Our Influence in the Parking Lot of Life

Have you ever driven around a parking lot looking for a place to park your car, only to find that the one spot available has another vehicle crowding it, in being parked over the line? That happens to me every time, it seems! It is just an annoying fact of living in this crowded world of ours. It is very easy to get annoyed and take it out on the person who “overparked”, isn’t it? I once took a piece of paper and wrote an angry note on it and stuck it under such a person’s windshield wiper. Of course, after I walked down the aisle of parking spots I began to feel bad about the note, after noticing that the five cars parked to his left had also “overparked”. I went back and removed the note from his windshield and was tempted to put it in the windshield of the first “overparked” car, but thought better of it. What had happened, of course, was that the first car parked too far to his right – causing the next car to do the same, and the next car, and the next car – all the way down to me. I am sure that the person who was already parked to my right was annoyed when he came back because my car was “overparked” and now crowding him.

What lesson can we learn from this about the influence we have on others? With regard to our personal influence, it is easy to see from this illustration that our actions cause others to have a reaction. You have heard the statement, “No man is an island.” What does that mean? It is a metaphor. You have two islands in the midst of the sea, there is no contact between them, and so what happens on one island has little or no effect on the other. With regard to man’s relationship to his fellow man, everything we do has an effect upon our environment and upon others. The Bible affirms this same principle, “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.” (Romans 14:7 NKJV). The context here deals with violating the conscience of one who is weaker in the faith by eating meat in their presence. To many Christians in Rome and also Corinth, the eating of meat that had previously been offered to idols and later sold in the common marketplace was too closely connected with idolatry for their conscience. Paul was concerned that eating in the presence of those who so conscientiously objected was the same as, “to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way.” (Romans 14:13 NKJV). God calls such as a violation of the law of love, “Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.” (Romans 14:15 NKJV).

We must never forget how we can negatively influence others, even when we have the best of intentions in mind. This can be seen even in our “parking lot” illustration; perhaps the first “overparker” had intended to give the person in the handicap parking spot next to him a little extra room to get in and out of their vehicle. It could be the case that his best of intentions toward the handicapped person negatively affected the next six or seven vehicles in the row.

We must be careful and sensitive toward others; but also we must not let these things keep us from doing what is right. That is where “political correctness” has harmed our society, because in order to soothe the sensibilities of the few, we done harm to the many. Such as the “politically correct” view that we must go out of our way to not violate the rights or conscience of atheists or people of “non-Christian” religions, but in doing so we violate the rights or conscience of those in “Christian” religions. Therefore we must always strive to strike a balance between doing what is right and negatively influencing other by doing what is wrong. Paul also said, “Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil...” (Romans 14:16 NKJV).

In our illustration, why was I angry with the owner of the “overparked” vehicle next to me? I think it was do to a lack of communication. I did not know why he took up part of my parking spot so I just assumed he was a rude or careless individual. When the reason why he was “overparked” was “communicated” to me (i.e. I noticed the other “overparked” cars) I understood where he was coming from and was no longer annoyed with him. Likewise, when we do something, which causes our brother or sister in Christ to stumble, there needs to be some line of communication between us and the one we have “offended.” Jesus taught, “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother...” (Matthew 18:15). Here He is talking about actual sin, but the same application is valid with regard to other transgressions or perceived transgressions. Communication is vital in our natural families – between husbands and wives, parents and children. Communication is also vitally important between member of our church family. Communication makes peace between brethren; it heals rifts between elders, deacons or preachers and the congregations they serve. We must strive to, in all things, demonstrate our love for each other by effectively communicating with one another. The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to say, “Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.” (Romans 14:19 NKJV) Communication and consideration of others will go along way toward this end.

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God’s Justice, Mercy & Grace

“Gracious is Jehovah, and righteous; Yea, our God is merciful. Jehovah preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he saved me.” (Psalm 116:5-6)

If we are to truly understand and appreciate the concept of God’s grace, there are two other related concepts that we must also understand. God’s Justice (judgment) and God’s Mercy. Just as we cannot truly appreciate the sunlight, until we have experienced total darkness, we cannot appreciate God’s grace, without knowing of His Absolute Righteous Justice and Judgment.

God is Just

“For I will proclaim the name of Jehovah: Ascribe ye greatness unto our God. The Rock, his work is perfect; For all his ways are justice: A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, Just and right is he.” (Deuteronomy 32:3-4). “For I will proclaim the name of Jehovah: Ascribe ye greatness unto our God. The Rock, his work is perfect; For all his ways are justice: A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, Just and right is he.” (Psalm 89:14). What is Justice? Webster’s definition of justice, “The maintenance or administration of what is just (“the state of being in conformity with what is morally upright or good – righteousness”) especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments” Simple Definition – a person gets the recompense they deserve. Guilty of a crime – “do the time.” When one is convicted of capital murder, the judge sentences him to death and he is executed. Justice is served.

What is God’s Justice? An example of the exercise of God’s Justice is found in Nehemiah 9:33-35,

“Howbeit thou art just in all that is come upon us; for thou hast dealt truly, but we have done wickedly; neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies wherewith thou didst testify against them. For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.”

What does God’s Justice demand? “For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). Under the Old Testament, the price of sin was death. However, because God is merciful, a substitutionary sacrifice was allowed. “And according to the law, I may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.” (Hebrews 9:22). Who is under this condemnation? Everyone. “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10-12) “For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). Why then, are we not struck dead the moment that we commit sin? Because...

God is Merciful

“Jehovah thy God is a merciful God; he will not fail thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.” (Deuteronomy 4:32). “The mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children...” (Psalm 103:17). What is mercy? Webster’s Dictionary, “compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power; lenient or compassionate treatment.” Simple Definition – a person does not get the recompense he deserves. One is convicted of capital murder, the judge sentences him to death but the governor grants clemency and the sentence is reduced to life in prison. What is God’s Mercy? An example is found in Matthew 18:23-27,

“Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt...”

God’s mercy, in general, is demonstrated first in His creation of all things. (Genesis 1:27-3). And by His providence toward all mankind, “For he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”(Matthew 5:4-5) and His long-suffering, “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...” (2 Peter 3:9).

God’s mercy toward this believer is further and more abundantly demonstrated in the sacrifice of His only begotten Son on the cross, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot...” (1 Peter 1:18-19). God’s Justice demands the death of the sinner but God’s mercy allowed for the atonement sacrifice of Jesus to take our place – Romans 5:6-10,

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life...”

God’s mercy toward mankind transcends the simple granting of clemency. We can never truly know the depths of God’s love, but perhaps we can understand just how deep it truly is, as we study about...

God’s Grace

What is Grace? Webster’s defines it as, “Favor; good will; kindness; disposition to oblige another; as a grant made as an act of grace.” Simple Definition – a person receives that which is undeserved. One is convicted of capital murder, justly deserves death, the judge sentences him to death, but the governor pardons him and the prisoner goes free. What is God’s Grace? Unearned, unmerited favor and good will of God extended to all men who will accept the gift. (The terms grace and salvation are inseparable in the New Testament). "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9). God’s grace is clearly seen in Ephesians 2:1-6,

“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus...”

Grace comes from God through Jesus Christ. God manifested His grace in the gift of Christ. "That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:7). "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1:17) "I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;" (1 Corinthians 1:4).

God’s grace is what makes salvation possible. "But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they." (Acts 15:11) "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:" (Romans 3:24) “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men...”(Titus 2:11).

How are we saved by grace? By a plan that can be taught. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;” (Titus 2:11-12). By the blood of Jesus. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” (Ephesians 1:7). His blood that was shed for all. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man”(Hebrews 2:9).

However, not all will be saved. “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.” (Matthew 7:13-14). Hence, man must do something to reach the blood.

We are saved by grace through faith, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). Faith saves when faith obeys. By faith, the walls of Jericho came tumbling down, but not until the people obeyed. “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.” (Hebrews 11:30).

Salvation is “Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesiasn 2:9). Man cannot save himself by his own works, but he must work according to God’s plan to be saved. “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12). “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.... For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”(James 2:24, 26).

Noah was saved by grace, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” (Genesis 6:8). Noah was also saved by faith, “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear...” (Hebrews 11:7a). Noah was saved by grace, faith and by obedience. “Noah ...prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith...” (Hebrews 11:7b).

This is the way God’s grace saves today. A good illustration that has often been used to describe the Biblical view of God’s grace goes like this, “Imagine that a car dealer sends you a flier in the mail that reads, ‘Our free gift to you – A New Car! You must be a licensed driver over the age of 18 and come to the dealership on Monday, March 26, 2007 before 9:00 a.m. to claim your free car.’ There is something that you must do in order to receive your free car – you must drive to the dealership on the morning of March 25th before 9:00 a.m.! It’s still a free car, even though I had to do something to claim it!”

God’s grace is extended to all. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men...”(Titus 2:11). Yes, the grace that bringeth salvation is the free gift of God, but we still have to do something to claim that free gift – we must reach out for it. He’s holding it out to us, desperately wanting us to receive it from Him. He wants us to reach out to Him and take the gift He has offered.

We receive that most precious of all gifts when we obey His Son Jesus the Christ. “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.”(Hebrews 5:9) When we believe the gospel. “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” (John 6:29); confess Christ, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33); Repent of our sins, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”(Acts 3:19); and are baptized into Christ, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27).

When the Book of Acts opens, in Chapter 1, we find the eleven remaining apostles waiting in Jerusalem until they would receive power from Holy Spirit. They were gathered together in an upper room with about 120 of the disciples, including the mother and brethren of Jesus. In Acts 1:15-16, Peter said, “Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.” He then goes on in verse 20, “For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.” Here he quoted two passages from the Book of Psalms – Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8.

From Peter’s statement in Acts 1:16 we learn a very important lesson from the Bible on Inspiration.

Inspiration is the means by which God has communicated to man from the beginning until the time when “that which is perfect” has come (1 Cor. 13:10). That is, until the complete revealed Word of God has come. “Inspired of God” literally means “God-breathed.” God “breathed” the very words of the Scriptures. This is known as verbal, plenary inspiration – every single word of Scripture is God-breathed. God still speaks to us today – yet only through His Inspired Word.

Let us note three things from Peter’s statement in Acts 1:16:

First, note the Ultimate Source of the Scriptures. “...which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake...” We see that the God speaking through the Holy Spirit is the source of scripture. Just as Peter would later say, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:21). “All scripture is given by inspiration of God...” (2 Timothy 3:16)

Second, note the Medium[1] Employed “...which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake...” (David was not only king of Israel – he was a prophet of God, the inspired author of many Psalms.) God has employed, throughout the ages, medium get His Message to mankind. “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets...” (Hebrews 1:1) This teaches us that God “spake in times past ...by the prophets...” That is, “in the prophets themselves as the vessels of divine inspiration. God spake in them and from them.” [2] Notice 2 Samuel 23:2 “The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue...” and Jeremiah 1:9 “Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth....”

Third, note the Final Result of the process of Inspiration – Scripture. “This scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake...” Scripture is the revealed Word of God in written form. The word “scripture” comes from the Greek word “graphein,” which means, “that which is written.” The Scriptures are the Words of God. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). May we all follow the example of the Noble Bereans who, “searched the scriptures daily...” (Acts 17:11) – and read God’s Word every day.

[1] Webster’s Dictionary, “The means or instrument by which any thing is accomplished, conveyed or carried on.”
[2] Vincent’s Word Studies

The Greatest “Valentine’s”

Wednesday, February 14th, is “Valentine’s Day.” It is a day in which we like to express our love for our “sweethearts.” On that day, we will give and receive Valentine’s cards, eat chocolate and quote love poetry to one another, “My love is like a red, red, rose that’s newly sprung in June...” We give gifts of roses, chocolate and Teddy bears to the ones we love the most and we receive their gifts of love in return. It truly is the most romantic day of the year.

Yet the “Valentine’s” that we give to one another pale in comparison to that greatest expression of love, given by the Creator Himself. That greatest of “Valentine’s” came in the form of Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17) It also teaches that Jesus was that perfect gift – given out of the motive of purest love. “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10)

The gospel message is essentially a message of love. It is a message of the Creator’s love for His creation.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him...” (1 John 4:9)

It is true that the gospel is a “love letter” to man from God. However, the gospel is NOT just a letter that proclaims the love of God and demands nothing in return – as some are teaching today. The gospel reveals God’s love toward us, yet it also demands that we love God in return.

The Bible clearly teaches that God loves all men and wants all to be saved. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men...” (Titus 2:11); “...Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth...” (1 Timothy 2:4). However, the gospel of Christ also reveals that the “saved” are the ones who truly love God – those who truly love God are those who keep His commandments.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments...” (John 14:15)

“But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him....” (1 John 2:5)

“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous...” (1 John 5:2-3)

All men are loved by their Creator. It was because of His great love that He sent us the Greatest of Gifts. If we, the created, truly want to demonstrate our love and appreciation toward Him for what He has done then all we must do is humbly obey His Word. If we do that, we will abide in the love of God. “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love...” (John 15:10)

The Noble Bereans

In the seventeenth chapter of the book of Acts, we read of the apostle Paul’s work in the Grecian city of Thessalonica. As was Paul’s usual pattern upon arriving in a Gentile city, he went first to the Jewish synagogue and attempted to teach the gospel to the Jews. There he “reasoned with them (the Jews) out of the scriptures... (the Jewish scriptures) Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ...” (Acts 17:2-3). Paul was unable to convert many Jews there because of a certain element, within the synagogue, that refused to hear and understand the gospel and subsequently stirred up trouble causing Paul to flee that city.

Next we read how Paul went to Berea, some fifty miles to the southwest of Thessalonica, and entered the synagogue there (verse 10). Unlike Thessalonica, here he found a ready audience, one that was willing to listen and was open to the gospel. Why were the Bereans more open to the Gospel than the Thessalonians? The Bible says, “These 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).

Luke records, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that the Bereans were more noble. The word “noble” here literally refers to those who were of the highest social order – the nobility. However, in Acts 17:11 it is used figuratively. They had a noble character, an open and ready mindset. They were like the “good ground” in Jesus’ “Parable of the Soils” in Luke 8:4-15. Verse 15 of that passage says, “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” Their hearts were honest and good. Therefore, they received the Word with readiness of mind. That they “received” the gospel meant they listened to it. That they received it with “readiness of mind” meant that they were willing, even eager to accept it. They were open enough to the gospel that they would, at the very least, withhold judgment on it until they could give it a careful and thorough examination.

How did they go about examining it? They SEARCHED THE SCRIPTURES to see if Paul’s teachings were correct. Jesus challenged certain men to “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39). Paul had been preaching the Gospel from the Old Testament scriptures. The Bereans studied the scriptures every day to verify he was teaching the TRUTH even as the Law of Moses demanded in Deuteronomy 18:22. The result of this noble searching of the scriptures was that “many of them (the Jews) believed...” (Acts.17:12). (Compare this with Acts 17:4 “some (few) of them believed...”).

What is the application for us today? We should all be like the Bereans in at least two ways. One, let us each have a “noble” mind; one that is willing to heed the Gospel and to change our lives to conform with it’s teaching. Two, let us like the Bereans, search the scriptures daily! (2 Timothy 2:15). In doing so, we will not be fooled by those who come preaching a perverted gospel (Galatians 1:6-7). I challenge you therefore, like the apostle John said in 1 John 4:1 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” In other words, any time some one claims to preach the gospel, do not listen to his words unless they can be supported by God’s All Authoritative Word with a “thus saith the Lord!”

Characteristics of the Ideal Christian

Characteristics for Elders

1. Rules own house. 1Tim .3:4
2. Children in subjection. 1 Tim. 3:4
3. Having faithful children. Titus 1:6
4. Husband of one wife. Titus 1:6
5. Not self-willed. Titus 1:7
6. Patient. 1 Tim. 3:6
7. Self-controlled. Titus 1:8
8. Gentle. 1 Tim.3:6
9. Not a novice. 1 Tim.3:6
10. Just. Titus 1:8
11. Vigilant. 1 Tim.3:2
12. Apt to teach. 1 Tim. 3:2
13. Holding faithful words. Titus 1:9
14. Sober. Titus 1:8
15. Blameless.1 Tim. 3:2
16. No brawler. 1 Tim. 3:2
17. Not soon angry. Titus 1:7
18. Sober-minded. Titus 1:8
19. Without reproach. 1 Tim. 3:2
20. No striker. 1 Tim. 3:3
21. Given to hospitality. Titus 1:8
22. Lover of that which is good. Titus 1:8
23. No lover of money. 1 Tim. 3:3
24. Not given to wine. Titus 1:7
25. Willing. 1 Pet. 5:2
26. Not for prominence. 1 Pet. 5:2-3
27. Must have been proven. Titus 3:10

Characteristics for ALL Christians:

1. Husband head of wife. Eph. 5:22
2. Children obedient to parents. Col. 3:20
3. Rear children in nurture of the Lord. Eph. 6:4
4. Have own spouse. 1 Cor. 7:2
5. Submit to others. Eph. 5:21
6. “Be ye also patient…” Jas. 5:8
7. Mortify the flesh. Col. 3:5
8. Tender-hearted. Eph. 4:32
9. “Grow” – 2 Pet. 3:18
10. Righteous. Rom. 1:17
11. “Watch” – 1 Cor. 16:13
12. Able to teach others. 2 Tim. 2:2
13. Not carried away by strange doctrine. Heb. 13:9
14. Sober. 1 Th. 5:8
15. Blameless. Php. 2:15
16. No brawler. Titus 3:2
17. Put away anger. Col. 3:8
18. No foolish talking. Eph. 5:4
19. Blameless & harmless. Php. 2:15
20. Must not strive. 2 Tim. 2:24
21. Given to hospitality. Rom. 12:13
22. Hold fast that which is good. 1 Th. 5:21
23. Love of money. 1Tim. 6:10
24. Not drunken with wine. Eph.5:18
25. Willing. 1Tim. 6:18
26. Not to be seen of men. Matt. 6:1
27. Prove your own selves. 2 Cor.13:5

Dealing with the Past

Do you have something in your past that hinders you from doing the right thing in the present?

Have you ever, in the past, done something for which you are now ashamed? I have! I am also pretty sure that anyone who is reading this article has, in all probability, done things in their past that they now regret having done. It is human nature to look back upon the past. Some things we recall with fondness; other things with shame or embarrassment. The past often has a way of catching up with us. Our past sins, if unrepented of, must still one day be reckoned with – “be sure your sin will find you out…” (Deuteronomy 32:23). Nevertheless, even past sins for which we have been forgiven, have a way of haunting us in the present. Sometimes the consequences of our past sins are still felt many years after repentance and forgiveness. In my case, my conscience still bothers me about some of the things I have done in the past. Even though I realize that God has forgiven me of those things, I sometimes have a hard time forgiving myself.

The apostle Paul had things in his past that could have hindered him from doing the right thing. He had plenty of cause to be remorseful. He had persecuted the church in Jerusalem and other places, “…Beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it…” (Galatians 1:13); “As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison…” (Acts 8:3); “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.” (Acts 9:1-2). He was even an accessory to murder at one point in his life! Remember when Stephen was stoned to death by an angry mob, that it was a young man named Saul who held the cloaks of Stephen’s assailants. “And cast him [Stephen] out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul… And Saul was consenting unto his death…”(Acts 7:58; 8:1).

Even before Paul’s conversion, Ananias was apprehensive towards him when the Lord commanded him to go to Paul and teach him what he needed to do in order to be saved. He said, “I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name…” (Acts 9:13-14). After Paul’s conversion, the consequences of his past sins were still felt. Some years after his conversion, the Christians at Jerusalem were still wary and mistrustful of him, “And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.” (Acts 9:26).

Paul had reason to regret his past. First, because of the way his conscience must have bothered him for the things he had done, and second, because of what some others thought about his sincerity. How did Paul deal with this adversity? How did he put his past behind him? Did he run away and hide? Did he forsake God? NO! In his own words, he said, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14). Paul’s answer to his regretted past was to forget it, to get over it and to reach for the things that were before him. He did not waste time on “what might have been,” but instead he strove for “what may be.” He pressed towards the mark!

Baseball coaches say that one of the most important attributes of a good pitcher is a short memory. If he throws out a pitch and it is knocked out of the ballpark, he must forget about it and move on. If he is still feeling timid after the last pitch was hit for a homerun, he has a problem. His next pitch is liable to leave the ballpark as well. The same goes with us in our religious life. If our past keeps haunting us, or if we let the feelings or attitudes that others have toward us affect our Christian walk, then we have a problem. We need to let go of the past and ignore what others may think of us, and press on in our Christian life. If we would continue to walk after the way of Christ, in the face of adversity, we will be richly blessed. It is said, “Time heals all wounds.” If we faithfully follow our Savior, in time, the guilt we feel or the negative feelings of others will fade. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33). Strive towards the mark of salvation! Do not let your past, or other people’s attitudes towards it, hinder you from doing what is right! If you do these things, you shall never be ashamed and everything else will just fall into place.

Calvinism and Predestination

John Calvin was a French protestant reformer. His doctrine on predestination teaches that there are two classes of people in the world. Those who have been predestined by God before the foundation of the earth to eternal damnation and those that have been predestined to eternal life. Calvin taught that there is nothing one can do to be saved because God has already decided who is going to be saved and who is not going to be saved.

John Calvin twisted the meaning of Ephesians 1:4-5. “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.”

His interpretation of these two verses caused him to ask, “Does this passage teach that our salvation is strictly a matter of God’s arbitrary election before the world was made, irrespective of any choice that we might exercise in the matter?” According to John Calvin, this passage teaches exactly that. “The Presbyterian Westminster Confession of Faith stated: “By decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestined unto everlasting life, and others foreordained to everlasting death” (Article III).

Thus, we have the damnable heresy of predestination. This doctrine is at the core of Calvinism and its influence is widely felt throughout much of “christendom.” Calvin’s theology is summed up in the acrostic,”TULIP.”

The “T” stands for “Total Depravity”. This doctrine teaches that all men have inherited the sin of Adam and as such, they are fallen to such a degree that they cannot read the Bible and respond in a positive way. So therefore, God has to act directly in order to bring man to His truth. This goes directly against what is written in Ezekiel 18:20 “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”

The “U” stands for “Unconditional Election”. A doctrine teaches that there is nothing one of the elect can do to prevent himself from becoming a Christian – he simply has no choice. If one has been predestined to eternal life, there is nothing a person can do to prevent it.

The “L” stands for “Limited Atonement”, which teaches that not all men can be saved. Some have been predestined to for salvation; the rest have not. Yet, the Bible teaches that God’s grace has been made available to all men. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11)

The “I” stands for “Irresistible Grace.” This takes away man’s free moral agency. Man has no choice but to respond to God’s grace. This is false because we know that the Holy Spirit can be resisted as indicated by Stephen’s words to the Jewish council, “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.” (Acts 7:51).

The “P” stands for the Perseverance of the Saints, or simply stated “Once saved, always saved .” This teaches that one who is of God’s elect can do nothing that would cause him to fall from grace. Here again, Calvin directly contradicts the Scriptures.

There are at least 55 passages in the New Testament that teach that a Christian can fall from grace. In this brief article, we will observe two of these passages.

Galatians 5:4 “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” Galatians was written to the churches of in the region of Galatia

(Galatians 1:2). Paul told those in Galatia who were perverting the gospel (by teaching that one had to be circumcised under the Law of Moses in order to be saved – See Acts 15:1) that in trying to keep to parts of the Old Law they had fallen from grace.

James 5:19-20 “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”

The book of James was written to the Christians who were scattered abroad (James 1:1). In these verses, James teaches that a Christian who has “erred from the truth” is a soul that has become a “sinner” and needs to be saved from death. James has to be speaking of Christians here because in order for one to “err from” (out of) the truth, one must have been IN the truth – i.e. a saved Christian. There is perseverance of the saints if a Christian persists in his faith.

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9).

Calvin’s doctrine of predestination does not originate with God. It is not supported in the scriptures. It is false to its core.

The predestination of Ephesians 1:4-5 is not on an individual basis. God at the foundation of the earth set forth a class of people who would be saved. This class of people would be those who met God’s foreordained demand of obedience to His will according to His Son. They would be those who obeyed the Gospel of Christ. “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Hebrews 5:8-9). “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9)

A Brief History of Israel

The nation of Israel in Old Testament times was the chosen nation or people of God. The Israelites were the Physical descendants of Abraham through Isaac and then through Jacob. The nation of Israel got its name because Jacob wrestled with the Lord’s messenger at Peniel (Gen.32.24-32), and was called “Israel”, which means “He who strove with God”, or “Prince of God.” The nation was composed of thirteen tribes. Each tribe founded by one of Jacob’s sons. The tribes are usually referred to as the twelve tribes of Israel because Jacob only had twelve sons, but in Genesis 48:5 Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, were adopted by Jacob and given equal share among the sons of Jacob. Levi was set apart from the other twelve tribes to serve God as priests and teachers of the Law (Num.1:49-54).

Jacob, his sons and their families (a total of 70 souls – Gen. 46:27) had traveled from the land of Canaan down into Egypt and had settled there in the land of Goshen, because of a great famine in Canaan. This settlement had been allowed by Pharaoh because of his respect and love for Joseph, Jacob’s son who had been sold into slavery by his brothers, but had risen to the rank of Prime Minister of Egypt.

The Israelites remained in Egypt for a period of 430 years, by the end of this period the Israelites had become the servants of the Egyptians. It was at this time that God heard the cries of His people and sent Moses to bring them up out of Egypt. This he did and it was in the Sinai desert at the foot of Mount Sinai that God made His covenant with the Israelites and they were forged into the Nation of Israel under the Law of Moses.

Israel then departed the Sinai Desert headed for Canaan, which had been promised to the descendants of Jacob. God had promised Israel that He would drive out the Canaanites before them if they would heed His Word. Unfortunately, when they arrived at Kadesh, near the borders of Canaan, the people refused to enter in out of disbelief that God could deliver the Canaanites into their hand. For this, they were punished by being made to wander in the wilderness for 40 years.

At the end of this wilderness wandering, Israel was led into the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua. They had been told to destroy the Canaanites from the land, so that they would not be influenced by their idolatry. Israel failed to do this completely. So, when the generation that had conquered the Promised Land along with Joshua passed on, a new generation arose that did not know the Lord. They adopted many of the transgressions of the Canaanites and fell into idolatry. For this, God would punish them by allowing other nations to subjugate them. When the punishment would become too severe, the Israelites would cry to God and repent, for a time. When God would hear their cries, he would raise up a judge to rescue His people. This was the period of the Judges. As the years went by the apostasy of the people became greater and greater. They began to look at the nations around them and want to have a king, like them. Therefore, God appointed for them a king.

There are two historical periods of Israel’s monarchy. In the first period, known as the United Kingdom Period, all twelve land-bearing tribes and the priestly tribe of Levi were united under one kingdom. This period lasted 120 years through the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon. This unity was only interrupted for a short seven-year period after the death of Saul, when ten of the tribes refused to accept David as king. After the death of Saul’s last remaining son, these ten tribes were united under David’s rule.

The second period is known as the Divided Kingdom and began after the reign of Solomon. When Solomon was king, he had taxed the people heavily in order to build up the nation and the military. When he died and his son Rehoboam ascended to the throne, the people wanted him to reduce taxation, but instead he increased it further. This led to a revolt in which the Northern ten tribes split off and selected Jeroboam to be their king. The Lord allowed this division as punishment for Solomon’s involvement with idolatry. (1 Kings 11:11)

During the Divided Kingdom period, the twelve tribes of Israel (plus Levi) were separated into two kingdoms. The Northern tribes of Reuben, Simeon, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Ephraim and Manasseh made up the nation of Israel, also called Ephraim (because Ephraim was by far the largest of these tribes). The two Southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin became known as the nation of Judah.

When the twelve tribes had entered into Canaan and settled into their respective lands, the tribe of Levi had cities scattered throughout the tribal land allotments. When the kingdom divided and the Northern kingdom turned to idolatry, the Levites left Israel and settled in Judah, along with those from each of the Northern ten tribes who chose not to worship idols. Because of this, the nation of Judah was in reality, composed of people from all of the tribes.

The Northern kingdom was carried into captivity by the Assyrians in 721 B.C. and was dispersed among the other nations conquered by the Assyrian Empire, never to return. The Southern kingdom was carried into captivity by the Babylonians between 606 and 586 B.C. and was dispersed among the nations that Babylon had conquered. The Babylonian Empire was conquered by the Medo-Persion Empire, and the Israelites, who had come to be known as the “Jews” or “Judes” (because they had come from Judah), were allowed, by the Decree of Cyrus, to return to Judea and rebuild the city of Jerusalem. This came after seventy-year captivity, The Jews returned to Judea in three groups. The first led by Zerubabel, the second by Ezra and the third by Nehemiah.

When the Jews had resettled in Judea and Jerusalem and had rebuilt the temple, they entered into what is known as the Inter-Testamental Period. After they completed the reconstruction of the temple of the Lord, the inspiration of scripture was halted for over four hundred years. During this period, a lot happened, but nothing is recorded by inspired history. We know much of what transpired during this period because of the writings of Josephus, a first-century Hebrew historian.

When the Old Testament ended, the Jews were living in their homeland under the rule of the Persian Empire. The Persians were later conquered by Alexander the Great, and Judea fell into the hands of the Grecian Empire. Early in this period of Grecian rule, little had changed for the Jewish people. They still were allowed to govern themselves, for the most part. After Alexander died, with no heirs, his empire was spilt in three kingdoms, each kingdom ruled by one of Alexander's generals. In 171 B.C., Antiochus Epiphanes IV, came to power and ruled over the Grecian kingdom that included Judea. In 164 B.C., he entered the temple of God, set up an idol to himself and sacrificed swine upon the altar of the Lord. This became known, to the Jews as the "Abomination of Desolation." The Jews were outraged at this sacrilege, and rose up in rebellion under a Levite name Judas Maccabees. The Jews fought a successful revolt against Grecian rule and in 164 B.C. managed to drive out the armies of Antiochus. The modern Jewish festival known as Hanukkah, the festival of lights, commemorates the rededication of the Temple after the over-throw of Grecian rule.

This segment of the Inter-Testamental Period is known as the Maccabean kingdom. The Jews were, once again, an independent nation for the first time in over four hundred years. During this time, Israel was ruled by a succession of the descendant of Judas Maccabees. This kingdom was not a God sanctioned kingdom, because they were not ruled by a descendant of David.

This independent Jewish nation lasted for nearly 100 years, until the Roman General Pompey captured Jerusalem in 63 B.C. Judea then became a Roman province. In 37 B.C., Herod the Great came to power. He succeeded the last Maccabean King, John Hyrcanus. Herod was not of Jewish stock; instead, he was an Idumean (Edomite). The Idumeans were descendants of Abraham and Isaac through Esau, and so they were “cousins” of the Jewish people. Herod is known as “the Great” because of the many architectural wonders he created. He built several fortresses and the sea port of Caesarea, to curry favor with the Romans. However, his most famous construction was the Temple in Jerusalem. Beginning with the Temple that had already been reconstructed by Zerubabel, he built up the entire complex and until it had become one of the great wonders of the ancient world.

Herod the Great is perhaps most famous, or infamous, for the “killing of the innocents” in Bethlehem, just after the birth of Christ. It was to this Herod that the wise men of Matthew chapter 2 came; and from whom Joseph, Mary and Jesus fled to Egypt.

By the time of Christ’s birth, the religion of the Jews had developed into several main sects, or denominations. The most prevalent sect, especially among the common Jewish people was the Pharisees. The Pharisees were very strict in their adherence to the traditions of their ancestors. These traditions, both written and oral, were set forth during the Inter-Testamental Period and were non-inspired. It was these traditions, known today as the Talmud or Mishna that Christ called referred to in Mark 2:7-9 “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.”

Another prominent sect was the Sadducees. They mainly composed of the ruling class among the Jews. This sect believed that the Torah (Law of Moses) was the only inspired scripture. They were very strict in their adherence to the ceremonial law. In addition, they did not believe in doctrine of the Resurrection from the dead (Matthew 22:23).

Along with the Pharisees and the Sadducees, a third prominent sect was the Zealots. The Zealots were known for their desire to overthrow Roman rule and establish an independent Jewish nation. One of Christ’s apostles had come from this sect, Simon Zelotes (Luke 6:14.

Another sect worth mentioning is the sect of the Essenes. The Essenes were most likely a sub-sect of the Pharisees, who believed purity and complete separation from sinfulness. This led them to establish communities completely isolated from the outside world. It was in the remains of one of these communities that the “Dead Sea Scrolls” were discovered in 1947.

So Far, we have looked briefly at the history of the Jewish people, first in the Old Testament, Inter-Testamental and Gospel times when Christ walked the earth. Now we will turn our attention to the final years of Biblical Judaism.

Before we continue, remember when the Jewish nation was divided and the northern ten tribes were carried into Assyrian captivity and later the nation of Judah was carried into Babylonian captivity. Both the Assyrians and the Babylonians, when they conquered a people, would remove them from their homeland and scatter them among their other conquered nations. When this was done to the Jews, it became known as the “Diaspora” or dispersion. The northern ten tribes, when they were “dispersed” lost their religious and national identity and intermarried among the other conquered nations. As well, those few of the northern kingdom who were allowed to remain in Palestine also intermarried with foreigners. Thus began the Samaritan people of whom we read in the New Testament.

When the southern kingdom was taken captive, they only remained in captivity for 70 years. They, for the most part, maintained their ethnic and national identities. Even though they were spread throughout the lands of the Babylonian Empire, they maintained their religion as best they could. It was during this period that synagogue worship began. The temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed, the people in captivity were not allowed to go to Jerusalem for worship, so they began meeting together on the Sabbath day to worship God. It was this “synagogue movement” that allowed them to maintain their national identity. When the captivity ended, many of the Jews, especially those who were the most zealous, returned to Palestine. Others remained in the various places to where they had been dispersed. Many of these, especially in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) and Greece, became “Hellenized” into the Greek culture. They adopted Greek styles of living as well as the Greek language.

During Jesus’ day, the Jews had rebuilt the Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple was more than just a center for worship. It was also the center of the Jewish nation, inside its walls was held the genealogical records of all the tribes and families of the Jews. These records were important because without them there would be no record of who the Levites were and no way to identify the Messiah. The tribe of Levi had been set aside for their special service to God; they needed to be identified according to their family lineage, because each branch of Levi had a different area of service. As well, one of the identifying marks of the Messiah was that he would be a descendant of David. The fact that Jesus Christ was such a descendant was never disputed, even by the Jewish leaders of His day. Without the Temple, the Jews would have no records of their lineage; they would not be able to prove that they were true descendants of Abraham.

When Christ died upon the cross, in approximately 33 A.D., the Law of Moses was fulfilled and passed away. The need for a special people to bring Messiah into the world ended, thus the religion of the Jews was no longer the religion of God. Had the Jews recognized Messiah as a spiritual savior, and not a political one, they would have accepted Jesus and been converted, having seen the natural fulfillment of the Law. However, this was not the case. In fact, the Jews, early on became the greatest enemy of Christianity. It was the Jews who first began to persecute Christians, beginning with Saul of Tarsus.

The end of the Jewish religion, as the religion of God’s people, came with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Once that religious dispensation ended, the church of Christ became the religion of God’s people. God’s people are no longer the physical descendants of Abraham through Jacob, but have become the “spiritual” descendants of Abraham through faith. See Romans 4:20-25.

The Jews maintained their traditions and form of worship, making their three yearly sacrifices at the Temple, even as Christianity grew both numerically and geographically. In a period of about thirty years, the Gospel had been preached to the entire world. It was by about this time the Palestinian Jews began to mount their final uprising against the Roman Empire. A revolt began in Judea in the month of September, in the year 66 A.D. This rebellion, against Rome, brought the full weight and wrath of the most powerful empire the world has ever known down upon the Jewish people. For three years, the Jews held out, but by the month of April, in the year 70 A.D. only Jerusalem itself had not fallen back into Roman control. The Emperor Vespasian, who had just the previous year become Emperor, decided to make an example of Jerusalem to prevent any other regions from revolting. Vespasian’s son Titus laid siege to the city of Jerusalem beginning in April of the year 70 A.D. By September of that year, the entire city had been destroyed, the temple itself had been burned to the ground and been dismantled stone by stone. All of the genealogical the records of the Jewish people were destroyed at that time.

The Jewish people continued on as they did during the Babylonian captivity. They continued worship in the synagogues and they even attempted to maintain their own genealogical records. Nevertheless, since they were no longer God’s people and no longer protected under God’s Divine providence, they were unsuccessful in this attempt. As the centuries have gone by, all knowledge of who is a true descendant of Jacob has been lost. Those that call themselves Jews today, are not necessarily the Jews that we read of in the Bible. Over the years, many people of other races or nationalities have converted to some form of Judaism. To be a citizen of the modern state of Israel, all one must do is claim to be Jewish and they will be accepted as Jews.

What is important for us to keep in mind today is that the Jews are not God’s special people. Christians are! The Old Testament Jews were selected for one purpose only, and that was to bring Christ into the world. Once Christ fulfilled His mission, their reason for existing as God’s special people ceased. Today Christians are “Spiritual Israel,” those who believe and obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ are God’s special people.

The First Gospel Meeting

As we at the Vidor church of Christ begin our Gospel Meeting, "Divine Authority" with Foy Forehand, it is a good opportunity to look back upon the very first “Gospel Meeting” ever held.

The gospel meeting I am referring to is not some 1830’s log cabin meeting with Barton W. Stone, Alexander Campbell, or some other Restoration Era gospel preacher. The meeting I am speaking of predates those men by approximately 1,800 years. The very first gospel meeting was held by twelve men, in the city of Jerusalem in the year 33 A.D.

This gospel meeting was one that had been in the works since the beginning of time. It was a meeting that God had planned and had made preparations for from the moment He first “spoke” the world into existence. In order to make that meeting successful God first prepared a people to bring the Lord Jesus Christ (the object of that first gospel meeting) into the world. Also, He prepared an environment in which that primitive gospel could grow and thrive. Finally, He prepared the message to be preached and the preachers to deliver the message.

A Prepared People

From the very beginning, God selected a family into which His Messiah would be born. This Messiah was born to deliver mankind from sin and reconcile him back to God. After Adam and Eve were forced from the garden, the Lord selected one of their sons as the root from which the Messiah would eventually emerge. That chosen man was Seth, the son of Adam and Eve (Genesis 4:25). Of the descendants of Seth, the next man selected by God as the progenitor of Messiah was Noah. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” Genesis 6:8. Noah, of all his generation, was the only man still faithful in his service to God. Therefore, God saved him and his family and destroyed the rest of mankind. Generations later, Abram was selected by God to bring forth the seed from which all mankind would be blessed. “I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 12:2-3.

From Abraham, Isaac and Jacob descended the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel. This great nation of people began with just 75 men, women and children, who went down into Egypt in a time of great famine. 430 years later, 603,550 men upwards from 20 years old emerged with their wives and children, numbering approximately 2-3 million. This nation was given a Law at Mount Sinai after their exodus from Egypt. That Law was meant to teach them the importance of sacrifice and service to God and to prepare them to receive the Messiah and to obey His gospel. “But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” Galatians 3:23-25.

At the close of the Jewish dispensation, God sent John the baptist to restore the Jewish people back to faithfulness under the Old Covenant, so that they would be ready to receive the Messiah and His gospel. John did exactly that. He made “straight the way of the Lord…” (John 1:23; Isaiah 40:3). His work as the forerunner to Christ restored faithfulness among the Jews. It was the disciples of John the baptist who, later, made up the bulk of Jesus’ disciples.

A Prepared Environment

God sent His Son into the world, born of a virgin of the Jewish nation. His birth, life, teachings, death and resurrection are the “good news” that embodies the gospel message. However, before that blessed event could occur, God had to allow for the proper environment in which to bring His Messiah and to spread forth His gospel. Isaiah prophesied that Jerusalem would be the city from which the gospel would proceed (Isaiah 2:2-3). In the first century, Jerusalem, Palestine, and the entire Mediterranean region were part of the Roman Empire.

The Roman Empire provided for the ideal environment into which the Messiah would be born. Under Rome, as never before in human history, was much of the world under the control of one government. Never before had there been so much stability in the world. The Roman Empire provided a framework for maintaining an orderly society, such as a common language (Koine Greek), a common currency and well established code of law. They built and protected a highway system that rivaled even our modern highway systems. These highways made it possible for people to travel around the Mediterranean region quickly and safely, thus furthering the gospel’s spread.
In addition, by this time, the Jewish people had been scattered across the entire Roman Empire. Those who were the most faithful returned to Jerusalem each year for the three feast days as prescribed in the Law of Moses. The aforementioned societal framework the Romans created allowed them the security and ability to make the journey. It was during one of these three feast days, the day of Pentecost, in which this first gospel meeting was held. On that day, it is estimated that there could have been upwards of 3 million Jews on hand to hear those first gospel sermons.

Prepared Preachers

Before that first gospel meeting could be held, preachers were needed. Jesus selected twelve men and named them apostles. Of this first select group, one fell by the wayside (Judas), but another (Matthias) was selected to take his place. Jesus spent three years with these men teaching them the things that they were in turn to go out and to preach. He promised to them that he would send unto them the Holy Spirit Who would, (1) guide them into all truth (John 16:13), (2) teach them all things (John 14:26), (3) remind them of all He had taught them (John 14:26), and (4) speak through them (Mark 13:11).

A Prepared Gospel Message

On the day of Pentecost, these twelve men received the promise of the Holy Spirit with power and began to speak the words of the gospel message to the gathered multitude. It was the apostle Peter who began the gospel meeting with an inspired defense and explanation of the miraculous events that were transpiring that day. This was according to God’s plan, for Jesus had said to Peter, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19. Peter would be the one holding the keys to the kingdom of heaven – the church. He would be the first one to “unlock” the doors and invite those who desired to be saved to enter in. The things that he would “bind” or “loose” on earth that day, would be the things that already had been “bound” or “loosed” by God in heaven. Peter was simply the inspired “doorman” to usher in the church age.

His sermon began with a defense and ended with an invitation to, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” Acts 2:38. This first great gospel meeting resulted in the salvation of 3,000 people! “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” Acts 2:41.

Conclusion

The first gospel meeting was a great success! God had planned it perfectly! He had perfectly prepared the audience, the environment, the preachers and their message. The gospel went forth from that place, on that day, to spread throughout the entire world within 30 years. Many of the gathered multitude of Jews, “out of every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5), “gladly received his word” and “were baptized” (Acts 2:41), and carried that gospel message back to their scattered homes and families abroad. Later, the apostle Paul and others would carry that gospel message unto the gentiles bringing many of them into the church as well.

All this was able to take place because God had scheduled that first gospel meeting! None of the wondrous things that resulted from that meeting would have taken place if no one had been there to hear it! The same can be said of our gospel meeting this week. If you do not attend, members or visitors alike, you will miss out on a wonderful opportunity to be strengthened and encouraged by that Old Jerusalem Gospel that still saves today.

Be Not Unwise

In Ephesians 5:17, Paul exhorts the Ephesian brethren, “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” True wisdom is the knowledge and understanding of the will of God and the application thereof. The will of God is found in His word. It is only through the Word of God that we have any knowledge of Him. Without this revealed knowledge of God, there is would be no true wisdom.

Paul exhorts them to understand the will of God. To do this, one must study the Word of God. In 2 Timothy 2:15, the inspired apostle Paul commands, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” John 17:7 teaches us that the Word of God is truth. Yes, truth does exist. It exists in the divine precepts of the Word of God. We can know the truth – Jesus said so. John 8:31-32 says, “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Jesus teaches here that we can know the truth by continuing in His word.

All men can understand the Bible. The Calvinistic doctrine on the fallen state of man says that, since the fall, man is no longer in a state where he is able to understand the will of God. They teach that man can only come to an understanding of the Word of God through a direct operation of the Holy Spirit. Yet, the Bible refutes this doctrine. Paul, in 2 Timothy 3:15, teaches that Timothy had known the Holy Scripture from a child, “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” He had, from his childhood understood the Bible. He did not come to that understanding of the Scriptures by a direct operation of the Holy Spirit, but by the instruction, he received in the Word from his mother and his grandmother. “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. “ (2 Timothy 1:15).

We can know the truth through a diligent study of the Word of God. All mankind can know the truth and understand it alike. For we know that the scriptures are not of any private interpretation, but that they are of, or by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:20-21). All men can have the same understanding of the Word of God that Paul had. In Ephesians 3:2-5, he tells us that we can understand his knowledge when we read his inspired words, “If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit”

The Word of Christ, the Bible, is the only standard of authority that will judge us in the last day. “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” (John 12:48) God is not a respecter of persons – “For there is no respect of persons with God.” (Romans 2:11) Since there is an absolute standard of authority; and since all will be judged according to that same standard without respect of persons; and since that standard is the Bible – then it makes sense that we must all be able to understand the Bible alike. The will of God, revealed in the Scriptures, is such that all men and women can come to the same understanding. We can be wise toward the things of God and be “understanding what the will of the Lord is” if we involve ourselves in a purposeful study of God’s Word.

Paul: Fraudulent Apostle, Woman Hater and Homophobe

Many people in the religious world today are attempting to discredit the apostle Paul and his teachings. The attitudes toward Paul that are expressed by “self-proclaimed” Christians are mind-boggling, except when you understand their misguided reasoning for them. Why is Paul held in such contempt by many religious people? One of the primary reasons that Paul and his teachings are disdained by some religious people is that his writings are the only New Testament books that expressly forbid women to have authority in the church (1Tim. 2:8-15; Tit. 2:3-5; 1Cor.14:34) and that specifically condemns homosexuality (Rom.1:26-27; 1Cor. 6:9). He has been called a “homophobe” and a “woman hater” because of these teachings found in his epistles. For example, I recently heard where a woman had said, “I just don’t trust Paul. He was a woman hater and a hypocrite. I just can’t bring myself trust anybody who could do all those awful things he did to the Christians and then all of a sudden change his mind and become a Christian. Nobody could change that much, that soon!”

People like this resent Paul’s teaching and don’t want to abide by them, so their answer is to say that Paul was not really an apostle. Therefore, they say, we can ignore what Paul says. For instance, a good friend of mine, who is also a faithful Christian minister, took some classes at a denominational theological seminary. He was the only Christian in the class and the only one to have had an extensive background in the Bible. The professor had lectured, teaching that Paul received his theological training from Peter and the other apostles and that Paul took that training and created his own theology, suggesting that he was not inspired! My friend at this point raised his hand and asked, “What about Galatians 1:11 and 12? Paul said, ‘But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.’ Isn’t that what Paul says?” The professor didn’t even blink and replied, “Yes, that is what he says.” Then he continued right on lecturing on how Paul had put together his own personal brand of theology.

This begs the question: Was Paul inspired by the Holy Spirit, or was he a fraudulent apostle, a woman hater and a homophobe? People like the professor and the above-mentioned woman refuse to take Paul at his word. He said he was an apostle (Rom. 1:1; 1Cor. 15:8-10). He also said that he was inspired of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 1:11-12). Yet they still refuse to believe he was what he claimed to be. How can they say that they believe the Bible is God’s Word and yet think they can decide which parts are and which parts are not inspired? I don’t have that answer. Their attitude makes no sense to me. They ought to heed my favorite saying of brother Eddie Brinkley, “The gospel ain’t Lubey’s. You don’t get to pick and choose!” If these “Lubey’s eating” religious people will not take Paul’s word for his inspiration and apostleship, perhaps they will take Peter’s word for it.

Let us first begin with what Peter said concerning the inspiration of scripture. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Pet.1:20-21, emph. mine). He also said in Acts 1:16, “Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.” (emph. mine). Notice in this last verse how Peter connects scripture with the words of the Holy Spirit spoken through the mouth of an inspired man. Scripture, simply put, is that which is derived from God, spoken by the Holy Spirit through the mouth (or the pen) of an inspired man.

Second, let us note the way in which Peter refers to Paul’s epistles as scripture. “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” (2Pet.3:15-16, emph. mine). Peter said that Paul had “wisdom given unto him…” Where did the wisdom come from? It had to have come from the Holy Spirit, because Peter compared Paul’s epistles with “other scriptures” and we know that scripture is the result of holy men of God speaking “as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2Pe.1:20). Hence, Peter believed and taught that all of Paul’s epistles were derived from the inspired work of the Holy Spirit.

I don’t know anybody who would claim that Peter was not inspired and that he was not an apostle. If he believed and taught that Paul was an inspired apostle, why should we doubt him? If we doubt the writings of Peter and Paul, what does that say about the rest of the Bible? If some of the Bible is God’s Word and some of it is not God’s Word, how can we decide which is which? If the entire Bible (every single word of it) is not God’s Word and we have no useful standard beside what we think or what we feel, to determine which is inspired, how can we trust any of it? If the entire Bible (every single word of it) is not really the word of God, then why believe any of it? Without an objective standard, who can say what is right or wrong? Who can really know God’s will for man? Nobody. If the entire Bible is not God’s word then none of it is! Whom are you going to believe? The inspired apostle Peter or some modern day naysayer?

Spoil Your Children…?

One of the biggest problems facing the church today and our society as a whole is that we are raising up a generation of spoiled and unrestrained children. The children of today will be the ones leading our country and the church in the future. The future of the church in this country may not be very bright because sin and apostasy are the likely result of this lack of restraint.

Proverbs 13:24 teaches, “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” The rod Solomon referred to is not just simply a rod to spank the child with, (although that is often the case), the rod he referred to was the shepherd’s staff. This staff had many uses. It could be used a tool for defending the sheep. It could also be used to guide the sheep into the desired path. Moreover, it could be used to correct an errant sheep and bring him back into the fold.

In raising our children in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4), we need to use the Word of God in conjunction with the rod of discipline. The child nurtured in the Bible and its teaching is given a measure of protection from the wiles of the devil because this child has been taught what God expects of him and how to deal with sin and temptation. The Word of God can be known and understood by a child, just as Paul reminded Timothy that, “from a child” he had “known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 2:15). The Word of God is “…profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). When a child is raised with Biblical teaching, he is given a guide to keep him on the path of righteousness. “Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:104-105). When a child strays from that path, Proverbs 13:24 teaches that the rod can also be used to mete out punishment.

Corporal punishment (i.e. spanking) is a good tool when used correctly. “Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.” (Proverbs 23:13) However, it must always be done with love as well as firmness. A loving parent who disciplines his child is not a contradiction. A “loving” parent who “spoils” his child is a contradiction. The Bible teaches that loving and spoiling are diametrically opposed to each other. Those who claim they love their children too much to punish them do not love them – God says they hate them.

Other related Proverbs:

Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Proverbs 23:14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

What Happens When A Christian Sins?

A Christian is an individual who has wholly given himself or herself to God through Jesus Christ. A Christian is one who, believing in Jesus, has made the good confession, repented of past sins, and been washed in the blood of Christ, the Lamb of God, by immersion into the watery grave of baptism, in order to receive the forgiveness of sins. A Christian is one who has had his or her sins forgiven and who, from that time forward, continues to “walk in the newness of life.” (Romans 6:4).

However, some teach that once a person has become a Christian it is impossible for them to commit sin. These teachers claim that a Christian can, in no way, transgress God’s law. When asked, “What happens when a Christian sins?” their answer usually comes across in this manner, “Well... a person claiming to be a Christian who then commits sin was never truly a Christian to begin with.” With that logic, how can one ever know that he or she is truly a Christian? Who can ever be spiritually secure with that line of thinking?

Friends, we can know assuredly that we are Christians – that we are saved if we “have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered” (Romans 6:17). What form or pattern of doctrine? The commandments of Christ (John 12:48) and the apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:42), which includes the righteous works of faith (John 6:28-29; Acts 8:37), confession (Matthew 10:32-33; Romans 10:10), repentance (Luke 13:3; Acts 3:19), and baptism (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 22:16).

Yet the question remains, “What does happen when a Christian sins?” We must first recognize that Christians do sin (1 John 1:8, 10). If Christians sin and sinners sin, what is the difference between the two? Observe the following comparisons: (1) Sinners are enslaved to sin; faithful Christians have been freed from sin. (2) Sinners are spiritually dead; faithful Christians are spiritually alive. (3) Sinners live a sinful lifestyle; faithful Christians live a lifestyle that does not include willful sin.

Sin is described as willful, when one has made a choice to sin. Willful sin can be a sin of omission, such as when one chooses not to attend worship services (Hebrews 10:25; James 4:17), or it can be a sin of commission, such as when one chooses to drink alcoholic beverages. When a Christian commits willful sin, he or she has become unfaithful. If a Christian continues to willfully live in sin and dies in that condition, he or she is worse off than the alien sinner (2 Peter 2:20). So then, the major difference between a sinner or unfaithful Christian and a faithful Christian is seen in the choices they make. One group makes lifestyle choices that are centered upon self and the other group makes lifestyle choices that are centered upon Christ. When a Christian willfully sins and refuses to repent, that person is lost.

“But what about when a Christian sins incidentally?” Sin is described as incidental when it is unplanned or not motivated by ungodly desire. Such as when one accidentally drops a brick on his toe and consequently uses foul or disgusting language. Perhaps in such a situation one did not intentionally plan to use improper or immoral language, but in the heat of the moment, it just happened. Another example of this type of incidental sin that Christians sometimes fall into is out of ignorance, such as when one is unsure if something is sinful or not – and does it anyway. “And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23).

Is this incidental type of sin still fatal? Yes, if the Christians does not repent. Sin is what separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). God does not distinguish between levels and varieties of sin. Take note of Revelation 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Every kind of lie is condemned, even “little white lies.” To God, all sin is abomination. “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity” (Habakkuk 1:13). All sin carries the same punishment: “For the wages of sin is death...” (Romans 6:23)

But there is good news for those who have sinned. Coming into contact with the saving blood of Jesus Christ will purify and justify the transgressor in the eyes of God. For the non-Christian that contact is made by is faith, confession, repentance and baptism. For the unfaithful child of God, the blood of Jesus will cleanse him from sin once more, through repentance and confession that he or she has sinned and by fervent prayer. The faithful Christian who sins, because he or she is faithful, is one who by godly habit and spiritual exercise, constantly goes to God in prayer and supplication, in recognition their continuing need for God’s grace and their own “unprofitable-ness” (Luke 17:10).

The Bible - Our Only Creed

Adapted from U.S. Marine Corps’ Rifleman’s Creed... (not a suggestion that we adopt this or any human creed)

“This is my Bible. There are many like it, but this one is mine. It is my life. I must master it in order to master my life. Without my study, my Bible is useless. Without my Bible, I will be useless. I must divide my Bible true. I must shoot straighter than the enemy who as a roaring lion is seeking to devour me. I must fend him off before he devours me. With God’s Word I will. My Bible teaches that what counts in spiritual warfare is not simply the things I say or believe, but what I do. I know that it is doing the word and not being a hearer only that counts. I will do it.

God’s Word is alive, even as I am alive, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its strength, its promises, its books, its chapters and its verses. I will keep my Bible near and ready, even as I keep myself ready to defend its precepts. We will become part of each other.

Before God, I do make this promise. God’s Word is the defender of my soul. It will help me to master the devil, my enemy. It will bring the salvation of my soul. So be it, until victory is God’s and there is no enemy.”

The Proper Use Of Both Spiritual & National Liberty

(My apologies for not updating this blog recently - this was published in our bulletin on July 2nd)

On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln, opened his famous Gettysburg Address with these words, “Four-score and seven years ago, (now 230 years ago) our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal…” President Lincoln was referring, of course, the birth of our great nation.

On July 4, 1776, The United States of America was born. As Americans and as Christians, we have been blessed by God to live here. We have freedom from tyranny and the constitutional right to worship God “in spirit and in truth...” (John 4:24)

Most people in this world do not have this same privilege – true freedom of religion. We often take for granted that which our brethren throughout history have never had. It was not until the Constitution of the United States (June 21, 1788) and the Bill of Rights (December 15, 1791) was adopted that a nation of people had complete freedom of religion. The First Amendment to the Constitution states,

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble....”

Before this (even in some parts of the United States), there was the concept of an official state religion. For instance, the official church of Great Britain was the church of England (Anglican church); in Italy, France and Spain, it was the Roman Catholic church.

Many of those who opposed the religion of their respective homelands and were persecuted for it, (such as the Puritans) came to this continent and established colonies where they could practice their religion freely. The descendants of these religiously persecuted people wanted a guarantee that no single denomination or religious body could be declared an official religion of the United States. They wanted to insure that the kind of religious persecutions their forefathers had endured in Europe would not take place on American soil. It was out of this constitutional freedom that the American restoration movement was born, resulting in the restoration of the Lord’s church.

We often take for granted that which many of our brethren in other countries do not have – freedom from religious persecution! Even still today, many members of the Lord’s church live in countries where they have no constitutional right to practice their religious beliefs. What a struggle they must face each and every day of their lives!

Even though some do not have religious freedom, all Christians, from the First Century to the present have had spiritual freedom and liberty in Christ Jesus. “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free... If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed...” (John 8:32, 36). “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free...” (Galatians 5:1) With His own blood, Christ bought for us freedom from bondage in sin (Revelation 1:5; Acts 20:28), freedom from the burdens that a life in sin brings and freedom from the sentence of spiritual death in sin. (Romans 6:23)

In this country, all men and women enjoy national freedom. By our constitution, all men and women have the legal right to pursue life, liberty and happiness. While Americans are a nationally free people, but by and large, are not a spiritually free people, in the sense that Christ meant.

Members of the Lord’s church who live in this great nation have two types of liberty, spiritual and national. We should never allow either type of freedom to be used as an excuse in forsaking doing the will of the Father or to use it for an excuse to do what is wrong. “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh....” (Galatians 5:13a) Yet that is what so many people in our nation today have done with their lives. Rather than in freedom serving their fellow man, many today use that “liberty for a cloke of maliciousness...” (1Peter 2:16a) Read Romans 1:18-32 and see what results when a people turn away from God! “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34).

1Peter 2:16 and Galatians 5:13 implicitly state, that rather than serving the flesh or in otherwise sinning, we must use it “as the servants of God” and “by love serve one another.” Our country today has a spiritual sickness; a disease that has no political or physical cure; an ailment that no medical doctor, lawyer or politician can alleviate. Only the Christ has the answers to the problems besetting this country. It is up to Christians, as servants of God, to lovingly, compassionately, teach the gospel to a lost and dying world, that all men might come to know the healing that only the Great Physician can give. In carrying out this commission, we truly “by love serve one another.”

A Brief Summary of the Book of Romans

Introduction:

The Book of Romans was written by the apostle Paul from the city of Corinth in approximately AD 56. At the time of his writing, he had yet to visit Rome, though he greatly desired to do so. It was not until approximately AD 61 that he was able to “visit” Rome, and then, only as a prisoner under house arrest for two years. He was released in AD 63 and finally was rearrested and executed there in AD 68.

This grandest of Paul’s epistles, teaches us many great lessons, but perhaps the greatest principle it teaches us is the fact that man is justified by faith in Jesus Christ. Paul’s main focus in writing this epistle to the church at Rome is to emphasize this point. The doctrine of justification is developed throughout the first eleven chapters of the book. The remainder of the book deals with our life as a Christian, once we have been justified. Romans chapter 1 begins with Paul’s introduction and with an inspiring statement about the Gospel’s power for salvation. Paul then goes into great detail throughout the entire book to expound upon the Gospel’s good news of salvation and justification by faith in Jesus Christ.

Justification Is Necessary: Chapters 1-4

After Paul gives his opening address, he gets right down to business with the remainder of chapter 1 to show how the Gentiles are in sin and are in need of justification and salvation. Having established that the Gentiles are in sin, Paul in chapter 2 goes on to explain that the Jews also are in condemnation and in sin because of their unbelief in the Gospel. In chapter 3, Paul concludes that no one is righteous, if they are seeking justification on their own terms. He states that all have sinned, both Jews and Gentiles, and that all mankind is in need of justification on because of their sins.

The Jew’s religion (at this point it was no longer the religion of God) had devolved into a system of salvation by works. They believed that in the outward display of keeping to the tenets of the Law of Moses they could merit salvation. The Jews had much pride in the fact that they kept the letter of this law (according to their traditions). They did not understand that the Law did not absolve them from sin and that justification only came by faith in God, demonstrated by obedience, not by mere law-keeping.

In chapter 4, Paul uses the example of Abraham to show proof that one does not have to be circumcised or be under the Law of Moses to be justified. Abraham’s obedience and faith – before he was under the covenant of circumcision – was accounted unto him for righteousness. God kept His promise to Abraham because of his faith.

Justification Is Effective: Chapters 5-8

In chapter 5, we see the multitude of blessings that we have in Christ. The justification through faith in Christ brings us into a right relationship with God. Only through Christ can we have atonement and know the depths of God’s grace, love and mercy. Chapter 6 shows us the method by which God has chosen for us to demonstrate our faith in order to receive justification and that is in baptism. In submission to water baptism our faith is imputed to us for righteousness. We die to sin and death itself.

Chapter 7 deals with the Law of Moses and its termination. We see the purpose of the law, its emphasis and its effect on the conscience of man. Paul demonstrates that the Law of Moses died at the cross and we are now under the law of Christ. Christ fulfilled and replaced the Law of Moses bringing into effect His law of faith. Chapter 8 teaches that there is no power on earth to forcibly, against our will, remove us from the love of Christ once we have been justified by faith in Him.

The Nation of Israel: Chapter 9-11

This section deals mainly with the rejection of Christ by the Jewish nation as a whole. As well, Paul deals with the definition of who a true “Jew” is. Israel believed that they were saved because of their ethnicity and that only they were meant to have salvation. Paul demonstrates how that all who are justified by faith are the spiritual seed of Abraham. We also learn that the Gospel’s rejection by the Jews made possible its acceptance by the Gentiles.


Practical Application: Chapter 12-16

Chapter 12 deals with the quality of our spiritual life and how we are to deal with others, both friend and foe. Chapter 13 teaches us how we are to deal with those in governmental authority over us and of the urgency of salvation. Chapters 14 and 15 deal with matters of mutual respect and judgment and the example we have in righteousness in Jesus Christ. In chapter 16, we see Paul’s example of love for the brethren in his greetings to certain members of the church at Rome. And finally in chapter 16:17-20 we have Paul’s admonition to remain faithful and holy and to mark those who cause division.

A Father’s Day Letter To Our Heavenly Father

Dear Heavenly Father:

Words cannot describe my feelings of gratitude and love for You. You have given me all that I have, and You have seen to it that nothing I needed was held back from me. You gave me life; You gave me of your time and You even gave to me that which was most precious of Yours. You made sacrifice after sacrifice for me, not out of a sense of obligation, but because You loved me and wanted for me to have the best.

I thank you Father, for Your love and Your care for me, even though at times I was grossly undeserving of it, and rarely loved You in return. I turned my back on You and did not appreciate Your sacrifices, or Your love. But You, Dear Father, never gave up on me. You put up with all the abuse You received from me and You were patient while I was in open defiance and rebellion against You and Your teachings.

But now, Dear Father, through Your careful, patient and tender-loving care of me and through Your teachings, You have changed my life and shown me how me to become a child worthy of You. I therefore pray, that one day, I will become the kind of man that You would be proud to have as a son.

Dear Father, You have completely forgiven me of all that I have done against You and even built for me a place in Your house. You have received me back into Your life and blessed me once more with a family and a brotherhood. Father, surrounded by the evidence of Your love, I stand amazed that You have chosen to do all this for such a undeserving and unworthy child as I am. I hope and pray, Dear Father that I will never forget, nor take for granted Your love and concern for me; that I will always be mindful of You and that I will be ever grateful for Your wonderful expression of paternal loving-kindness toward me.

Finally, Dear Father, I pray that I can be the kind of father to my children that You would have me to be and that they will come to know You and to love You as I do. I pray that they will come to a knowledge of, and understanding of Your Word; that they can truly be in fellowship with You and know You as I do. Dear Lord, You have given so much to me and I pray that I will give myself wholly to You and that I will never again forsake You. Father, I love You with all my heart, all my soul, and all my mind. I pray that my worship this Father’s Day will be to you a sweet savor and that it will be done in spirit, as well as in truth. Dear Father, as I close this letter, I want you to know that I will dedicate each and every day of my life to You and that truly every day, to me, will be Father’s Day.

In Love and Awe of You,

Your Humble and Obedient Child