Historical Posts
Does it Matter?
Truly, does it matter? It depends what it is!
Teddy Roosevelt is said to have told the following story about two men who were talking politics. One asked the other, ”Why are you a Republican?” The response came back, “Because my father was a Republican, and my grandfather before him.” “Well, that’s not a very good reason,” his companion retorted. “If your father had been a horse thief, and your grandfather had been a robber, what would that have made you?” “I guess I’d been a Democrat,” he replied.
You may find that story amusing, but, then again, if you are a Democrat, you may not. I’m not a political person, to party affiliation I can say, “does it matter?”. Come election time, I’m more concerned with a person’s principles than his party. But, I must admit, for many party affiliation is all that matters. Those who take their politics seriously would argue that there are real philosophical differences between the parties. To them, it does matter!
What kind of car do you drive? Do you own a Ford, Chrysler, or a General Motors product? To show you how strongly we feel, our family has one of each. But, I know folks who wouldn’t own anything but Fords. Others favor Chryslers. Still others drive only General Motors automobiles. Some will only own imports. To them, it does matter!
What’s your favorite soft drink? Is it Coke? Pepsi? The Un-Cola? Or, are you a Pepper? People have preferences. To them, it does matter!
If you haven’t gotten the point yet, people have strong feelings about a lot of things. Yet, when asked about religion, they will often respond, “I don’t think it matters what church you belong to. After all, one is as good as another!” The car you drive, the soft drink you prefer, the party you identify with matters. But to religion many people just say, “does it matter?” The truth is, nothing matters more.
Those who say it doesn’t matter have never read the Bible. When it comes to Christianity there is Christ’s church, and then there are all the impostors. Come Judgment Day, the only thing that will matter is whether or not we were members of His church. Does it matter? It matters!
In the New Testament there is only one church (Ephesians 4:4; Colossians 1:18). All of the saved are added to it (Acts 2:47). Heaven is the destiny of the church (John 14:1-3). It does matter.
Join the party you like. Drive the car you prefer. Drink the soda you enjoy most. But, when it comes to the church, make it the church of Christ’s choice, not yours. It does matter!
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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Illusion of Control – audio
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I have come to believe that we really have no control of the things in this life.
Why do I say that? Let us start by looking at James 4:13-15.
“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit, yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.“
Things just get away from us.
Time slips away in the short term.
- We had our Gospel Meeting
- Then I was tired
- Then it rained
Now it has been over two weeks since I mowed the lawn or looked in the garden – where did the time go?
Time slips away in longer periods.
Kim asked me last night if I had heard about someone we knew in college having a heart attack. When did people our age start having heart attacks?
Now we are working on estate planning and I recently attended a seminar on Social Security. I told Kim she has eight years before she needs to take a look at taking Social Security.
Wow, the plans we had in college are long gone and life has just happened.
Time gets away from all of us, so what should we do?
We need to take care of the important things first.
Let’s look at Matthew 6:31-33 to see what these are.
“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Have you taken care of the important things of eternal life? Or have you let the “eating”, the “drinking” and the “wearing” get in the way?
Decide right now to be right with God.
I emphasize the now.
We could go one by one, our mist evaporating in the sun, as we read in James at the beginning.
We go all at once, without warning.
Jesus was asked a question about his coming again in Matthew 24:3 “…What will be the sign of your coming and the close of the age?”
He answered in Matthew 24:36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”
Take care of the salvation of your eternal soul.
Remove your sin from between you and God and reconcile with Him.
(See Plan of Salvation)
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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Decision Tree – Begin
Decision Tree
A decision tree can help you visualize where the choice you make in like can lead. Don’t just drift and arrive at a destination you would not have chosen.
As we go through life, we face many decisions.
- Some decisions are inconsequential. – What will I eat today? – What will I wear to work?
- Other decisions are life changing. – What kind of work will I do? – Who will I marry?
- A few decisions change more than just the life we live here on this earth. These are the decisions we need to consider right now.
Do you think about the consequences of your decisions?
Are you willing to start from the beginning and look at these critical decisions together? Will you accept the implications of your answers?
Perhaps you can use this process to see consequences before they happen and change your answers.
If you are willing to spend some time in honest consideration, let’s start at the beginning… If not, that is your decision; we all have free will, but it could lead to a consequence you would rather avoid.
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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Live Fast or Slow – audio
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Are you a planner? Do you look ahead at goals, and strive to find a way to achieve them? Do you lay out a plan and stick to it, perhaps for a very long time? On the other hand, do you just live for today? Are you only concerned with what you can get out of this very moment? Well, both perspectives have some Biblical insight.James 4:13-15: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy, and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’”
In one sense, we do need to be concerned with the here and now. We are not guaranteed a tomorrow; things can happen in the blink of an eye. Job learned this very well: all of a sudden his health diminished, his family and livestock were taken away, and his friends turned against him. He lamented, “Oh, remember that my life is a breath! My eye will never again see good (Job 7:7).” On the other hand, today can be a good day! The Psalmist wrote, “This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24).”
Isaiah 40:31: “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah knows the importance of patience, and allowing God to work in His way and in His time.
By following God’s plan, we can become the kind of people He would have us to be, and can become stronger to do His will. This takes time! It took time for a King to come and rule over Israel; it took time for Saul of Tarsus to see the light; it took time for members of the Lord’s church to qualify for certain offices (elder, deacon, etc.).
Since our lives are so short as James describes, we need to take care of our souls now! We may not get another opportunity! Once we are in the right relationship with God, we must plan to be His people.
It takes time studying His Word and adjusting our lives to follow Christ’s example. Everything will work out for good, though (Romans 8:28). Remember the words of Jesus: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble (Matthew 6:33-34).”
Become a child of God now; God will take care of you now and later on, for eternity.
Content by Richard Dillon
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Christian or Curious
About 32% of the people in the world call themselves Christians, which is about 2.2 billion. I have no idea how many of those truly walk with Christ – God does, of course – but it seems that if there were more than 2 billion dedicated Christ-followers in the world, some of our problems wouldn’t exist.
Right?
What’s the issue?
Part of the answer is obvious – there’s a difference between what we call ourselves and what we actually are.
There’s a difference between checking a box on a questionnaire and living out the implications of faith.
Perhaps you’ve heard this distinction before: some people know about Christ, and some people know Christ.
Which group are you in?
Notice Paul’s emphasis here: “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death” (Philippians 3:7-10).
That I may know him.
That’s what it means to be a Christian, and I believe that’s what so often frustrated Jesus.
Often in his ministry the crowds around him swelled. He would perform a miracle – feed a hungry crowd, heal a blind man, raise someone from the dead – and the numbers would go up.
They were curious, intrigued, often amazed.
But not committed.
Inevitably he would stop and face them and say something like this: “If you’re not willing to die with me… if you’re not willing to commit everything to me, you can’t follow me.”
There’s a difference between being in the “Jesus crowd” and being a Jesus-follower.
So again: why the disconnect between the hundreds of millions in the world who claim Christ and all of the sinful stuff that’s going on?
It’s obvious that some of the 32% don’t really know Christ.
But as always, our concern is a little closer to home.
Do you know him? Are you following him or just interested in him?
Does he just intrigue you or does He lead you?
There’s a huge difference.
Content by Donald W. Treadway
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Decision Tree – Take Action
(Did you jump into the middle of this? Please start at the beginning of the decision tree.)
Right now you are still just sitting in front of a computer screen. The guilt of your past sin will remain until you actually take action and are immersed in water for the forgiveness of your sins.
Start that action now by contacting us:
Phone
614-500-7757Richard Dillon 614-769-4334
Don Treadway 614-738-5016
Richard@GJCOC.us
Don@GJCOC.us
Street Address
7816 Havens RoadBlacklick, Ohio 43004
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 307408Gahanna, Ohio 43230
Proceed after taking action!
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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Decision Tree – Reject God’s Word
(Did you jump into the middle of this? Please start at the beginning of the decision tree.)
Your sin continues to separate you from God. You have heard God’s Word, but rejected His instruction. There is nothing else that can save you. Perhaps you will have time to reconsider, but that is really not in your hands.
Perhaps you will continue to live, but perhaps not.
It is not really in your hands (James 4:14, Hebrews 9:27), but select a path and see what comes next.
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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Decision Tree – Reject God’s Word
(Did you jump into the middle of this? Please start at the beginning of the decision tree.)
Your sin continues to separate you from God. You have heard God’s Word, but reject His instruction. There is nothing else that can save you. Only hearing God’s Word can lead to you believing (Romans 10:17). Your only hope is to go back and make different decisions.
Perhaps you will have time to reconsider, but that is really not in your hands.
Perhaps you will continue to live, but perhaps not.
It is not really in your hands (James 4:14, Hebrews 9:27), but select a path and see what comes next.
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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Decision Tree – Give Up
(Did you jump into the middle of this? Please start at the beginning of the decision tree.)
You are now fallen away from Christ and in a worse state than before you had heard God’s Word (2 Peter 2:20-21; Hebrews 12:25). By rejecting Him at this point, there is nothing else that can save you. You already know that only He can save you.
You are Lost Again! What will you do?
More on giving up:
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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Decision Tree – Reject God’s Word
(Did you jump into the middle of this? Please start at the beginning of the decision tree.)
Refusing to be baptized is really an indication that you don’t truly believe. If you really believe that God is your creator, and wants what is best for you, why would you reject His instruction? Your sin continues to separate you from God. You have heard God’s Word, but rejected His instruction. There is nothing else that can save you. Perhaps you will have time to reconsider and be immersed for the forgiveness of your sin, but that is really not in your hands.
Perhaps you will continue to live, but perhaps not.
It is not really in your hands (James 4:14, Hebrews 9:27), but select a path and see what comes next.
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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Decision Tree – Truly Believe
(Did you jump into the middle of this? Please start at the beginning of the decision tree.)
Refusing to repent is really an indication that you don’t truly believe. If you really believe that God is your creator and wants what is best for you, why would you reject His instruction to be baptized? Remember, just having an intellectual “belief” will do you no good. Your sin continues to separate you from God and you need a belief that will lead to action to take your sin out of the way.
James 2:17-24 expounds on how works complete faith, resulting in true belief. James 2:26 sums it up this way, “or as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also“.
Now, be honest and decide if you believe what in God says.
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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Decision Tree – Truly Believe
(Did you jump into the middle of this? Please start at the beginning of the decision tree.)
Just having an intellectual “belief” will do you no good.
Your sin continues to separate you from God and you need a belief that will lead to action to take your sin out of the way.
James 2:17-24 expounds on how works complete faith, resulting in true belief. James 2:26 sums it up this way, “or as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also“.
Now, be honest and decide if you believe in God and believe His Word.
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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Decision Tree – Closing Comments
(Did you jump into the middle of this? Please start at the beginning of the decision tree.)
I admit it, I think like a programmer.
When the Gospel was presented to me, and I set aside my preconceived notions and was open to seeing how everything presented in the Bible fits together, it was perfectly logical. The testimony of the complexity of the world lead me to decide that creation was more reasonable than evolution (which never explains where matter comes from). So if creation is true, who is the creator? The Bible explains who that creator is and what he wants for us and from us.
A Logical Decision (an abbreviated view)
if You Exist then
| Life (conception, birth, childhood)
| if Life then
| | Adulthood
| | if Adulthood then
| | | Seek God (His way…)
| | else
| | | No Hope
| | end-if
| else
| end-if
else
| You Never Existed (but you do, take the other path)
end-if.
He gave us free will, and wants us to decide to come to him (1 Timothy 2:4-6).
He presents a path for us to follow to do so, but there is only one set of decisions that lead to Him. He will guide us along the way if we will accept His guidance and follow His path. I encourage you to start where you are today and make reasonable, logical decisions.
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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Decision Tree – Hell
(Did you jump into the middle of this? Please start at the beginning of the decision tree.)
You are permanently separated from God by your sin
You will be spending eternity in this place with these people.
(Some people don’t believe that hell exists, but God’s Word teaches that it does – 2 Peter Chapter 2)
A Description
- Hellfire – Matthew 18:9, 5:22.
- Outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth – Matthew 8:12, 22:13, 25:30.
- No rest day nor night – Revelation 14:11.
- Everlasting fire – Matthew 25:41.
- Everlasting punishment – Matthew 25:46.
- Everlasting destruction – II Thessalonians 1:6-10.
- Where the worm dieth not – Mark 9:42-50.
- Lake of fire burning with brimstone – Revelation 19:20.
- Place of torment – Revelation 20:10.
- The second death – Luke 16:22-24, Revelation 20:14.
- Where both the body and soul are destroyed – Matthew 10:28.
Who Will Be There
- The Devil and his angels – Matthew 25:41.
- Angels that have sinned – II Peter 2:4.
- Those who do not obey Him – Romans 2:8-9, II Thessalonians 1:6-10.
- The ungodly and the sinner – I Peter 4:17-18.
- All liars, among others – Revelation 21:8.
- Christians who have returned to sin – II Peter 2:20-22.
- The unrighteous – I Corinthians 6:9-10.
- Sodom and Gomorrha – Jude 1:7.
- Those not written in the book of life – Revelation 20:15.
- Sorcerers, whoremongers, murderers, idolaters, whosoever loveth and maketh a lie – Revelation 22:15.
All your decisions have already been made.
You may regret them, but there is now no way to change them. You can only change your mind and your actions while you are alive.
This is your eternal damnation resulting from your rejection, while you were living, of the salvation offered by God through the sacrifice of his only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ – John 12:44-50, Revelation 14:11.
(In reality, you are not here yet. You can still avoid this end! Will you go back and make some different decisions?)
(Also see: Hell is Everlasting Punishment and Hell.)
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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Decision Tree – Heaven
(Did you jump into the middle of this? Please start at the beginning of the decision tree.)
This is really the best consequence and what God desires for you. He wants all of mankind to come to Him. – 2 Peter 3:9
There are no more decisions to make.
This is your eternal home where you have eternal life – Revelation 22:14.
Think on the things these things.
Descriptions of Heaven.
- My Father’s house – John 14:1-6
- God has built the foundations – Hebrews 11:10
- City of the living God – Hebrews 12:22.
- A place that God has prepared – 1 Corinthians 2:9
- A better country – Hebrews 11:16
- No tears, death, sorrow or pain – Revelation 21:4
- A rest to the people of God – Hebrews 4:9-11, Revelation 14:13
- The Glory of God lights it, no need for the sun – Revelation 21:23-25
- Pure and undefiled – Revelation 21:26-27
- The throne of God is there – Revelation 22:3
Who Will Be There With You in God’s Presence.
- Those who have become as little children – Matthew 18:3
- Those who do the will of the Father – Matthew 7:21, Hebrews 10:35-39
- The righteous – Matthew 25:46, 2 Peter 3:13
- Nations of them which are saved – Revelation 21:24
- Those who have gotten the victory over the beast – Revelation 15:2
- Those who have been born again – 2 Peter 1:3-9
- They which are written in the Lamb’s book of life – Revelation 21:27
Rejoice in the decisions you have made.
(Ok, you have not yet arrived, but this is where you want to be and the company you want to keep. Keep making decisions that will bring you here, so that it will become your reality)
See my closing comments on this decision tree.
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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Decision Tree – Judgment in a Safe Condition
(Did you jump into the middle of this? Please start at the beginning of the decision tree.)
You arrived here because you died before reaching an age of accountability (see Adulthood).
Your body is dead, but your spirit is alive!
See how Jesus looks upon a child in Matthew 18:2-5. Because you died physically without knowing sin, you are pure and acceptable before God.
Now the decision is God’s, not yours.
When you face the judgement (Hebrews 9:27), you are pure and acceptable before God. He has only one answer:
- Heaven
It is comforting to know that children who have not had an opportunity to live a full life on earth die with the best result. However, you are still living and this does not apply to you. You are, after all, reading this and thinking about it.
Go back, make your decisions and face the consequences.
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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Decision Tree – Adulthood
(Did you jump into the middle of this? Please start at the beginning of the decision tree.)
What does it mean to be grown up?
For our purposes in this discussion, we will consider it to be an age where one is mentally developed enough to understand the meaning of sin. Some might call it an age of accountability. Physically and socially one may not have reached “adulthood”; but once there is an understanding of the concept of sin, there is an accountability for that sin, a responsibility for it.
Welcome to being grown up.
Spiritually, temptation has presented itself and you have failed to resist. sinning against God. We all do at some point. Now you are in a state where your sin has separated you from God and you are spiritually dead. Consider the following.
God has no sin
“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” – 1 John 1:5
We do have sin
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” – Romans 3:23
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” – 1 John 1:8
“If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” – 1 John 1:10
Therefore, our sin stands between us and God.
We can’t bring our sin into God’s presence. – 1 John 1:5
We have created a gulf, or separation, between us and God. – Isaiah 59:2
Knowing there is a God and you have separated yourself from Him…
What will you do (we will face this decision, day in and day out, all our lives)?
- Accept that there is a God, a creator, and search for Him.
- Reject the evidence and testimony of God, deny your sin, and live a self oriented life.
More about sin:
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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Decision Tree – Reject God’s Word and God Himself
(Did you jump into the middle of this? Please start at the beginning of the decision tree.)
You may still be alive on this earth, but spiritually, your sin continues to separate you from God.
Satan is rejoicing because you are his. Meanwhile, God is patiently waiting for you to turn to him, but he will not wait forever.
- “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (2 Peter 3:9-10)
- “Say unto them, 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)
- “And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.” (Isaiah 30:18)
Perhaps you will continue to live, but perhaps not.
It is not really in your hands (James 4:14, Hebrews 9:27), but select a path and see what comes next.
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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Decision Tree – Conception, Baby, Childhood
(Did you jump into the middle of this? Please start at the beginning of the decision tree.)
Physically, you started life in the womb at conception. You survived the most dangerous threat at that age, abortion. You were born and grew into childhood.
Spiritually, a baby or child is innocent. They are unable to know what God expects, so can’t disobey. Romans 7:7-9 gives us insight as to why a baby or child is without sin.
What happens next? How will you leave childhood?
(True, the options here are not really your decision, but one of these two things will happen.)
- Die while still a baby or child.
(since you are reading and understanding this, you are already beyond this option.) - Grow up.
Staying a child is not an option – 1 Corinthians 13:11
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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Decision Tree – Judgment in a Saved Condition
(Did you jump into the middle of this? Please start at the beginning of the decision tree.)
Your physical life is over and you now face the benefit of the decisions you made while you were alive. You are spiritually alive before God. You have:
- Lived your life believing in Jesus. Eternal life is the result (John 3:15-17).
- Searched the scriptures and found eternal life (John 5:39)
- Gone to the Word of God to find eternal life (John 6:68)
- Been willing to lose your life for Christ, and found it (John 12:25-26)
- Believed the things that were written and lead to life (John 20:30-31)
- Confessed Christ before men, now he will confess you before His Father (Luke 12:8).
All Decisions are Now in God’s Hands
Content by Zachary Van Tassel
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