February 4, 2015

Thoughts on the Bible-Minded Cities Report

2015 Bible-Minded Cities

The Barna Group released a report on “Bible-Minded” cities. The report ranked the “Bible-mindedness” of individuals in the 100 largest media markets in the United States. According to the criteria of the Barna Group, an individual is “Bible-minded” based on two qualifications:

  1. They “report reading the Bible in a typical week.”
  2. They “strongly assert the Bible is accurate in the principles it teaches.”

It is interesting to read reports like this one. Regardless of how “Bible-minded” the cities are in which we live, there are some points we should consider.
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December 17, 2014

Happy Birthday, Jesus?

Nativity Scene

For most of us, the holidays are for spending time with family and enjoying the blessings that we have in this life. But for many in the religious world, the Christmas holiday is also a time for them to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Some even believe that Jesus was born on December 25th. Therefore, they observe Christmas (December 25th) as a religious holy day. However, there are two problems with this:
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November 12, 2014

Traditionalism and Illiteracy

Matthew recorded a discussion that Jesus had with the Pharisees and scribes on the subject of traditions. The Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus about His disciples breaking “the tradition of the elders” by not washing hands before eating bread (Matthew 15:1-2). Jesus responded by questioning them about another tradition in which they neglected to care for their parents in need, but justified themselves by claiming to have given the money that would have helped them to God (Matthew 15:4-5). Jesus said that keeping their tradition caused them to “transgress the commandment of God” (Matthew 15:3). They had “invalidated the word of God for the sake of [their] tradition” (Matthew 15:6).

The Pharisees and scribes were blinded by traditionalism. While there was nothing wrong with their tradition to wash hands before eating bread, their tradition blinded them to the fact that no sin was committed by one not washing his hands. The other tradition that Jesus cited led to a direct violation of God’s law. Yet their tradition blinded them to their sin of failing to honor their father and mother.

Jesus connected their traditionalism with the prophecy of Isaiah:

“You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men’” (Matthew 15:7-9).

If we look at the context of Isaiah’s prophecy, we can see that Jesus likened their traditionalism to illiteracy.
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October 15, 2014

Hold Fast the Word

Open Bible

“Hold fast the word.” This statement, or one similar to it, is found several times in the New Testament. The “word” to which we are to “hold fast” is the word of God. But why are we to hold fast to it? We can answer that question by examining the passages that contain this admonition. There are several reasons why we must continue to “hold fast the word.” Let us notice the reasons presented to us in the Scriptures.
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October 1, 2014

“Do Not Be Conformed”

Do Not Be Conformed

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

Paul warned the saints in Rome that they were not to be conformed to the world. Why was such a warning necessary? What is it that makes conformity to the world such a temptation for Christians? And why does the world want Christians to conform? We will consider these questions in this article.
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August 21, 2014

How One’s Heart Becomes Hardened

Pharaoh - Plague of Flies

“Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:12-13).

The Hebrew writer warned about brethren developing an unbelieving heart that had been hardened by sin. This came in the middle of two warnings against following the poor example of the Israelites: “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me” (Hebrews 3:7-8, 15).

The example of the Israelites hardening their hearts is a warning for us. However, the Israelites also had an example from whom they should have learned – Pharaoh. In this article, we will focus on the example of Pharaoh and how his heart became hardened. In considering this, we will hopefully recognize what we can do to prevent our hearts from hardening as well.
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June 25, 2014

The Preaching Demanded by the Gospel

Preacher

God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Salvation and knowledge of the truth are not two separate desires that God has for man, but are necessarily linked together. Knowledge of the truth is necessary for salvation because “the gospel…is the power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16). When the Lord returns, judgment will come against “those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel” (2 Thessalonians 1:8).

God calls us to Him through the gospel. Paul told the brethren in Thessalonica that they were “called…through our gospel” (2 Thessalonians 2:14). The call of the gospel is spread through preaching (Romans 10:14; Mark 16:15).

Understanding the importance of the gospel and the necessity of preaching to spread the gospel, what should characterize our preaching? Let us notice a few characteristics of sound gospel preaching.
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