Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). This simple, concise statement reveals some important truths.
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October 1, 2008
The Way, the Truth, and the Life
September 21, 2008
Those Who Do Not Know God
When the Lord returns, He will come “dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thessalonians 1:8).
It may be understandable why those who refuse to obey the gospel will be punished. But what about those who never hear the gospel – those who do not know God? Is it really fair for God to punish people because they never heard? People have wondered this and even questioned God’s justice.
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September 14, 2008
Waiting Patiently
“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
In the context surrounding this verse, Peter was talking about the coming day of the Lord. This judgment would not come as quickly as some thought it would, which caused them to mock the idea and believe it would never happen (2 Peter 3:3-4).
The length of time until the day of the Lord is not the result of God being slow about His promise. After all, Peter said, “With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day” (2 Peter 3:8). God is not bound or regulated by time like we are. The wait until that day is not due to God’s slowness, but God’s patience.
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September 1, 2008
The Great Commission: Mission Accomplished
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15).
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19).
These verses contain two different accounts of Jesus’ instruction to His apostles regarding what they were to do following His ascension. We often call this the “Great Commission.” Their responsibility was to tell the world of the gospel of Christ in order to bring followers to Him.
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September 1, 2008
The Sword of Christ
The Bible describes Jesus as the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). This is certainly true, but we must understand that His peace is not the same peace that men often desire and pursue today. The peace Jesus came to bring was reconciliation between man and God (Ephesians 2:13-18). He dealt with the issue that was the cause of the enmity – sin (Isaiah 59:1-2). The peace of Christ is not the tolerant, non-judgmental attitude that has overtaken the religious world.
In His mission to bring about peace between man and God, Jesus was rejected by the people and crucified (Isaiah 53:3; Acts 2:22-23). Therefore, it is only natural to think that His followers would be despised by the world. In fact, Jesus warned His disciples of this:
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September 1, 2008
The Divinely Given Role of Civil Government
With this being a Presidential election year, there is much debate in this country about what the government ought to do. Discussions about what the next President should do regarding education, energy, the economy, and other issues are common. Christians in this country have some voice in selecting the leaders of this nation. Since we have the opportunity to participate in the process of electing leaders, our first step in making a decision must be to look to the Bible to see what role God has given civil government.
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September 1, 2008
To the Law and to the Testimony!
When one scans the religious landscape, particularly the segment of religious people who claim to be Christians, it does not take long to see a broad range of doctrines, beliefs, and practices. How is it that people that claim to follow Christ can believe and teach things that are not only different from each other, but completely contradictory to one another? The answer lies in how we use God’s divine standard.
The standard that God has given us is His word. It contains the truth (Psalm 119:160; John 17:17). His word is the standard that will judge us in the last day (John 12:48). Therefore, if we want to please the Lord, we must follow His word (John 14:15; Psalm 119:11).
“To the law and to the testimony!” (Isaiah 8:20). These words must be our attitude. Do the things we believe, teach, and practice harmonize with the word of God? When a question arises, our first response must be to consult God’s word.
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