October 1, 2007

Divorce for Any Reason at All?

The problem of divorce is one that is very obvious in our society. About half of all marriages end in divorce. Families are torn apart. Lives are ruined. We all know people who have been directly affected by this problem. As it has spread throughout our society, we have seen it more in the church as well.

However, this is not a new problem. In the days when Jesus walked on the earth, He was asked about this very topic. Some of the Pharisees asked him about the proper cause for putting away one’s mate. Of course, they asked him for the purpose of trapping Him in His answer. Their question was, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all” (Matthew 19:3)?
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October 1, 2007

Some Things That Christians Cannot Do

List

As Christians, there are many things that we should not do; but we also read in the Bible of some things that Christians cannot do. In this article, we will notice four such things that Jesus mentioned in the Sermon on the Mount. In this sermon, Jesus showed the type of character one must have to be a part of His kingdom. As we go through these, keep in mind that these are things Jesus said we cannot do. Let us not think that we might be the exception or that there is a loophole. Paul said, “Let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).
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October 1, 2007

The Body of Sin

Mannequins

“Behold the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear” (Isaiah 59:1-2).

This passage shows that our sins cause us to be separated from God. While this is a terrible consequence of sin, there is another danger that is in addition to this separation. The Bible teaches that if we allow it, sin can control us. Paul warned the saints in Rome about this:
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October 1, 2007

The Great Conspiracy

Many people are fascinated by conspiracy theories. Some believe the attacks on the World Trade Centers on September 11, 2001 were a conspiracy by the U.S. government. There is the theory that we did not really land a spacecraft on the moon in 1969, but that it was staged in a secret location as part of a government conspiracy. While many of the conspiracy theories we may hear are probably not true, they are still a source of fascination for many.

What is a conspiracy? Generally, a conspiracy can be described as a secret plan by two or more persons intent on bringing harm to a person or group and/or causing the conspirators to gain power, wealth, or both. Conspirators have a goal, something they want to accomplish. This is not always apparent, of course, because it is secret. Conspirators have to hide the truth, both of their goal and their plan. But people generally will want answers or an explanation as to why certain things are happening. So they have to convince them of a lie or a partial truth. These things are generally true for conspiracies.
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September 18, 2007

Concepts or Carefulness?

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others” (Matthew 23:23).

Jesus mentioned two ways in which one might serve God. One way is to take the larger principles (justice, mercy, faithfulness) and go through life trying to live by those principles. The other way is to pay close attention to the smallest details of the law (tithing of herbs), no matter how insignificant that might seem to others.
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September 5, 2007

Do Not Receive Him into Your House

When Paul came to Thessalonica, he began preaching in the synagogue with some success (Acts 17:1-4). However, many of the Jews became upset and caused an uproar (Acts 17:5). They searched for Paul and Silas, the ones who had “turned the world upside down” with their teaching (Acts 17:6). When they could not find them, they brought Jason and some of the other brethren before the city authorities (Acts 17:6-7). What charge did they bring against Jason? He “welcomed them” (Acts 17:7).
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September 1, 2007

Immodesty in Dress: Who is to Blame?

Moral standards are being lowered all around us. One obvious area is in the type of dress people wear. Clothing generally has become shorter, tighter, and lower-cut. The problem of immodest dress has affected members of the Lord’s church as well. Some are either so bold or so ignorant that they even dress immodestly to the assembly of the saints. Who is to blame for this rising problem among God’s people?
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