March 5, 2025

The Spirit as a Pledge

Handshake

“For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge” (2 Corinthians 5:1-5).

In the passage above, after describing the eternal home in heaven that the Lord has prepared for His people, Paul talked about God giving the Holy Spirit “as a pledge.” We might wonder what this means. What is a pledge? Why did God do this? How is the Spirit given in this way?

Paul used the same language in his letter to the church in Ephesus, when he wrote, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14). That passage also mentioned being “sealed…with the Holy Spirit.” The same thought is expressed earlier in Paul’s second letter to Corinth: “Who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge” (2 Corinthians 1:22).

It is helpful to understand what Paul meant in these passages. This is intended to assure Christians of their hope. So in this article, we will examine what it means for the Spirit to be a “pledge” and what benefit this has for us.Continue Reading

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February 19, 2025

Worship That Honors God

High Priest

“‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?’ says the Lord of hosts… ‘Oh that there were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you,’ says the Lord of hosts…” (Malachi 1:6, 10).

In the passage where the above verses are found, God addressed the worship offered to Him. He asked, “Where is my honor?” This rhetorical question shows that they had dishonored God through their worship.

How did they dishonor God? They did not cease to offer worship, but they might as well have because their sacrifices had become worthless. Instead, they worshipped God in a way that did not honor Him.

It might seem incredible that God would reject the worship someone offers to Him. Yet as God – the one who created us and is worthy of worship – this is His prerogative. He has every right to refuse to accept worship that is not according to His standard. Just as He did this during the days of Malachi, He does the same today.

We need to learn from their mistakes so we can honor God in our worship. How can we offer the kind of worship that pleases God? A few points in the text help answer this question.Continue Reading

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February 5, 2025

Why Did Jesus Die on the Cross?

Crucifixion

Many people talk about our purpose as Christians in terms that seem to have reduced it to things that pertain to this world – loving others, being a good neighbor, being part of a close-knit community of Christians, and so on. All those are good and important, but is that all there is to being a Christian?

If the Lord’s purpose for us is that we would essentially be part of one big social club that makes a positive impact on those around us, we might ask the question: Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?

After all, even atheists and religious people who do not believe in Christ (Muslims, Hindus, Jews, etc.) can form close relationships with others and help the people around them. Yet none of them acknowledge the Lordship of Christ, and they believe the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth was nothing more than a historical fact (if that).

If we reduce Christianity to being nothing more than eating together, helping one another, and showing concern for those around us, how are we different from atheists and unbelievers who simply try to get along with others and help those in need?Continue Reading

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January 8, 2025

Producing and Developing Disciples

Seedlings

Paul told Timothy of his responsibility to take “the things which [he] heard from [Paul]” and “entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). The apostle then mentioned three “occupations” that illustrated Timothy’s work – soldiers, athletes, and farmers.

“Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops” (2 Timothy 2:3-6).

Two of those (soldiers and farmers) were directly related to his work in making disciples. In a similar passage, Paul mentioned another “occupation” connected to this – shepherds.

“Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?” (1 Corinthians 9:7).

The work of making disciples is ongoing from generation to generation (2 Timothy 2:2), which means we must do it today. But how? By doing the work of the farmer, the shepherd, and the soldier. We will explore this idea in this article.Continue Reading

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January 1, 2025

Different Perspectives

Shadows

Each person has a different background, upbringing, life experience, education, and so on. Therefore, we approach things with a unique perspective. Because of this, people can look at one event, fact, or piece of information and react very differently. A simple example of this is in the realm of sports. A fan of one team can watch a game with a fan of the opposing team, and though there is just one outcome (one team wins the game), one fan will celebrate while the other is disappointed.

Following the Babylonian captivity, God’s people assembled in Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. When the foundation of the temple was completed, two contradictory reactions were made to it.

“Now when the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord according to the directions of King David of Israel. They sang, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, saying, ‘For He is good, for His lovingkindness is upon Israel forever.’ And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. Yet many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard far away” (Ezra 3:10-13).

This is an example of people viewing an event from different perspectives and reacting accordingly. Those who had never seen the first temple shouted for joy. Those who had seen the first temple and knew from personal experience the difference between the two wept.

This was not a matter of right and wrong. The people who rejoiced were not wrong to do so, nor was it wrong for the ones who wept to react the way they did. Yet the need at that moment was to build the new temple. Their different perspectives were understandable and were even fine to have as long as they did not hinder them from doing the work the Lord wanted them to do.Continue Reading

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December 10, 2024

Calling Names of False Teachers

Preacher pointing

At the beginning of his short epistle, Jude said Christians are to “contend earnestly for the faith” (Jude 3).  This includes “destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Therefore, of necessity, we must oppose false doctrine and those who teach error.

However, when it comes to identifying false teachers by name, there is disagreement among brethren about whether this is appropriate. Many believe we cannot label someone as a false teacher unless we go to that person first. Is that something we should be required to do?Continue Reading

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December 4, 2024

Taking Meals Together

Potluck

The New Testament repeatedly emphasizes the togetherness of brethren in the early church. The fellowship that they shared was based upon their common faith – “those who had believed were together” (Acts 2:44). When John wrote his first epistle, he explained that “our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ,” and that they could “have fellowship with [each other]” through the proclamation of the gospel (1 John 1:3). As we have fellowship with God, we are naturally to have fellowship with the people of God.

Shortly after the church was established on the day of Pentecost, Luke recorded that those first Christians were not just meeting together but were also eating together.

“Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:46-47).

Many churches – even among churches of Christ – host what are sometimes called “fellowship meals.” These meals are hosted by a congregation and conducted as part of the church’s work. In fact, when many people hear the word fellowship, they automatically think of food. But is a church-sponsored meal what we read about in the passage above? If not, is a local church at least authorized to facilitate its members “taking their meals together” as part of its work? There are a few points I want us to consider.Continue Reading

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