September 17, 2009

How to Overcome

Climbing a mountain

The book of Revelation was written to encourage Christians to endure the sufferings and persecutions ahead of them in order to receive their reward from God. Generally, the sufferings we face today are much different – often less severe – than what they faced near the close of the first century. But one thing remains the same – we must overcome Satan and his devices in order to be rewarded by God in the end.

So how do we overcome? The letter to the seven churches helps answer that question. John recorded, “And they overcome him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death” (Revelation 12:11). This verse mentioned three things they did, and that we must also do, to overcome the devil and his schemes.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , , ,
August 30, 2009

Did Jesus Bend the Rules for the Woman Caught in Adultery?

Jesus and the Woman Taken in Adultery

On one occasion when Jesus was in the temple, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman before Him who had allegedly been caught in the act of adultery. It is an interesting account, and some have tried to use it to argue that we should not try to strictly follow God’s word. But as we examine the passage, we can see that Jesus teaches just the opposite – we must be careful and diligent to follow what God’s word teaches.

The scribes and Pharisees brought this woman before Jesus, claiming that she was “caught in adultery, in the very act” (John 8:4). Then they tested Jesus: “Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do you say?” (John 8:5). They were trying to find some reason to accuse Him, presumably either to take Him before the Roman rulers or to turn the people against Him. In either case, Jesus initially ignored their question.

When they pressed Him, He responded, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). Then, one by one, each of them left until there was no one left but Jesus and this woman. He asked her, “‘Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord,’ And Jesus said, ‘I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more’” (John 8:10-11).
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , ,
August 24, 2009

How to Keep Doing Good

Young man thinking

James wrote, “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). It is obviously important that we know what God expects of us. But sometimes we know what is right yet, for whatever reason, we do not do it. James plainly said that this is sin. Whether it is due to weakness, forgetfulness, or willful rebellion, we are too often guilty of doing things we ought not to do.

What are we to do about this? Should we give up and surrender to the devil? No! We are to “resist the devil” (James 4:7). Should we be content in sin? Absolutely not! “How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:2). We are to work to “lay aside every…sin which so easily entangles us” (Hebrews 12:1), no matter how large or small, common or rare.

With the devil and his servants trying to discourage us and make us fall, how do we keep the faith and continue to do what is right?
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , ,
August 19, 2009

Cannibalism & Discipleship: Which is More Difficult to Accept?

Jesus Teaching

Jesus taught the multitudes, “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh” (John 6:48-51).

Jesus’ words perplexed the people who were listening to Him. They wondered, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” (John 6:52). They were thinking in terms of eating His physical flesh and blood body. In the following verses, Jesus continued on this point: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life… For My flesh is true food and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. …he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me” (John 6:53-57).
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , ,
July 9, 2009

What Is Sin?

No Trespassing

The Scriptures are clear in depicting sin as something terrible. Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2). The punishment for it is eternal, spiritual death (Romans 6:23). Sin is the reason why Jesus had to suffer a torturous death on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). But some may not have learned or may need to be reminded about what sin is. Let us notice three brief points.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , ,
July 2, 2009

By Faith Abel Offered a Better Sacrifice Than Cain

Cain and Abel

Hebrews 11 contains many examples of faith. The first individual mentioned is Abel. His faith was demonstrated through the sacrifice he offered to God.

“By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks” (Hebrews 11:4).

In Genesis 4, we read of the sacrifices of these two brothers.

“So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground. Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell” (Genesis 4:3-5).

Why did God accept Abel’s offering but not Cain’s? We are not told in Genesis, but we were told in Hebrews 11:4. Abel’s offering was accepted because it was offered “by faith.”
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: ,
June 1, 2009

Quibbles About Baptism

Quibbles About Baptism

One of the major distinctions between brethren and the religious world relates to how we understand baptism. We teach that baptism is necessary for salvation (Mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21), is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16), and is our entrance into the Lord’s kingdom (Acts 2:41, 47; 1 Corinthians 12:13). Many others teach that baptism is an outward sign of an inward grace (that we are saved before and without baptism) and that it is for membership in a local church or denominational body.

Of course, there are no passages in the New Testament that teach baptism is an outward sign of an inward grace or that we are baptized to gain membership into a local church (and certainly not into a denomination since the New Testament does not speak about them at all). Instead of trying to twist passages in order to provide positive support for these ideas, denominationalists will generally will try to make arguments against the necessity of baptism. They quibble about various passages to try to attack the truth about baptism. Let us notice some passages that people try to use in arguing that baptism is not essential for salvation.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , , ,