October 7, 2026

Trusting in Christ for Our Salvation

Baptism

Ask nearly any professed Christian, and they will affirm that one needs to put their trust in Christ in order to be saved. But what exactly does that mean? Interestingly, the New Testament does not use that phrase (trust/trusting in Christ) in reference to salvation, but the concept is certainly there. However, we need to be very careful how we understand and explain this. Just because the New Testament teaches the concept that we must trust in Christ for salvation does not mean that every claim people make about what this means is valid. We want to understand what the Bible – particularly the New Testament – teaches about this. So let us consider it now.Continue Reading

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October 5, 2026

Hermeneutics (Part 3): Generic and Specific Authority

Hermeneutics

So far in our study of hermeneutics, we have discussed the need for authority and how authority is established. As we continue thinking about the concept of authority, we need to consider the difference between generic and specific authority. If we fail to understand the difference, we can get ourselves into trouble, and we will notice how.Continue Reading

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September 30, 2026

The Mystery of Godliness

The Apostle Paul

Many churches have some statement of faith or confession that they adopt as a unifying belief. A common one is the “Apostles’ Creed”* (despite the name, it did not originate with the apostles, but came about in the fourth century). Some churches recite this in their worship services.

We might agree with the content of the Apostles’ Creed if we are careful how we define the terms. However, rather than adopting a man-made confession like this, we should go to the Bible. Paul expressed a statement of faith about Jesus in his first letter to Timothy:

“By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory” (1 Timothy 3:16).

He said this was a “common confession” among Christians, and these points were “without controversy” (KJV) in the first-century church. This is what they believed, and we must believe these things as well.

So what is this “mystery of godliness”? By using the term “mystery,” Paul referred to something that was previously hidden but has now been revealed. They all pertain to spiritual truth. In this article, we will examine this “common confession” and see what we should believe about Jesus.Continue Reading

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September 28, 2026

Hermeneutics (Part 2): How Authority Is Established

HermeneuticsIn the previous article, we discussed the need for authority. However, recognizing that authority is important will not do us any good if we fail to understand how to determine what has been commanded by Christ and authorized in His word. So in this article, we are going to see how authority is established. To do this, we will consider how God communicates His will to us, and look at a practical example to see how to apply this.Continue Reading

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September 21, 2026

Hermeneutics (Part 1): The Need for Authority

Hermeneutics

As we begin our study of hermeneutics, we will start with a discussion of authority, because this is why learning how to interpret Scripture is important. The Bible is not like other works of literature. We may study to understand the works of Homer, Shakespeare, and others for academic reasons, or simply for our own personal enjoyment. Yet the Scriptures are different. The Bible is more than just an interesting, informative, or inspiring book; it contains the very words of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). This makes it different from other books because of the authority Jesus Christ has over every aspect of our lives. So in the first part of our study, we will consider the need for authority.Continue Reading

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September 16, 2026

If a Man Will Not Believe the Apostle Peter…

John H. Hundley (1796-1881)

John H. Hundley (1796-1881) was a gospel preacher who spent most of his life in Alabama. Though not as familiar to us as men like Alexander Campbell and Barton W. Stone, Hundley, like them,  sought to go back to the Bible for his authority in religious matters. His open mind and study of the Scriptures (as well as the influence of Walter Scott’s journal The Evangelist) led him to leave the Presbyterian church. He was immersed into Christ and helped found the church of Christ in Mooresville, Alabama.

In 1858, Hundley published a book titled The Plan of Salvation in which he explained what the New Testament taught about what one had to do to be saved. In it, he cited Peter’s words on the day of Pentecost:

Again, on the day of Pentecost, when the three thousand believed, and requested what they should do to be saved, Peter replied, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins.” (The Plan of Salvation, p. 80)

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September 14, 2026

Hermeneutics: Introduction

HermeneuticsHermeneutics refers to the study of how to interpret the Bible. This is a vital topic because it involves learning how to properly handle the Scriptures that have been given to us by God. Paul spoke of how important this is when he wrote to Timothy:

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

In that verse, the apostle explained that it requires effort to learn how to handle God’s word accurately. Handling it accurately necessarily requires us to interpret it properly.Continue Reading

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