they are special and deserve to be treated that way. They all become dejected when they find out that the world does not share their view.
Sometimes, this sense of entitlement can be traced back to how one was raised. Many parents have bought-into the idea that, if a little praise is good for a child, then a lot of praise must be even better. The modern crusade for self-esteem has taught parents that children must never be made to feel bad about themselves—no matter what. So, many parents lavish a constant flow of praise on their children and never admonish them, when they do something wrong. They teach their kids to feel good about themselves, instead of teaching them to accomplish things they can feel good about.
The Bible teaches that praise is appropriate when it is deserved (Matthew 25:19-21). But failing to teach children humility is depriving them of an essential ingredient in their character. “For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself” (Galatians 6:3). It is no wonder that the Bible says, “Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he will not die” (Proverbs 23:13).
Over Protecting
It has been reported that many young adults enter the workforce with no ability to cope with adversity. Some a devastated by the slightest criticism. Others are finicky and will only accept jobs that meet their highest expectations. Some believe that this is the result of overprotective parenting. It is understandable that parents want to protect their children, but some take this desire to extremes. Your daughter failed a test? Demand that the teacher raise her grade. Your son received a traffic ticket? Pay the fine for him. A failed romance? Lay all the blame on the other person. These things will leave a child ill-prepared for the real world.
The Bible teaches us that adversity is a natural part of life. A wise man once said, “I returned and saw under the sun that – the race is not to the swift, nor that battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all” (Ecclesiastes 9:11). We must teach our children to emulate the example of Paul, who wrote, “for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” (Philippians 4:11-12).
Over Providing
Go to the local high school and ask any young person what their most important goal in life is. Most of them are liable to say, “Getting rich.” The problem is that people who focus on the gain of material things are much less happy in life. They suffer a much higher rate of physical and mental illness.
This phenomenon can be traced to children being raised in a materialistic environment. From a desire to make children happy, some parents simply buy them whatever they may happen to want. This may make kids happy for a while, but it is not long before they will want something else. For this reason, many young adults bankrupt themselves in an attempt to acquire a lifestyle it took their parents a lifetime to achieve.
The Bible warns us against the desire to “get rich quick” (Proverbs 28:22). We owe it to our children to teach them that love of God is vastly more important than love of money. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10). Instead, we must teach our children to be content with having the necessities of life and to be generous with what God has provided them (1 Timothy 6:8-9; Galatians 6:10).
Have You Got the Right Directions?
Technology of the modern world can be both a blessing and a curse. When everything works as it should, it’s a blessing – when things go wrong, it’s something else. Take, for example the bizarre case of Sabine Moreau, a 67-year old woman from Belgium, who recently went on a two-day, 900-mile odyssey because her GPS receiver gave her the wrong directions.
She had intended to travel only 90 miles, to pick up a friend in Brussels, but she ended up driving all the way to Zagreb, Croatia, through Germany, Austria and Slovenia. Her friend found an alternate means of transportation and her family reported her missing after she was gone for 24 hours. Interpol found her by tracking gas purchases on her bank card.
Of course, this is not the only instance of GPS technology run amok. Last March, three Japanese tourists vacationing in Australia found themselves stuck in several feet of water, when their receiver directed them to drive into Moreton Bay to reach their destination on an island. In August, a man drove into an Alaska harbor, when his receiver directed him to “turn right.”
All of this has me convinced that I ought to just stick with the good old map and compass.
These stories have got me thinking about how much trust people invest in technology and how that trust is sometimes misplaced. Getting from “point A” to “point B” sounds like a simple enough task, but as we have already seen, it can go drastically wrong, when you don’t have the right directions. Getting from Earth to Heaven is equally challenging. It sounds like a simple task, but you can end up someplace you DON’T want to be, if you’ve got the wrong directions.
Man has devised many different ways he thinks will get to Heaven.
The problem with man’s ways of getting to Heaven is that they won’t get you to where you want to go. Jesus lamented, “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7). In the very next verse, He went on to point out that those who were “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” were also guilty of “laying aside the commandment of God.” When we disregard God’s Word, in favor of our own ideas, we make a mistake that is every bit as absurd as those who seem to disregard common sense and blindly follow their GPS receiver into a body of water, or a foreign country.
In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” The only way to get to Heaven is the Lord’s way. If we are looking at any source, other than the Bible, we will not find the right directions. Instead of Heaven, we will arrive at the wrong destination!
Some may think that salvation by “faith only” or salvation by “works only” seems like the right way to go. But, as the proverb reminds us, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). The only way to be sure about the spiritual path you are taking is to compare it with what the Bible says. As the apostle Paul wrote, in 1 Thessalonians 5:21, “Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good.”
The Bible teaches us how to be saved from our sins (Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:6; Luke 13:3; Romans 10:9,10; Acts 2:38). It teaches us how to worship God (John 4:23,24; Ephesians 5:19; 1 Corinthians 14:15; 11:23-26; 16:1,2; Acts 20:7). It teaches us how to live faithful, Christian lives (Hebrews 10:25; Galatians 5:22,23; Ephesians 6:13-18; Philippians 4:8; 2 Peter 1:5-8).
Do not deviate from the path that God has set before us.
“And whatsoever things ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17).
What I Learned from the 52-Week Challenge
One year ago, I announced in the church bulletin and on my Facebook page that I was going to try an experiment in evangelism called, “the 52-week challenge.” Everyone who talked to me about this effort was very positive and encouraging. I want to thank everyone for their support. Quite simply, the 52-week challenge was an effort on my part to invite at least one person to come to church with me, in every single week of the year. It was hardly a monumental effort. In fact, it seemed to me like an absurdly simple task, with not much “challenge” to it, at all. Yet, it was, in the end a very rewarding experience, and I would like to heartily recommend that every Christian take up the 52-week challenge in the coming New Year.
As the year is drawing to a close, most people are asking me, “How many did you invite?” That’s actually pretty hard to say. I didn’t keep a running tally of how many souls I invited to come with me to church. Sometimes, I forgot to keep up with weekly postings on Facebook, but I can assure you that I did not fail to invite at least one person to come with me to church, in every week of 2013! In many cases, I invited the same people to come to church several times, during the year. In other cases, I invited complete strangers to come to church, whom I have not seen again. The results of this effort, however, were very surprising to me, and learned some valuable lessons along the way.
One of the first people that I invited to come to church, in the early days of the 52-week challenge was a woman I ended up baptizing a few weeks later. She still has her spiritual struggles, but she doing the best she can to fight the good fight of faith. I must say that I never expected a result like that so quickly!
Another interesting case was the week that I invited the men who worked on the roof of my house to come to church—and two of them actually showed up. They have not been back to church since then, but I never thought they would come in the first place. It just goes to show that it pays to ask.
I thought, when I began the challenge, that I might have to look high and low for people to invite, but I found that I didn’t have to. Opportunities to invite people to come to church were everywhere. Once I was actively looking for opportunities, it wasn’t hard to find one every week. Sometimes, I would get down to Friday, or Saturday, and would think, “I’ve gotta find somebody,” but then I would go to the store and find a friend, or an acquaintance, or even a total stranger and invite them to come to church.
I thought, when I began the challenge, that I might have to force myself to inject an invitation to church into my conversations with others, but as time went on, I found that it was a very natural thing to wrap a conversation with someone by saying, “Hey, why don’t you and your family come to church with me, this Sunday?” I found that it also helped, if I kept plenty of business cards or tracts on hand to give to them.
Evangelism is the most important activity in which a Christian can engage. The words of the Savior, in Matthew 28:19-20 should inspire us all, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” It is easy to take it for granted that someone else will do the work of the Lord and invite people to “come and see” what the church of Christ is all about. But, who is going to reach out to your friends, your family, your co-workers? There are people out there who’s only exposure to New Testament Christianity is you. Will any of them utter the chilling words of that old song, on the Day of Judgment: “You never mentioned Him to me?”
As for me, while I will not be reporting it on my Facebook page anymore, I do plan to continue to invite at least one soul to come to church with me, in every single week of next year, too. Once again, I would like to invite you to join me, in this effort. Think of the difference we could make, if all of us were committed to such a challenge! While most of the people we invite may never come to church, some of them will. While most of those who come may never come again, some will. While most of them might never be baptized, some will. What if we all persisted in hard work and each of us converted one souls to Christ in every year? There would be no limit to the results!
Christmas MythBusters!
(originally published in December 2012)
Now is the time of year when people all over our land pause to remember the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. There is not necessarily anything wrong with taking time out to focus on a particular event recorded in the Bible, but the Christmas holiday is one that tends to get blown way out of proportion. At the Madisonville church of Christ, you will find that we do not make any special observance of the Christmas holiday, as part of our spiritual lives. There is no Christmas tree in the building, or any special decorations. We do not have any special worship services, pageants, or cantatas. That is because we honor the Savior on the first day of every week, in accord with the practices of our brethren in the ancient church (Acts 20:7). We choose not to “buy in” to the myths that have been perpetuated about Christmas, and we want to encourage others to do the same. That is why, in the this week’s edition of the church bulletin, I want to “bust” a few popularly held myths about Christmas.
Jesus Was Not Born on December 25
It is amazing to me that, in this age of unlimited access to information, so many people still believe that the 25th day of December is the birthday of Jesus. The simple fact of the matter is that we have no idea which, of all the days on the calendar, is the day upon which the Christ was born. Evidence found in the accounts of the birth of John the baptizer and Jesus suggest that He was born in either February or August; with August being the most favorable time of the year. How did December 25 become associated with the Lord’s birth? Tradition! In the fourth century, the church in Rome began an annual tradition of a special worship service, or “mass” to commemorate the birth of Christ. It was held on December 25, because of that date’s proximity to the winter solstice, which was a major pagan holy day. The date sometimes bounced around the calendar, and the tradition was sometimes neglected, but December 25 was the date that stuck—and it’s still with us, today.
The Wise Men Visited Jesus on the Night He Was Born
An iconic image of Christmas is the baby Jesus lying in a feedbox (“manger”), surrounded by Mary, Joseph, some shepherds, and the three wise men (with a “little drummer boy” thrown in for good measure). But the Bible says that the wise men visited Jesus in a “house,” and that Jesus was, by that time, a “young child” (Mat. 2:11). Some scholars suggest that it might have been days, weeks, or even months after the birth of Jesus. If the star that guided these ancient astronomers appeared on the night in which the Lord was born, it would have been a very long time before they could have made the arduous trek from “the east” (Matthew 2:1-2). It should also be noted that the Bible does not specify the number of wise men who came to see Jesus. It is assumed that there were three, because that was the number of gifts they brought (Matthew 2:11). How did people get so mixed up about this part of the story? Ignorance. People just don’t know what the Bible says. That’s how the Christmas holiday got started, in the first place.
Christians Are Supposed to Celebrate Christmas
There is not a single passage, anywhere in the New Testament, which compels Christians to make an annual observance of the birth of Jesus Christ. There is no evidence that the ancient church ever practiced anything more or less than a weekly offering of worship, in which the life, death and resurrection of Christ was celebrated. In fact, it seems that ancient Christians were not compelled to observe any annual holy days (Colossians 2:16).
Please don’t misunderstand me. I am not arguing that Christians should not make any kind of an observance of the Christmas holiday. I like to deck my halls, exchange gifts and spend time with family, just like everyone else, on December 25. The Bible gives me the option to do things like that, if I so choose (Romans 14:5). So, I have no problem at all wishing everyone who reads this a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. I just do it with full knowledge of the facts—and I hope you will, too.