Historical Posts
Biblical Preaching
“So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading” (Nehemiah 8:8).
There were three characteristics of preaching involved in the work of Ezra (Nehemiah 8:8). Those same elements need to be present in our preaching today.
First, preaching must be biblical.
Just as Ezra began by reading the law of God distinctly, so must today’s preacher begin with God’s book. Much of the religious turmoil of our day would be eliminated if those who filled the pulpit preached the word.
We need to be reminded again and again that when God has spoken men should be silent. Preaching, if it is biblical preaching, begins with the BOOK!
Second, preaching involves giving the sense of what has been written.
Paul wrote, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, that we must “rightly divide the word” (2 Timothy 2:15). A verse out of its context can be made to teach anything. Giving the sense, or rightly dividing the word, involves a study of the passage within its context.
- When was it written?
- To whom was it written?
- What else has been written in conjunction with the thoughts expressed in the passage?
One cannot give the sense of any passage until he has studied it in light of its context and with respect to all that God has revealed on the subject.
Third, preaching is an effort to cause men to understand.
Biblical preaching must be clear and concise. The average word in the Bible contains fewer than five letters (KJV translation). One need not be a “sesquipedalian” (a user of big words) to express great biblical truths. Preaching is to aid the understanding, therefore thoughts must be expressed clearly and concisely.
We should demand that preachers be biblical.
Anything less is unacceptable to God and should be to us.
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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Is The Bible a Lewd Book?
Some time ago the Associated Press (Brooklyn Center, Minnesota) reported that Gene Kasmar, an atheist, had filed a petition with the Brooklyn Center Independent School District in which he argued that the Bible was unfit for the eyes of children. In the petition Kasmar stated that “the lewd, indecent and violent content of that book are hardly suitable for young students.” He further charged that Bible passages “have no historical, scientific, literary, artistic or political value.”
The Bible deals with moral and ethical problems
No one who has read the Bible would deny that it deals with such topics as sex, incest, prostitution, and a host of other moral and ethical problems. However, there is a sharp contrast between what the Bible reveals on these issues and what our modern culture accepts. The Bible calls these things sin. In the values clarification culture of the late 1980’s and early 1990’s sin was erased from the English vocabulary. In a society where right and wrong no longer exist, the Bible clearly poses a threat. Thus, the real motive for attacking it.
The Bible offers a fair and accurate account of life and society
It reveals both the strengths and weaknesses of its chief characters. The story of King David is an excellent example of this. Men do bad things. The Bible does not deny this. But, in the Bible, when men do bad things, they are not called good.
Liars, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, murderers, etc. are charged with sin and urged to repent. Those who engage in sin must turn from their wicked ways. As God said to Israel through the prophet Ezekiel: “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11).
As long as the world stands there will be those who seek to destroy the influence of the Bible.
The Bible will, however, endure long after its detractors lie silent in the grave. As the Psalmist wrote: “Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89).
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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Beware of Things
“And he said unto them, take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15).
The story is sometimes told of a country boy who was invited by a very wealthy uncle to visit New York City. It was the first time the young man had ever been away from his home in the hills and he was filled with wonder. He spent his first day window shopping on Fifth Avenue.
That evening his uncle asked him what he thought of the “Big Apple.” The boy hesitated a moment and then said, “Well, uncle, I never saw so many things in all my life that I could so easily do without!”
Has it ever occurred to us that much of what we want we could just as easily do without? This week’s necessity is destined for next week’s garage sale. Things just don’t satisfy. (How many video games are lying around unused in homes all over this country today?)
The Bible offers some sobering thoughts regarding the things that are really important. Jesus asked, “…and what is a man profited if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or, what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). Paul wrote, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out” (1 Timothy 6:6-7).
The important question is not
“How much do you have?”
but
“How do you use what you have?”
We do not mean to suggest that there is anything inherently wrong with having things. We do, however, want to remind ourselves that things can never provide true happiness.
Our most urgent need is to know and obey Jesus Christ. No know and obey Jesus Christ. No one is truly rich who has left Jesus out of his life, and no one is truly who has made a place in his heart for the Lord.
— Roger
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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Gracious or Ungracious?
Jesus was gracious, even as a child – Luke 4:22.
- Christians should emulate Him.
- Are you being gracious?
Gracious
Acceptable Accommodating Affable Amenable Amiable Amicable Approachable Appropriate Attentive Becoming Befitting Careful Charming Cheerful Cheery Chivalrous Civil Civilized Companionable Compassionate Congenial Considerate Conversable Convivial Cordial Correct Courteous Courtly Couth Decent Decorous Deferential Demure Dutiful Elegant Enjoyable Felicitous Fit Fitting Friendly Gallant Genial Genteel Gentle Gentlemanlike Gentlemanly Godly Good Graceful Gracious Hospitable Humble Kind Kindly Kindness Ladylike Likable Loving Mannerly Meek Meet Merciful Modest Neighborly Nice Obliging Pleasant Pleasing Polite Proper Refined Respect Respectable Respectful Right Seemly Smooth Sociable Solicitous Submissive Suitable Sweet Tactful Thoughtful Unassertive Yielding
Ungracious
Abrupt Antisocial Argumentative Arrogant Audacious Bearish Bilious Blunt Bold Boorish Brusque Cantankerous Choleric Churlish Clodhopping Conceited Contentious Contrary Crabby Cranky Cross Crusty Curt Disagreeable Discourteous Dyspeptic Fussy Grouchy Gruff Grumpy Heedless Ill-humored Ill-mannered Impertinent Impolite Improper Impudent Inappropriate Inconsiderate Indecent Indecorous Inhospitable Insolent Irascible Irritable Lippy Loutish Mannerless Ornery Peevish Petulant Presuming Pretentious Preumptuous Querulous Quick-tempered Rude Shameless Sharp Snappish Snippy Sour Sullen Surly Testy Thoughtless Touchy Unappealing Unattractive Uncalled-for Uncivil Uncouth Unfriendly Ungenial Ungracious Unkind Unmannerly Unseemly Unsociable Vinegary Vulgar
(word clouds created using tagxedo.com)
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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Bereavement
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” (John 11:32-36).
Times of bereavement are among the most traumatic and stressful of our lives.
It is then that we really need the love and support of friends. Yet, often it is during these difficult times of bereavement that many feel most alone. It is not that others don’t care, it is the simple fact that many folks don’t know what to say or do so they stay away. The following suggestions are offered in the hope that they will be helpful.
- First, it is important just to be there during a time of bereavement. Your presence will mean a lot. It is not necessary to say anything. A warm embrace, a loving touch, a gentle tear will say it all.
- Second, avoid saying the wrong things. It is best to simply say, “I’m sorry.” Don’t offer explanations. Especially don’t blame God. Those who have lost a loved one find little comfort in such things as “God always takes the best first,” or “He needed another angel in heaven.” There is also little comfort in hearing, “I know just how you feel.” Since folks deal with grief and bereavement in different ways, seldom, if ever, do we know how another feels.
- Third, don’t be afraid to mourn and enter into bereavement yourself. Even Jesus wept as he made his way to Lazarus’ tomb. Tears are therapeutic. As the scriptures teach, it is appropriate to weep with those that weep (Romans 12:15).
- Fourth, be a good listener. People need talk about their feelings, their fears, and even their future. Again, it is not necessary to offer answers. A listening ear is all that is needed.
- Fifth, do something helpful. Bake a pie, mow the lawn, wash the car, or run the vacuum. Don’t ask, just fill the need yo see. When someone dies, these things still have to be done. Actions always speak louder than words. Love not only in word but also in deed (1 John 3:18).
- Finally, make a special effort to stay in touch following the memorial service. Some have a much more difficult time accepting and adjusting to their loss than others and the time of bereavement continues. Friends and family can be very helpful during this time. Depending on the individual, the period of mourning may run from a few weeks to many months. There will always be days that are more difficult. Holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries are especially sad. A cheerful card, an invitation to lunch, or an inexpensive gift will mean much.
Death is a part of life.
The loss of a loved one is made easier when we are surrounded by others who care and share our sorrow.
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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How Can We Know That the Bible is the Word of God?
The Bible claims to be the word of God.
There are literally hundreds and hundreds of references to that fact in Scripture. The apostle Paul wrote that “all scripture is given by the inspiration God” (2 Timothy 3:16). It was also Paul who commended the church at Thessalonica because they received the word of not “as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:13). Are the claims justified? Everything we know about the Bible would indicate that they are.
First, if there is a God, and there is, then it is certainly in keeping with His character to expect Him to communicate will to His creation in some form.
He has done so through the Bible. The first occurrence of God providing written directions for His people came in the deliverance of the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 20:17). In time He revealed His complete will in what we commonly refer to as the Bible.
The Bible is exactly the kind of book we would expect from a Divine Being.
It is accurate. When it touches on the areas biology, science, history, and geography it demonstrates knowledge far beyond what was commonly known (Job 26:7; Isaiah 40:22). It is utterly impartial in the delineation of human character. It not only speaks of David as a man after God’s own heart, but also shows his human weakness in his sin with Bathsheba.
One is also struck by the unity of the Bible.
Although written over a period of some 1,600 years by at least 40 authors of various social, economic and educational backgrounds, a “golden thread” runs through the text. Jesus fills its pages (Luke 24:44). Further, prophecy offers conclusive proof of its origin. Who, but God, can declare the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10)?
There is no doubt. The Bible is God’s word.
We must study it prayerfully, believe it fully, obey it completely, and live it daily. No one will ever regret living as the Bible teaches us to live, but millions will regret not having done so (John 12:48). Are you ready to begin?
–Roger
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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The Basis for Faith
An interesting news story which stirred a great deal of excitement among many biblical archaeologists was the possible discovery of an ossuary (a burial box) which at one time, would have contained the remains of James, the brother of Jesus.
Engraved on this stone box is the inscription in Aramaic, “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.” According to the scholars, from all appearances, this box seems to be genuine. The greatest criticism is that “Joseph,” “James,” and “Jesus” were fairly common names in the first century like “Tom,” “Dick,” and “Harry.” However, naming the brother as well as the father on an ossuary is very unusual. In fact, there’s only one other known example of this in Aramaic. Thus, it is likely that this “Jesus” must have had some unusual role or fame for him to be included in the inscription.
Now here’s the point of this writing. Suppose it can be proved that this is indeed an ancient artifact verifying the life of Jesus, and the testimony of Scripture (Matthew 13:55). Do you think that suddenly churches will be filled to overflowing with people clamoring to surrender their lives to Jesus? Or what about the highly publicized searches for Noah’s ark? Suppose it did survive the centuries and was discovered. Would preachers’ hands be puckered from baptizing so many people? I think not.
The Bible was written to make believers (John 20:30-31). It contains sufficient evidence to convince one of the genuineness of Jesus’ claims. If God’s word can’t prick the heart and bring about conviction, an ancient relic isn’t going to do the job either. The power of conversion and the basis for faith is the Word of God, not the artifacts of the past. Keep preaching the Word, for it is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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My Goal
I have always been a regimented kind of guy. I like routines. I need a schedule, and I have been that way for as long as I can remember. My week is fairly routine. Monday, in addition to going to the hospital, is the day I visit most of the rest homes in Marietta. Last Monday was much like any other Monday, but one visit was memorable. One of the shut-ins I visited had received the previous day’s church bulletin, and she commented repeatedly about how much she had appreciated the article I had written. It was gratifying to know that she had benefited so much from it.
Later that afternoon, just as I was preparing to leave my study, the phone rang. I answered and the person on the other end immediately asked, “Are you Roger?” When I responded, “Yes,” he informed me that he had been receiving our bulletin for years. Then he asked, “Do you use the NIV (New International Version)?” I told him that on rare occasions I will quote from it. He responded, “Remove me from your mailing list!” I told him we would do so immediately, and then he muttered as he hung up, “Quoting from the NIV was like inviting a false teacher into the church.”
As you probably noticed, I did not give the man’s name or location. Neither is important. I politely told him we would be happy to honor his request, and the conversation was over. Interestingly, his objection was to the same article someone earlier had found so helpful.
As most of you know, I have many times reminded you that the NIV is not a good study Bible. The translators followed the dynamic equivalence method rather than the formal equivalence method in their translation of the text. As a result, the NIV is sometimes more of a commentary than a translation. Yet, on rare occasions, it may actually convey the meaning more clearly than some other translation. The story of Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-3) offers a good illustration of what I mean. Leviticus 10:1-3 KJV says that they offered “strange fire” before the Lord. Leviticus 10:1-3 NIV (and Leviticus 10:1-3 ESV) reads “unauthorized fire,” which is a preferable translation of the text. To quote a passage from a certain translation because it conveys the meaning of the original in a better way than another translation is not an endorsement of everything in that translation.
I have fifteen or twenty different translations in my library. And, yes, I have read each of them through from cover to cover at least once. My favorite translation remains the King James Version from which I still quote. I usually read the English Standard Version from the pulpit because I find that many people have difficulty understanding the language of the KJV. I haven’t found a perfect translation. All have strengths and weaknesses, but some are clearly preferable to others. When asked, I recommend the KJV, ASV, NKJV, NASV, or ESV as a study Bible, and encourage people to own several translations, and to consult them all in an effort to fully understand the text.
My greatest fear, however, is not that most people are reading the wrong translation, but that most are not reading any translation at all!
By the way, I shared this particular incident with you just to illustrate how the same article or sermon can elicit completely contradictory responses from people. It happens far more than you might imagine. I keep my sanity by frequently reminding myself that the goal is to please God, not men (Galatians 1:10)!
—Roger
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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Questions Without Answers
Human beings are naturally inquisitive. Of all the creatures that God created, we are the only ones on Earth who are capable of reason, logic and profundity of thought (Isaiah 1:18). In our long history, humanity has made many important discoveries and advanced his knowledge of the world by leaps and bounds, yet there are still some great mysteries, which elude all efforts to solve them.
In an article posted on lifeslittlemysteries.com, Natalie Wolchover made of list of seven questions for which science has not yet provided a satisfactory answer. One such mystery: “Why do cats purr?” It is known that cats produce an amazing range of vocalizations and there are logical explanations for almost all of them, but purring is yet to be understood. Cats purr while doing many different activities and it seems to serve no useful purpose at all. Evolutionary scientists can’t figure out why such a behavior would ever come about. Creationists tend not to worry about it.
Another unsolved mystery: “How do bicycles work?” Scientists have long suspected that gyroscopic motion, combined with “trailing” effects are what keeps bicycles travelling forward and upright, even when no one is steering them (“Look mom; no hands!”). But engineers who have studied the problem discovered that bicycles still work, even when they deliberately countered the gyroscopic and trailing effects. The supervisor of the experiment stated that we may never come to understand how the laws of physics apply to how bicycles work. Most ten-year olds are just glad that they do.
Another conundrum: “Why do people favor one hand over the other?” Biologists suspect that the neurological “wiring” in our brains causes us to favor either our right hands or our left. But why favor either hand, at all? The best evolutionary model would be for humans to be ambidextrous, but it is exceedingly rare for human beings to be just as comfortable with their left hands as with their right (which is why “switch hitters” are so valuable in baseball). Also, why are there so many more “righties” than “lefties?” Right handed people are no better off in the world than left handed people, so why are there not roughly equal numbers of both? Questions like this cause evolutionists to shrug their shoulders and bite their lips, but creationists don’t mind them so much (Psalm 139:14).
Other burning questions like, “Why does lightening happen?” or “Why are moths drawn to lights?” or “Why is yawning contagious?” and “What causes static electricity?” pose further puzzles for scientists, who shall grapple with them for years to come. These may seem like boring and mundane questions to ordinary people, but to people who can talk all day long about relativity and string theory and quantum mechanics, they are daunting mysteries, which defy explanation. The point of all this is that there are still many things that science has yet to explain. We think that we live in an age in which humanity has a perfect understanding of the world and how it works, but the truth is that our understanding is incomplete. Also, there is this question to consider: “How much of what we think we know now will be proven false in the future?”
In 1900, an esteemed British scientist, Lord Kelvin, famously said, “There is nothing new to be discovered in physics now. All that remains is more precise measurement.” Just a few decades after making that statement, Einstein’s theories of special and general relativity opened up new frontiers in the study of physics, which led to even more innovations in the field. Today, some scientists are predicting that the so-called “Unified Theory of Everything” is within our grasp and that, in time, our knowledge of the cosmos will be indisputably complete. Such bravado! Such self-assuredness!
The consensus of these same scientists is that, when our knowledge of the cosmos is complete, religion shall become extinct. But, knowledge of the world and how it works does not satisfy man’s need for God. The serpent promised Eve that if she and her husband would defy God, “ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). Just as Adam and Eve thought that they would be better off without God, so many today think that humanity would be better off without Him, too. But, the fruit of the Spirit is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23).
All the knowledge in the universe cannot give our souls what they need. Science answers many of the most important questions of life; but not all of them. Only the Bible complete our knowledge.
Content by Russell Kline
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Kepler’s Courage
Kepler spent many years of his life trying to prove a hypothesis
Johannes Kepler was a German astronomer, born in 1571. He lived in a time when astronomy and astrology were merged into a single field of study and he excelled prolifically, in both disciplines. From the time of his boyhood, he was educated to be a member of the Lutheran clergy, but instead he found work as a teacher. During one of his classroom lectures, it occurred to him that the orbits of the six planets (only Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn were known at the time) were spaced in just such a way that there seemed to be a geometrical relationship between them. He thought of the five “regular” or “platonic” solids (discovered by ancient Greek thinkers, like Pythagoras and Plato) whose sides were regular polygons and theorized that these were the invisible support structures for the solar system.
Kepler spent many years of his life trying to prove his hypothesis. He labored for countless hours to construct three dimensional models of the spheres of the six planets nested within the five regular solids, but it was all for naught. He was not able to make his theory work mathematically with the available data on the orbits of the planets. He sought the most precise data available in his time from Tycho Brahe, a Danish nobleman, who was the Imperial Mathematician in the court of the Holy Roman Emperor, but even the most precise observations of the motions of the planets did not help. His problem was that he, along with every other astronomer of his time, assumed that the planets orbit the sun in a perfect circular motion. After many more years of painstaking observation and calculation, Kepler discovered that the orbits of the planets are elliptical, rather and circular.
He had the courage to admit when it was proven to be false
The thing about Johannes Kepler that impresses me is that, even after he had committed the majority of his professional life to one specific idea, he had the courage to admit it, when it was proven to be false. As a gospel preacher, I talk to numerous souls about all kinds of matters pertaining to religion. I have found that most everyone I talk to has their own ideas about God, the church, salvation, and so forth. But, few people have the courage to admit it, when their own pet theories about religion are proven wrong. People will cling to false doctrines and practices, like a drowning man clinging to a piece of his shattered boat— afraid to let go and grab the lifeline rescuers have thrown him. What a tragic situation!
We must not fear the truth
We must not be afraid of the truth, no matter what the truth may be. If God’s Word says something that contradicts what we have always believed, we must abandon our false beliefs post haste, lest we fall victim to vain religion (Matthew 15:13). Whenever I begin a new study with one who is not a member of the church, I usually say something like this: “At some point in our studies together, we are bound to encounter something in the Bible, which contradicts things that you have always believed. At that point, you will have to make a decision: are you going to do what you think is right, or are you going to do what you know the Bible says is right?” People of the modern era have a problem accepting the authority of the Bible. Most of the time, that is the first thing you have to discuss with them.
Another thing that impresses me about Johannes Kepler is his general attitude toward scientific discovery. He was not an atheist, like many modern scientists, but rather he believed the Biblical account of creation and he saw his mission as a scientist as being one of seeking to understand the mysteries of God’s creation. In his Mysterium Cosmographicum, Kepler wrote, “We do not ask for what useful purpose the birds do sing, for song is their pleasure since they were created for singing. Similarly, we ought not to ask why the human mind troubles to fathom the secrets of the heavens…The diversity of the phenomena of Nature is so great, and the treasures hidden in the heavens so rich, precisely in order that the human mind shall never be lacking in fresh nourishment.”
Do we pause to give God the credit for our blessings?
Kepler went on to calculate the elliptical pattern of the orbits of the planets and establish three laws of planetary motion, in the waning years of his life. Although some viewed his work as heretical, Kepler viewed his discoveries as being guided by the providence of God. What a wonderful attitude! How many times do we pause to give God the credit for all the blessings we have in our lives? Kepler thanked God for the privilege of making the discoveries he made in his lifetime. Let us not neglect to thank God for all of the great that we have done with our lives. As Paul put it, in his sermon on Mars’ Hill, “For in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). It is a worthy goal for us to strive for curiosity, courage, and conviction, in this life.
Content by Russell Kline
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How the Bible Authorizes – By Necessary Inference
How The Bible Authorizes
By Direct Statement - By Approved Example - by Necessary Inference
By Necessary Inference
What about those things with which the Bible does not deal directly? How can we know that it is sinful for Christians to smoke cigarettes, or abuse drugs like morphine, when such things did not exist in the first century and are not mentioned in the Bible? In order to know what the will of God is, when there is no direct statement or approved example to settle the matter, we must turn to necessary inference.
Necessary inference is a conclusion that is demanded by the available evidence. For example, there is no verse in the New Testament, which says, “Thou shalt not smoke cigarettes,” but there is a verse which says, “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12). Put that verse together with First Corinthians 6:19-20, and you can argue that smoking is sinful, because it is an addictive habit that destroys the body. The same argument could be applied to the abuse of alcohol, morphine and other drugs.
This is where the application of logic comes into play in our study of the Bible. God is a rational being and He deals with humanity in a rational way (Isaiah 1:18). It may not always be easy to understand the Lord’s logic, because it is so much more complex than man’s (Isaiah 55:8-9). But God, who created the human mind, is perfectly capable of communicating His will to humanity in a way that is logical, straightforward and within the grasp of our understanding (Ephesians 3:4).
The thing about necessary inference is that it is a conclusion which is demanded by the available evidence. It is not a conclusion which is contradicted by the available evidence. That is the kind of logic employed by false teachers (Mark 7:7). Every teaching and practice that is done in the name of religion must have authority from the Bible to back it up (Colossians 3:17). Whether it is a direct statement, an approved example, or necessary inference, there must be Bible authority for what we teach and practice!
“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.” – Colossians 3:17
Lies Men Have Told About The Bible
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What Does the Bible Say?
When it comes to religion, there is no shortage of opinions on the subject. In our community, there are dozens of denominations, each one teaching and practicing different things about salvation, worship and faithful living. Is every denomination right? How can they all come to different conclusions about what is written in the same Word of God? Is it God’s will that there be so much confusion in religion?
The Bible says that God "is not the author of confusion" (1 Corinthians 14:33), so the problem must lie with man. Much of the confusion in the modern religious world stems from a lack of understanding of how the Bible authorizes. If we are going to preach and practice with the authority of the Lord to back us up, then we must learn to ascertain Bible authority (Colossians 3:17). In the final analysis, it is what the Bible says that matters most of all, for it shall be the Word of the Lord that judges us, in the last day (John 12:48).
Content by Russell Kline
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How the Bible Authorizes – By Approved Example
How The Bible Authorizes
By Direct Statement - By Approved Example - by Necessary Inference
By Approved Example
What makes an example an approved example? There are a number of examples of tradition and practice in the New Testament, some of which are imitated by the modern church and some of which are not. How can we know which examples we ought to imitate and which we ought not?
For one thing, we must understand the difference between actions which are determined by local custom and tradition and actions which are part of the regular practice of religion. Jesus showed His disciples how to partake of the Lord’s Supper and then encouraged them to do so on a regular basis (Luke 22:19-20). It is an example that the Lord intended for Christians to imitate on a regular basis (1 Corinthians 11:24-25). This, obviously, is what we would call an approved example.
In John 13:1-17, we find that, on the same evening that Jesus instituted His Supper, He also washed His disciples’ feet. Jesus did for His disciples what would have been the job of the lowest ranking servant in any house. He made the point to His disciples that they all must be willing to serve one another, if they desire to be “great” in the kingdom of Heaven. When Jesus said, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you” (John 13:15), He was not instructing them to make the washing of feet a part of their worship, like the Lord’s Supper. Instead, He was calling upon His disciples to follow His example of selfless service (1 Peter 2:21).
Understanding the difference between practices that were customary and practices that were part of a regular pattern of divinely authorized religious exercise is essential!
“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us and example, that ye should follow his steps” – 1 Peter 2:21
Lies Men Have Told About The Bible
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What Does the Bible Say?
When it comes to religion, there is no shortage of opinions on the subject. In our community, there are dozens of denominations, each one teaching and practicing different things about salvation, worship and faithful living. Is every denomination right? How can they all come to different conclusions about what is written in the same Word of God? Is it God’s will that there be so much confusion in religion?
The Bible says that God "is not the author of confusion" (1 Corinthians 14:33), so the problem must lie with man. Much of the confusion in the modern religious world stems from a lack of understanding of how the Bible authorizes. If we are going to preach and practice with the authority of the Lord to back us up, then we must learn to ascertain Bible authority (Colossians 3:17). In the final analysis, it is what the Bible says that matters most of all, for it shall be the Word of the Lord that judges us, in the last day (John 12:48).
Content by Russell Kline
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How the Bible Authorizes – By Direct Statement
How The Bible Authorizes
By Direct Statement - By Approved Example - by Necessary Inference
By Direct Statement
At first glance, this may seem to be the simplest of all the ways in which the Bible authorizes. After all, if the Bible says that a thing is so, then it is so, right? Well, it must be acknowledged that not every direct, propositional statement in the Bible is binding upon us today.
One must take into consideration who made the direct statement in question. In John 9:34, Jewish authorities said that a man whom the Lord had healed was born in sin. Their statement may have been quite direct, but that does not mean it was accurate. Ezekiel 18:20 makes it clear that people are not born in sin, but are responsible only for the sins they commit in their lifetimes. Direct statements like those in John 9:34 cannot be used as evidence to teach what the Bible clearly denies.
In order for a direct statement to bear authority, it must come from one who possesses divine authority. In Matthew 17:5, God, the Father said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” This is a simple, declarative statement, which establishes that God wants us listen to what Jesus has to say. Since it came from the Father, Himself, there can be no doubt about the weight of its authority. In Mark 16:16, Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” This is a simple, declarative statement, which establishes that baptism is absolutely essential for the salvation of every soul. Since it came from the Lord, Himself, there can be no doubt about the weight of its authority.
Another source of divine authority is found in the words of those who were inspired by the Holy Spirit to speak and write. In declarative statements made by the apostles and by others who were under the influence of inspiration, we find that there is an abundance of Biblical authority. As the process is described in 2 Peter 1:21, “holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” That is why Peter’s declaration about baptism for the remission of sins in Acts 2:38, Philip’s declaration about the confession of faith in Christ in Acts 8:37 and Paul’s declaration about the need for all men to repent in Acts 17:30 are considered to be absolutely authoritative.
This is not an issue that is too complicated for us to understand. When it comes to ascertaining Bible authority, a little common sense goes a long way!
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved…” – Mark 16:16
Lies Men Have Told About The Bible
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What Does the Bible Say?
When it comes to religion, there is no shortage of opinions on the subject. In our community, there are dozens of denominations, each one teaching and practicing different things about salvation, worship and faithful living. Is every denomination right? How can they all come to different conclusions about what is written in the same Word of God? Is it God’s will that there be so much confusion in religion?
The Bible says that God "is not the author of confusion" (1 Corinthians 14:33), so the problem must lie with man. Much of the confusion in the modern religious world stems from a lack of understanding of how the Bible authorizes. If we are going to preach and practice with the authority of the Lord to back us up, then we must learn to ascertain Bible authority (Colossians 3:17). In the final analysis, it is what the Bible says that matters most of all, for it shall be the Word of the Lord that judges us, in the last day (John 12:48).
Content by Russell Kline
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Home: As God Designed It – Children
Home as God Designed It
Husbands and Fathers - Wives and Mothers - Children
Children: An Heritage of the Lord
There is no doubt that children are a special blessing in any family. For the first seven years of our marriage, my wife and I struggled with the painful frustration of childlessness. We knew all too well the feeling expressed by Rachel, when she said to Jacob, in her desperation, “Give me children or else I die” (Genesis 30:1). But, when we adopted our son, sadness immediately turned to joy and we have always felt like we have had a special appreciation for the sentiment in Psalm 127:3-5.
If there is a role for children to play in the home, it is to be obedient to their parents and to learn all that they can from them. Ephesians 6:1-3 says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” The concept of children being obedient to their parents is described in the text as inherently “right.” In the natural world, the young look to the old for guidance and for a proper example of how to behave successfully. Parents owe it to their children to set a good example and to guide them in following the way of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). Also, children are directly commanded to “honor” their parents, which goes to the concept of respect. Parents are owed respect from their children simply because they are the parents. A wise child learns to respect and appreciate his parents at an early age. If we take our parents for granted, we will find that they are gone from our lives much too soon.
In an almost instinctual way, children are prone to push their parents to the limits of their patience, but parents must not be faint of heart. It is only natural for children to test the boundaries of acceptable behavior and it is up to parents to keep those boundaries clear and consistent. Children must understand that most parents are not trying to ruin their lives, or take all the fun out of everything. Parents tend to want only what is best for their children. Kids would do well to keep this in mind.
“Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them”
– Psalm 127:3-5
Is God Part of Your Family?
Families everywhere are in crisis. The integrity of what was once considered an “average” family (husband/father with wife/mother and children all living together in one house) is under assault from numerous adversaries. Many have given up on the ideals of marriage and family life, in favor of modern sensibilities. But, we don’t have to settle for anything less than the Biblical model of what “home” is all about. If you want a truly Christian home, then the first thing you need to do is make God part of your family. This happens when families make God’s Word the central focus of their lives. When the Bible is read in the home, obeyed in the home, and reverenced in the home, then the home will be as God designed it. The problem with modern families is that they are not based on God’s design for the home. Let’s all dedicate ourselves to making God part of our families. Our lives will be better for having made the effort.
Content by Russell Kline
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Home: As God Designed It – Wives and Mothers
Home as God Designed It
Husbands and Fathers - Wives and Mothers - Children
Wives and Mothers
The woman’s role in the home, as wife and mother, is frequently maligned in our society, to the detriment of families everywhere. Many regard a woman’s life to be wasted, if she foregoes a career, in order to raise her children and attend to her family. While a woman has every right to pursue her ambitions and leave her proverbial mark on the world, it must be recognized that there is nothing wrong with a woman who wants to devote her life to being a wife and mother. Some may argue otherwise, but the woman’s role in the home is of paramount importance.
The Bible says that the woman is the “keeper” of the home (Titus 2:4-5). This denotes the idea of her making the home a safe haven from the world for her husband and children. In this way, she is her husband’s “helper” (Genesis 2:18-25). It is her responsibility to follow his Godly leadership and to support him, as he watches out for the best interests of the family. Also, she is responsible for keeping her family on the right spiritual path (2 Timothy 1:5). If her husband will not lead the family in the right direction, she must do so, herself (1 Peter 3:1-4).
The Bible does not say that Christian women have no choice about how they may live their lives. In the Bible, we read about Godly women who had careers (like Lydia; Acts 16:14,15). Also, we read about Godly women who devoted their lives to serving others (like Dorcas; Acts 9:36-41). The point is that a Christian woman can be whatever she wants, as long as she does not neglect her duties as wife and mother. When a woman chooses to get married and have children, she takes up a mantle of responsibility that she cannot put down. She must take her commitment seriously.
“Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” —Ephesians 5:33
Is God Part of Your Family?
Families everywhere are in crisis. The integrity of what was once considered an “average” family (husband/father with wife/mother and children all living together in one house) is under assault from numerous adversaries. Many have given up on the ideals of marriage and family life, in favor of modern sensibilities. But, we don’t have to settle for anything less than the Biblical model of what “home” is all about. If you want a truly Christian home, then the first thing you need to do is make God part of your family. This happens when families make God’s Word the central focus of their lives. When the Bible is read in the home, obeyed in the home, and reverenced in the home, then the home will be as God designed it. The problem with modern families is that they are not based on God’s design for the home. Let’s all dedicate ourselves to making God part of our families. Our lives will be better for having made the effort.
Content by Russell Kline
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Home as God Designed It: Husbands and Fathers
Home as God Designed It
Husbands and Fathers - Wives and Mothers - Children
Husbands and Fathers
The man’s role in the home, as husband and father, is frequently misunderstood in our society. God has ordained that men and women must fulfill specific roles and responsibilities, in order for the home to function properly. It seems that men struggle more than women with understanding and playing the roles that God has appointed for them, in every household.
In Ephesians 5:22-23, the Bible says, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.” The husband’s role as the “head” of the house is one that is the most misunderstood. It does not mean that he is a dictator in his home, or that his wife is bound to obey his every command. It does, however, mean that he is the spiritual head of his family, and that it is his God-given responsibility to make sure that everyone in his home is on their way to Heaven (Ephesians 6:4). Many husbands in our society are unconcerned about spiritual things and are certainly not leading their families in the pathway of righteousness. If a man wants his wife and children live Christian lives, he must lead them in doing so.
Furthermore, as “head” of the house, it is the man’s God-given responsibility to provide for the material needs of his family, as well as their spiritual needs. First Timothy 5:8 Second Thessalonians 3:10 make it plain that any man who is able to work and support his family, but refuses to do so, is failing to fulfill his duty toward them and toward the Lord. For many years people have bemoaned the sad condition of our society, in which fathers abandon their families and spend all their time and resources in selfish pursuits. This sort of behavior is intolerable in a Christian home.
In Ephesians 5:33, the Bible says, “Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” It is the wife’s duty to “submit to” and to “reverence” her husband. This means that she is to respect his judgment and be supportive in his guidance of the home. But, a husband who fails to lead his house in the right direction is not deserving of respect or support. A woman will respect a man who behaves as a man should, but she will not have respect for a man who is derelict in his spiritual and material responsibilities.
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;” – Ephesians 5:25
Is God Part of Your Family?
Families everywhere are in crisis. The integrity of what was once considered an “average” family (husband/father with wife/mother and children all living together in one house) is under assault from numerous adversaries. Many have given up on the ideals of marriage and family life, in favor of modern sensibilities. But, we don’t have to settle for anything less than the Biblical model of what “home” is all about. If you want a truly Christian home, then the first thing you need to do is make God part of your family. This happens when families make God’s Word the central focus of their lives. When the Bible is read in the home, obeyed in the home, and reverenced in the home, then the home will be as God designed it. The problem with modern families is that they are not based on God’s design for the home. Let’s all dedicate ourselves to making God part of our families. Our lives will be better for having made the effort.
Content by Russell Kline
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Galatia: Churches Besieged by the Old Law
Ancient Churches
Jerusalem - Corinth - Antioch - Philippi - Thessalonica - Ephesus - Rome - Laodicea - Galatia
Galatia: Churches Besieged by the Old Law
Galatia was a geopolitical region located in the central portion of what is today the country of Turkey. The apostle Paul is known to have visited Galatian cities like Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra on more than one occasion, where he experienced great success in the face of great opposition. According the narrative in the book of Acts, the Jews in Galatia vigorously opposed Paul’s activities there and there is little doubt that such opposition continued in his absence, as well.
In A.D. 57, while Paul was travelling through Macedonia on his third missionary journey, he wrote an epistle “unto the churches of Galatia” (Galatians 1:2). In it, he addressed them as his spiritual children (Galatians 4:19-20) and reminded them of how he brought the gospel to them (Galatians 1:8,11). He had begun to work among them while he was suffering from a physical affliction (Galatians 4:13), but his preaching was fiery and focused on the crucified Christ (Galatians 3:1). He confirmed his preaching with miracles performed in their midst (Galatians 3:5) and they received it with great enthusiasm (Galatians 4:12-15; 3:26-27). They were fiercely loyal to Paul (Galatians 4:14-15) and they willingly suffered persecution for their faith (Galatians 3:4).
After Paul had left them, false teachers came into their midst and tried to convince them to blend certain aspects of the Law of Moses with the Law of Christ. These teachers attacked Paul’s apostolic authority (Galatians 1:11 -2:14) and demanded that Gentile Christians be circumcised (Galatians 5:2,11; 6:11). They were on the verge of gaining the upper hand among the churches in Galatia (Galatians 1:9; 5:3; 4:16).
Paul was greatly disturbed by these developments (Galatians 3:1; 1:6). He feared that all his hard work among them would be laid waste (Galatians 4:11). He urged them to reject the false teachers and to hold fast to the teaching they had received from him (Galatians 1:7-9). He expressed his confidence in them, that they would do the right thing (Galatians 5:10). Still, today, we must stand opposed to false teaching.
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” – Galatians 1:6-9
Content by Russell Kline
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Laodicea: The Lukewarm Church
Ancient Churches
Jerusalem - Corinth - Antioch - Philippi - Thessalonica - Ephesus - Rome - Laodicea - Galatia
Laodicea: The Lukewarm Church
The origin of the church in Laodicea is obscure, to say the least. Some theorize that it was established while Paul was teaching in Ephesus and “all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:10). It is possible that Epaphras may have been instrumental in the origin of the church in Laodicea, as well as in Colossae and Hierapolis (Colossians 1:7; 4:12-13). The city, itself was a center of wealth, commerce, learning and religion for the Roman province of Asia. The church in Laodicea was quite prosperous, but as the book of Revelation reveals, it was not without its own problems.
Laodicea was one of seven churches to which the Lord directed a series of brief epistles in the second and third chapters of the Revelation. It has the dubious distinction of being the only one of the seven about which the Lord had nothing good to say. Chief among its problems was that it was “lukewarm” (Revelation 3:14- 17). The members of that church were not really on fire for Christ; neither were they spiritually cold and dead. They were simply going through the motions of religious life, just getting by. Some may say, “What’s wrong with that? At least they weren’t completely dead, spiritually.” But, the problem with the church in Laodicea is that being spiritually lukewarm is not enough. Christians must be zealous and “on fire” for Christ all the time (Galatians 4:18). If our zeal fails, and we end up just “going through the motions” of religious life, then we are no more pleasing to God than if we were stone cold dead in our spirits. Jesus advised them to “be zealous therefore, and repent” (Revelation 3:19). So should all who are spiritually lukewarm.
“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; these things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.” – Revelation 3:14-16
Content by Russell Kline
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Rome: the Imperial Church
Ancient Churches
Jerusalem - Corinth - Antioch - Philippi - Thessalonica - Ephesus - Rome - Laodicea - Galatia
Rome: the Imperial Church
David Lipscomb, in his commentary on the book of Romans, wrote that, “Nothing whatever is said in the Scripture concerning the origin of the church at Rome, and we have no means of knowing at what precise time the gospel first gained a footing there.” He, like many other commentators on the subject, theorized that the church in Rome had its origins in the “strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes” who were in attendance at Jerusalem on that famous Pentecost chronicled in the second chapter of the book of Acts. It is logical to assume that those who obeyed the gospel in Jerusalem on that day took it back home with them, when they returned to Rome some time later. A quote from the Roman historian Tacitus (page two) seems to support this theory. Also, evidence from within the book of Romans suggests that the church there had been established for quite a while before Paul wrote his epistle to them in A.D. 58 (Romans 1:13; 15:23).
When Paul did write his epistle “to all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints,” He indicated that the church there was of substantial size and vigorous industry (Romans 1:7). He commended them for their faith, which was “spoken of throughout the whole world” (Romans 1:8) and for their obedience, which was “come abroad unto all men” (Romans 16:19). He expressed a keen desire to come and visit his brethren in Rome, but he had been hindered from doing so on more than one occasion (Romans 1:13; 15:23). He would, however, have a chance to visit Rome, when he was arrested at Jerusalem and jailed in Caesarea, from whence he invoked his right to appeal his case directly before Caesar, in Rome. His journey to the imperial capital was a perilous one, but he successfully arrived there in the early A.D. 60s, according to the account in the latter chapters of the book of Acts.
The church in Rome was an important and influential congregation, in its time. It bore the brunt of every persecution imposed upon the churches of Christ by Roman authorities. There were numerous times when it had to operate in secret, for fear of annihilation. The book of Romans is a masterpiece of inspired literature. It deals with such important themes as grace, law, faith, works, sanctification and justification, just to name a few. Paul is the only apostle who is known to have visited Rome. Uninspired sources report that he was beheaded there in the late A.D. 60s. Rome was a focal point of world history and the history of the Lord’s church.
“The churches of Christ salute you.” – Romans 16:16
Content by Russell Kline
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Ephesus: the Church That Left Its First Love
Ancient Churches
Jerusalem - Corinth - Antioch - Philippi - Thessalonica - Ephesus - Rome - Laodicea - Galatia
Ephesus: The Church That Left Its First Love
During the return segment of his second missionary journey, the apostle Paul made a quick stop in the city of Ephesus (Acts 18:19). He preached in the synagogue there and his fellow Jews wanted him to stay longer, but he had to press on to Jerusalem (Acts 18:20-21). He left Aquilla and Priscilla in Ephesus, where they remained for a very long time, as they were instrumental in building the Lord’s church there. While Paul was away, Apollos came to Ephesus and Aquilla and Priscilla helped him to know the way of the Lord more perfectly and he was thus able to continue his travels to Corinth, where he proved to be a capable preacher (Acts 18:24-28).
On his third missionary journey, Paul returned to Ephesus, where he remained for a period of three years, the longest he ever stayed in any one place in his preaching career (Acts 19:1-12). From Ephesus, brethren who were personally taught by Paul ventured out into neighboring cities, until the whole province of Asia had heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. The work that Paul did there was some of his finest!
During the return segment of his third missionary journey, Paul stopped near Ephesus and had a meeting with the elders of that church (Acts 20:17-35). It was a sorrowful meeting, since Paul informed them that it would be the last time they would see his face (Acts 20:36-38). From his imprisonment, in Rome, Paul wrote a letter to the church in Ephesus, in which he expressed his great love for the brethren there and offered them some valuable instruction.
By the time of the Revelation, the church in Ephesus was still going strong, but they were showing some signs of weakness (Revelation 2:1-7). The Lord said that they had “left thy first love,” leading many to believe that they had been neglecting fundamental aspects of the faith. They were told to “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works.” Even a church like the mighty one in Ephesus can go astray.
“Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write, These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake has labored, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” – Revelation 2:1-4
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