November 1, 2005

“My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?”

Crucifixion

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Jesus uttered these words as He hung on the cross. But what do these words mean? Some believe Jesus asked this question because the Father had actually forsaken Him. They say the Father “turned His back” on Christ. This idea is so common, you might expect to see those actual words used in the text. They are not. The Bible does not say the Father turned His back on His Son. But was Jesus in fact “forsaken” by the Father? Or do these words have another meaning?
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November 1, 2005

What’s the Point?

[This article was written by Matt Nevins.]

Each day millions of people wake up in the morning, go through various activities through the day, and go back to sleep that night. Some have developed a schedule that is followed daily. Life becomes repetitive and people tend to get stuck in the rut of everyday life. The monotony that may occur will cause individuals to raise the question, “What is the point to life?” Mankind has a fundamental need of purpose and a sense of value in order to have a satisfying or meaningful life. Answering the question, “What is the point?” will provide the drive needed to establish a meaningful life.

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November 1, 2005

Every Good and Perfect Gift

Sunrise over the mountainsAs human beings, we have a tendency to compare ourselves with others. We want to be better or better off than those around us. If we do not believe that we are, we can become frustrated and unhappy. This is often true when it comes to our physical possessions. We want to have what the other guy has. We often compare ourselves to those who have as much or more than we do. But if we stop comparing ourselves with others and consider the blessings we have, we can easily see how blessed we are.

To keep things in their proper perspective, we need to remember the source of our blessings. “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow” (James 1:17). God knows better than we do what is good for us. He has promised to provide us with our necessities if we follow His will (Matthew 6:25-34). But He has blessed us even above our necessities. He does so according to His will (James 4:15). We should not feel cheated if God blesses someone else more than He does us. Instead, we should be “giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God” (Ephesians 5:20).
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October 8, 2005

White-washed Tombs

[Article written by Matt Nevins. Originally published in his email newsletter “The Lamp.”]

In the days of Jesus, there were sects within the Jewish religion. We frequently read of the scribes and Pharisees questioning Jesus. In Matthew 23, Jesus exposes the flaws that were prevalent within these sects. Among the flaws exposed, their hypocrisy is compared to white-washed tombs (Mt. 23:27-28). Though the Pharisees outwardly seemed to be religious and righteous, God knew their hearts were not truly religious and unrighteous. Their appearance and what was truth were two different things, thus being hypocritical. Hypocrisy is not a problem of the first century; but is a problem still prevalent today.
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October 8, 2005

Sing to Me of Heaven

[Article written by Matt Nevins. Originally published in his email newsletter “The Lamp.”]

We have sung the song “Sing to Me of Heaven” several times in our lifetimes. I feel that many individuals just sing the song without looking at the words and the message we need to be teaching one another as we sing (Eph. 5:19, Col. 3:16). The point of the song is to excite every Christian of the home that will await those who are faithful to the Lord. Just imagine what it will be like there to be reunited with other saints who have fallen asleep, to feel no more pain, and to never more have to face temptation. That is what we need to be thinking about when we sing such songs like “Sing to Me of Heaven.”
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October 1, 2005

Will Only Members of the Church of Christ Be Saved?

A common criticism about those who are members of churches of Christ is that “they think they are the only ones going to heaven.” It is likely that we have heard this or something similar to it before. The important question for us to answer is not whether people are making this claim or not. We need to be answering the question, “Is it true that only members of the church of Christ will be saved?” The answer to this question, as well as any Bible question, will not be found in the opinions of you, me, or any other man. The answer is in the word of God.
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October 1, 2005

Fellowship, Just a Social Gathering?

[This article was written by Justin Monts.]

Today when we hear the word “fellowship” many say they already smell the coffee and donuts. It is sad that the Bible concept of Christian fellowship has been diminished and distorted as to mean nothing more than food, frolic, and fun. I once asked a man where his authority for the so-called “fellowship hall” was and he replied, “I believe we have authority for the fellowship hall in the command to fellowship.”
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