Articles

The Sufferings of Paul Didn’t Stop Him…

Leave a comment

Have you ever noticed how many people are willing to just give up when they face even the slightest hardship? This same attitude is pervasive in the church today. There are those who almost seek reasons to skip the worship assembly. If it is raining, they won’t go. If there is family visiting, they won’t go. If it is night-time, they won’t go (even though there are people who would gladly pick them up and bring them). If they have a sniffle, they won’t go. How about looking at what the apostle Paul endured, and then see if you really have an excuse.

The apostle to the Gentiles listed just a sampling of the hardships he endured in II Corinthians 11. He was beaten so many times that he had lost count (verse 23). He was thrown in prison often because of his faith. He was in danger of death from the time he first became a Christian, and it was a constant threat (see Acts 14:19-20). He was beaten with whips 195 times (II Corinthians 11:24). He was stoned, left for dead. He was in perils everywhere he went: in the cities, in the wilderness, in the sea, and among false brethren. Yet, after suffering through all of those things (and many more not mentioned) he still went about preaching the word of God.

Paul wouldn’t let being publicly beaten keep him from worshiping God, yet many brethren today think a sniffle is a viable excuse to God. Paul made it a point to worship with the saints wherever he went, even if it meant the possibility of being stoned to death; yet many brethren think God will overlook their skipping services because they have family over and “have to” entertain them. Those with that attitude don’t understand Romans 8:18, “The sufferings of this present world are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us.” If Paul saw what you are doing today, would he be pleased or disappointed in you?

-Bradley Cobb

Articles, Bible Questions

Bible Q&A – How Many Cups?

Leave a comment

Dear sir, a friend of mine said that it is sinful to use more than one cup per congregation when taking the Lord’s Supper, and that everyone must drink from that one cup.  He said that Jesus took “the cup” (singular), and therefore, we can only use one cup.  What does the Bible say about this?–Anonymous

Thanks for the question.  It is true that we have some good, sincere brethren that insist that you can only use one cup in the Lord’s Supper.  They claim there is a special significance to the one cup.  They claim that Jesus only authorized one cup.

How can we know for sure? As always, let’s go to the Bible!

I Corinthians 10:16-17 has the apostle Paul (who at that point was sitting in the city of Ephesus) writing to Christians in Corinth (which was over 100 miles away, across the Aegean Sea).  And in that passage, he says “the cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, being many, are one bread and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.”

Did you notice that? He said that the Christians in Ephesus, as well as the Christians in Corinth all used the same cup!  Now, was Paul saying they (over 100 miles apart) used the same literal cup each time they took the Lord’s Supper?  Of course not, because that would be physically impossible.

It is pointed out by these brethren that the Bible says we are to “drink this cup [singular]” (I Corinthians 11:26), and that Jesus took the cup and said that as often as we drink it [the cup, singular] we are to do it in remembrance of Him (I Corinthians 11:25).  Our brethren in Christ then ask, “In light of this evidence, how can we come to any other conclusion?”

It’s not the cup that is being drunk, it’s the stuff in the cup.

If the focus is on one literal cup, then that one literal cup (not the stuff in it, but the cup itself) has to be drunk…by each person present.  Don’t drink the contents, but drink the actual container.  Put it in your mouth and swallow it.  Jesus is obviously talking about drinking the “fruit of the vine” which is in the cup.  You can’t drink a literal cup.

IF we are only permitted to use one cup in the Lord’s Supper, then it must be the same cup that Jesus Himself used!  Jesus said this cup is the New Testament in my blood (I Corinthians 10:25).  And every congregation across the entire world must use that one exact cup.

But let’s look at one more verse which settles the issue.

Luke 22:17 – “And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “take this, and divide it among yourselves.”

Look at that passage, and you will see that it was after telling them to divide it among themselves that he instituted the Lord’s Supper (verses 19-20).  When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, the fruit of the vine was already in twelve different cups.

The conclusion from this is that the number of cups doesn’t matter—it’s what is in the cup that counts.

–Bradley Cobb

Articles

And We’re Complaining?

Leave a comment

We have had it good for a very long time. You don’t believe me? Name one Christian in America who has been murdered because he stood for his faith. Can’t think of any? How about naming a Christian in America who was beaten by order of the government? We’ve had it so good that we are actually shocked and outraged when the government does something that might cause us to suffer in some way.

To put it bluntly, we have become spoiled.

Is it horrible that the Supreme Court has made decisions that go against the Bible? Is it infuriating when the president forcefully promotes homosexuality?  Of course. But since when is it the government’s job to determine what is biblically right or wrong?

It would benefit all Christians to have a history lesson.

The New Testament was written during the days of the Roman Empire. Most of it was written during the reign of a guy named Nero. Some things you might not remember about him:

  • He was an open homosexual, going so far as to marrying a young boy.
  • He had Christians in Rome arrested, then had them covered in rags and tar, set them up on poles and set them on fire—burning them alive—so that his garden could be lighted at night.
  • He had other Christians arrested and thrown into the arenas to be ripped apart by starving lions.
  • He instituted an official, bloody, empire-wide persecution of Christians that lasted 3 ½ years, and religious people (the Jews) helped him enforce it.
  • And there’s really a lot more…

And we complain about the itty-bitty persecution we’re getting here in America? Really?

It was during the reign of Nero that Peter wrote the words “honor the king” (I Peter 2:17). It was during the reign of Nero that Paul said these words:

Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God. The powers that exist are ordained by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will themselves receive damnation. (Romans 13:1-2)

It was also during the reign of Nero that Paul said:

Therefore, I exhort that—first of all—supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all people, for kings, and for all those in authority (I Timothy 2:1-2).

I can hear it now, I’m supposed to thank God for the corrupt and wicked leaders we have?!?!?

Do you think Paul and Peter were just kidding when they said to honor Nero? To be subject to Nero? To not resist Nero? To pray and give thanks for Nero?

It’s time to realize that even as bad as things may be, they could be worse—a lot worse.

If you want this county’s direction to change, then you have to start changing the people. That’s not done through legislation, but through teaching them the true gospel of Christ.

–Bradley Cobb

Articles

You Can’t Out-Give God

Leave a comment

When it comes to giving, many people seem to give God the leftovers. They get to services on Sunday morning and they look to see what cash they happen to have left in their wallet, then they decide how much of it they’ll need for later. It’s only after doing such that they decide to give what is left to God. Christians should not be like this.   Paul praised the churches of Macedonia for the way they gave (II Corinthians 8:1-5). All can learn from their example.

  • They gave liberally. They knew what was important: putting God first (see Matthew 6:33). They gave as much as they possibly could, even more than Paul thought they could possibly afford. Giving liberally means that they gave freely, in excess.
  • Secondly, they gave joyfully. Instead of feeling like it was something demanded of them or feeling like they were being guilted into it, they were happy to give (see II Corinthians 9:7).
  • They gave out of love. They gave with great joy because the money given was going to help brothers and sisters in need. This shows the amount of love that they had for their fellow Christians.
  • They gave out of their poverty. Like the widow who gave the two mites (all that she had), these Christians did not worry about using the money on themselves. They gave until it hurt, and then gave some more. There are those today who do their budget and after all the bills are paid, they look to see how much they’re going to give God. Giving to God should come first.

What is the result of their giving so freely and without putting themselves first? God sustained them, making sure they did not go without those things they needed. God bestowed blessings upon them (II Corinthians 8:1). No matter how much we give, God is able and ready to bless us above what we have given. Like king David said, “I have been young and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” (Psalm 37:25).

Compare yourselves to the Christians in Macedonia and see how you measure up.

-Bradley Cobb

Articles

Bible Q&A – Is Jesus Deity?

Leave a comment

This week’s Bible Q&A is the last in the series of letters to “Agnostic Agnes.”  The final assignment was, “You’ve convinced Agnes that God exists, and that the Bible is inspired.  Now answer the question, ‘Is Jesus deity?'”

This letter may make you chuckle along the way, but hopefully it will show that you can answer the question from the Bible.  Enjoy!

Dear Aunt Agnes,

How are things going up there on the farm? I heard that the rain washed out the road to your house and you were stuck there with Uncle Bubba for a whole week. I hope you have recovered from that ordeal. I am proud that you went out and got Junior a job at the chicken houses. At least now, he will have a reason to smell.

Grandpa told me you had some of them “Jehovah’s Witnesses” come to your door a couple days ago. He said they were planning on coming back this weekend. Because of that, I decided to send this in an email so you would have it faster. I know they were telling you that Jesus is not really God or a part of God, but that He was just the first angel that was created. That simply is not true, and I’ll try to explain how you can know that Jesus is not a created angel, but that He truly is and was God.

I guess first, we should start off with a more general question: Did Jesus even exist? There are many people (especially atheists) who say that Jesus is a myth and that He never even came to earth. Jesus did exist, and it is not just stated in the Bible. There are other historical sources that prove that Jesus actually existed. Flavius Josephus was a Jewish historian that worked for the Roman Empire around 40-60 years after Jesus died. He wrote a book called “Antiquities of the Jews” in which he spoke of Jesus, called Him the Christ, mentioned His crucifixion, and even mentioned the “tribe of Christians” that still existed to that day, which were named for Him.

There was another man who, while he was in jail, wrote a letter to his son which asked what good came of the Jews executing their wise king. He then said that the Jewish nation was abolished, but the wise king did not die permanently, because his teaching lived on. This was a reference to Jesus, and was written in AD 73, just 40 or so years after Jesus died. This letter is currently on display at the British Museum.

There are several tombs around Jerusalem that have inscribed on them “remember me, Jesus, in the resurrection.” These tombs are from AD 30-60. These people obviously knew Jesus existed, for they were alive at the same time He was. Even people who were against Christianity wrote of Jesus as being a real person. Another historian, named Cornelius Tacitus, wrote in AD 115-117 that “Christos suffered the extreme punishment by Pontius Pilate, and now the followers have spread their lies in Judea and Rome.” Christos is Jesus Christ, and as you can see from the quote, this guy didn’t like Jesus or the Christians. But notice that He admitted that Jesus did exist.

More examples could be given, but I think this is enough for now to show you that Jesus really did exist.

The Bible states pretty clearly that Jesus is God. First, have you ever noticed that it calls Jesus the “Son of God” quite a bit? That shows that Jesus is God. That might sound confusing, but let me explain. Junior is the son of a Berthwait, right? Because of that, he is a Berthwait also, right? He has the qualities of a Berthwait. Just look at his nose and his stomach. There is no mistaking tat Junior is a Berthwait.

The same is true of Jesus. Since He is the Son of God, you would expect Him to have the characteristics of God. What does the Bible say?

God is eternal. The name Jehovah means “the always existing one.” He told Moses that His name was “I AM.” That is in Exodus 3:14, by the way. Well, is Jesus eternal? He said that “before Abraham was, I AM.” Jesus called Himself the always existing one. That was John 8:58. Since Jesus is always existing, He is God.

God is the creator of all things. The first verse of the Bible starts off “In the beginning God created…” John 1:1 says “in the beginning was the Word,” and in verse 3, “all things were created by Him (the Word), and without Him (the Word) was not anything made that was made.” If God made everything, who is “the Word”? In John 1:14, it says “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.” So, we can see that the Word was the only begotten of the Father. That means He was God’s own Son, Jesus. So, if Jesus created all things and nothing was created without Him (as it said in John 1:3), Jesus must be God. Genesis 1:1 said God created everything. You might ask the “Jehovah’s Witness” that comes this weekend to explain to you how Jesus could create everything that was ever created if He was created. That would mean that somehow Jesus created Himself, which is impossible. Colossians 1:16 says that by Jesus “all things” were created in heaven or on earth. Since Jesus created everything, He is God.

God is the only one that can forgive sins. I John 1:9 says if Christians confess our sins, God will forgive us of them. Jesus said that while He was on earth, He had the power to forgive people of their sins. Matthew 9:2 and Luke 7:48 show two different time Jesus forgave people of their sins. Since Jesus could forgive sins while He was on earth, He is God.

God alone is worthy of worship. Even Jesus said that “you shall worship the Lord they God, and Him only shall you serve.” The apostles refused to accept worship, and even angels refuse to accept worship. But Jesus accepted it. He was worshipped at many different times, and said nothing against it, but accepted it. Jesus healed a man and later that man worshipped Him (John 9:35-38). The apostles worshipped Him. Since Jesus accepted worship, He is God.

Now understand, it is easy for someone to claim to be eternal, or be the creator, or to be able to forgive sins, but it is an entirely different thing to prove it. In the Bible, people sent from God always were able to back up their words with miracles. The purpose of miracles was to confirm that the message and the messenger were from God. When Moses was told to go speak to the Israelites and tell them that he was leading them out of Egypt, he asked God “what if they don’t believe me?” God gave him three miracles to perform to prove what he said. These are shown in Exodus 4:1-9.

In Mark 16:17-20, the apostles were sent out to spread the gospel, with miracles to confirm the words they were teaching. When someone was able to work genuine miracles, it showed that God approved of their message. The apostles were able to work these miracles, showing that their message was from God. But the words they spoke were Christ’s words, showing that God approved of them teaching about Jesus Christ.

When Jesus said He had power on earth to forgive sins, some people questioned Him and even accused Him of blasphemy. In order to prove that He had the power on earth to forgive sins, He healed the man that He had forgiven. This man had been bedridden for years, but Jesus made him completely healed and the man got up and walked away with his cot. Jesus performed miracles to prove what He said. He proved He was able to forgive sins, so He proved He was God.

Since miracles show God’s approval of the message and the messenger, Jesus’ miracles confirm the things He taught. It shows that Jesus really was eternal, and therefore He was God. It shows that Jesus really could forgive sins, therefore He was God.

There are clear statements from the inspired writers of the Bible that show Jesus is God. John clearly stated that Jesus is God. He said in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” I know that the “Jehovah’s Witness” told you that it means “the Word was a god,” but that is not true. The original language there literally says “and God was the Word.”

Colossians 2:9 says that in Jesus dwelt all of the fullness of the Godhead bodily. That means Jesus was God in human form. I Timothy 3:16 says that God was manifest (that means clearly seen) in the flesh. Colossians 1:15 says that Jesus was the image of the invisible God.

In Acts 20:28, Paul tells the elders of the church at Ephesus to “take heed to the church of God…which He purchased with His own blood.” When did God buy something with His own blood? I Peter 1:18-19 says Christians are redeemed (bought back) with the precious blood of Christ. This also shows that Jesus is God.

Paul calls Jesus “our glorious God” in Titus 2:13. He calls God our savior in Titus 1:3, and in the next verse, He calls Christ our savior, showing that they are one and the same. Hebrews 1:8 shows God saying to Jesus “thy throne, o God…” So God calls Jesus “God.”

I think that should give you enough information for now to show that Jesus really is God. But while we’re on the topic of Jesus, there’s one more thing I think I ought to discuss before I let you go.

Some people, realizing that they can’t argue with the evidence of Jesus’ existence, have tried to say that Jesus never really died on the cross, or if He did, He never was raised from the dead. Neither one of those statements are true.

First, just look at all the people in the Bible who confirmed that Jesus died on the cross. All four gospel writers state that He died (specifically, that He “gave up the ghost”). The soldiers who were in charge of the crucifixion confirmed that Jesus was dead (John 19:32-33). Pilate was told Jesus was dead, but made sure for himself by sending for the Centurion in charge (Mark 15:44-45). After He was dead, even the Pharisees (Jesus’ enemies) confirmed He was dead (Matthew 27:63). Therefore, there is no way that He could have just fainted on the cross.

There is no doubt, going by the Bible, that Jesus was indeed dead. He was buried in a tomb, and the tomb was sealed. The Sunday after He died, the tomb was found empty. The burial cloths were still there, including the face cloth folded by itself. This shows that no grave robber could have taken the body, because they would not have unwrapped the body and then taken it. If the disciples had stolen the body, they would have taken it as is, and the burial cloths would not be left there.

There were many witnesses that saw Jesus after He was risen from the dead. Mary Magdalene saw Him first (Mark 16:9). Afterwards, Peter saw Him (I Corinthians 15:4-5). He was seen by the apostles on multiple occasions (John 20). He was seen by Paul (Acts 9:1-7). He was even seen by around 500 disciples at the same time, most of which were still alive when Paul pointed this fact out (I Corinthians 15:6).

This is evidenced by the change that happened in the life of the apostles after the resurrection. Before Jesus died, the apostles abandoned Him because they feared for their own lives. After the resurrection, they spoke boldly in the face of the same Jewish leaders who had Jesus put to death. Before the resurrection, the disciples met in secret (John 20:19), afterwards, they boldly proclaimed Jesus in the temple in front of thousands (Acts 2). The fact that their lives changed so dramatically shows that the resurrection was true. If the resurrection was a lie, they would not have been willing to take all the constant persecution and possible death that came with being a Christian. Paul even said that if the resurrection was fake, all of his hope was worthless (I Corinthians 15:13-14).

If the resurrection is not a fact, the entire Bible is unreliable. If the resurrection is not a fact, the Bible is a lie. That would mean we have no hope of heaven, we have no right to pray to God to ask for help, and we have no purpose in this world but to live and die. But since the Bible is inspired, we can trust what it says. Jesus was resurrected, and we have our hope!

Throughout the New Testament, evidence is seen of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. That’s what baptism pictures. Paul said in Romans 6:3-4 that we are baptized into His death (therefore He died), and we are raised with Him (therefore He was risen from the dead) to walk in newness of life.

Well, Aunt Agnes, I didn’t mean to write such a long email, but I hope this is helpful. If you need anything else, just let me know. Our teacher has given us a lot of good material on these things, and if you want I can copy them off for you and mail them your way. Tell Uncle Bubba I’m sending them postage due like he did with my birthday card last year. Grandpa still cracks up when he thinks about it.

Brad

Articles

How to be Perfect

Leave a comment

The following article comes from Justified by Works: A Study of the Letter from James (available here).

Thoughts from James 1:4

But let patience have its work finished

Patience doesn’t come all at once.  I’m reminded of a comic strip I saw once that shows a man with his teeth gritted, his forehead crinkled, and his eyes tightly shut as he says the words, “Lord, give me patience, and I need it right now!”  Patience is like a human—it starts off small, and it takes care and nurturing to make it grow.

The gist of what James is saying here is that we are to continue to endure temptation so that our patience can grow to the level of Job—and then to the level of Christ!  This is a true test of your faith in God.  Can you rely on Him so completely through your trials that nothing worries you anymore?  That is perfect patience—complete patience.

The word perfect means mature, complete, or finished.  We’re supposed to let our patience get to a complete state.  And we do this…

So that you may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing.

We need to let our patience grow so that we can grow.  The person who has patiently endured through trials and temptations has grown to a state of maturity.  Simply put, when our patience becomes complete, we become complete.  When our patience has reached a state of perfection, so have we!  Christians often wonder what they can do to be more like Christ—here is the answer!

The word entire means a state of complete wholeness.  There is nothing missing.  In fact, James stresses this point by saying entire, lacking nothing.  When you have built up this amazing level of godly patience and endurance when surrounded by trials and temptations, you have reached a state of maturity and wholeness that few people ever enjoy.

It is highly likely that you know someone who fits this description.  No matter what comes their way, they are calm and resilient, always showing complete trust in God.  They’ve got it all together.  I’d be willing to guess that they weren’t always that way.  It took going through some difficult times to teach them obedience and submission to God.  The Scriptures say the same thing about Jesus.

Even though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things that He suffered.  And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him (Hebrews 5:8).

Jesus Himself had to endure suffering so that He could be perfect and entire, lacking nothing.  And Jesus doesn’t ask us to do anything that He wasn’t willing to do Himself.

It is not easy at first, but the more you work at it, the easier it becomes.  Where are you at in the process?

–Bradley Cobb

Articles

Tracts From the Past – Christians Outside the Church?

Leave a comment

Here is another tract written by James Bales.  The date is unknown, but the content is well worth reading.

Christians Outside the Church ?

JAMES D. BALES

One can be a good moral man outside of the church, but can one be a Christian without being a member of the church which is the body of Christ? The New Testament only can furnish us with the answer.

WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

If one can be a Christian outside of the church it is evident that one can be a Christian outside of what the church is. The church is:

(a)  Composed of the called out (John 17: 14, 20; 2 Thess. 1:1;.2:14; 2 Tim. 1: 8-9).

(b)  The kingdom of heaven (Matt. 16:18, 19; Col. 1:13; Mk. 9:1; Lk. 24:47; Acts 1:8; 2-1-, 47; 8:12; 28:31)

(c)  Composed of those who have been born again (John 3:5).

(d)  The house of God (1 Tim. 3:15).

(e)  The pillar and support of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15).

(f)   Composed of the sanctified (John 17:17, 20; 1 Cor. 1:1; Eph. 1:1).

(g)  The body of Christ (Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22, 23; 1 Cor. 12:27).

(h)  The saved are added to it (Acts 2:41, 47).

(i)    Baptized into it for we are baptized into Christ (Acts 2:41, 47; Gal 3:27).

What person, who knows the Bible, will affirm that one can be a Christian and not be in the church? Of course, the church does not make a person a Christian; obed­ience to the gospel does that. However, when one obeys the gospel God adds him to the church. All Christians are in, not outside of, Christ.

WHAT IS IN THE CHURCH?

If one can be a Christian outside of the church, one can be a Christian without that which is in the church. The church is the body of Christ. What is in Christ? Here is the scriptural answer: salvation: forgiveness; saints; the faithful; spiritual blessings; the chosen; the accepted; re­demption; no condemnation; the gathered; the inheritance; the sealed, the quickened, and the raised; God’s spiritual workman­ship; the covenant relationship: those who have been made nigh by the blood of Christ; the one new man; the reconciled; the holy temple inhabited by God’s Spirit; God’s promises to both Jew and Gentile; God’s wisdom is made known through the church; access; glory to God; truth; the inheritance; grace and members of His body (Acts 4:12; 2:41, 47; Eph. 5:23; Col. 1:14; Eph. 1:7; 1, 3. 4, 6, 7; Rom. 8:1 and Gal. 3:27; Eph. 1:10, 11, 13; 4:30; 2:5-6, 10, 2, 3, 6, 21-22; 3:6, 10, 12, 21; 4:21; 5:6, 9, 30; 2 Tim. 1:9).

All these things are in Christ and no one who knows and respects the Scriptures can maintain that one can be a Christian and be without these things. The important question is: How does one come into Christ? Paul taught that we are baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:27). Scriptural bap­tism is the burial and resurrection, with Christ, of a penitent believer (Rom. 6:2; Col. 2:12; Matt. 28:19f Mk. 16:16).

GOOD MORAL MEN NEED SALVATION

Christ purchased the church with His precious blood and it is composed of the re­deemed (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 1:18; Col. 1:14). Christ placed great value on the church and those who maintain that they can be Christians and remain outside of the church, do not realize the mind of Christ on this subject. Furthermore, they overlook the fact that one can be a good moral man and still be lost. Cornelius was devout, religious and moral but he had to hear words whereby he was to be saved (Acts 10:1; 11:14). Christians must be morally good but moral goodness alone does not make one a Christian. Cornelius, a good moral man, had to be baptized into Christ, into His church. And so do you, if you have never been buried and raised with Christ for the remission of your sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

Becoming a Christian, and becoming an actual member of the church, amount to the same thing. That which puts you in­to Christ, puts you into His church, The baptized are added, the saved are added, to the church for baptism is into Christ (Acts 2:41, 47; Gal. 3:27). Of course, to have meaning baptism must be preceded by faith and repentance and be a part of the obedience of faith.

Search the Scriptures diligently and you will be led to the conclusion that one can­not be a Christian and be outside the church. Christ is the Savior of the church, which is His body, and you must be in that body (Eph. 5:23). Do not reject God’s word on this subject for by His word you are to be judged (John 12:48).

Articles, Bible Questions

Bible Q&A – Is the Bible from God?

Leave a comment

This week’s Bible Q&A is like a “part 2” to last week’s question.  Six years ago, I had to write a letter proving that God exists.  The follow-up assignment was “OK, now you’ve convinced ‘Agnostic Agnes’ that God exists.  Now write her a letter proving that the Bible is inspired.”

This letter may make you chuckle, but hopefully it will also show you that showing the Bible is from God isn’t as hard as you might think.  And in case you wondered, “Aunt Agnes” isn’t a real person.  Enjoy!

Dear Aunt Agnes,

I heard about the confrontation you had with your science teacher at college. I never dreamed that you would share my last letter with him. Grandpa said you wouldn’t sit down until he read the letter and answered the arguments for the existence of God. It amazes me that he didn’t even try to argue. Good job! Has uncle Bubba’s toe healed yet? He needs to be more careful with that post-hole digger.

I am happy that you have come back to realizing that God truly exists. I do disagree with you, however on one thing. You said in your last letter that there is no proof that the Bible is really from God, and I am just taking it on blind faith. That’s really not the case. I’ll see if I can explain what I mean.

Could Junior have written a book like “Gone With the Wind”? Of course not. Junior’s not smart enough to have written that book. That proves it was written by someone more intelligent than him. It’s the same way with the Bible. If we can look at the Bible and see things in it that are beyond the capacity of human beings, it must have come from someone more intelligent than any human. That someone would be God. By the way, that is another way you can prove to someone that God exists.

For example, in Isaiah 40:22, it speaks of the circle of the earth. The word there actually means a sphere, like a ball. That’s not much of a surprise to us today, but when that was written (over 2,000 years ago), everyone thought the earth was flat. If you remember, that was still the common belief when Columbus sailed to America just over 500 years ago! But somehow the Bible knew it before anyone else.

Also, I learned in elementary school that there are currents in the oceans. If you saw that movie Finding Nemo, you’ll remember that the dad fish and the turtles rode the East Australian Current. That is one of them. They were discovered less than 150 years ago. Before that, no one knew about them. Well, no one except for the Bible. Psalm 8:8 speaks of the paths of the seas. This was around 3,000 years ago!

How could the Bible contain things that humans have only discovered in that past few hundreds of years? There is only one possible explanation: it was given by God. The people who wrote the books of the Bible were given what they were supposed to write straight from God.

If the Bible was just something that a group of men came up with, how could it have endured for thousands of years when people have tried and tried to destroy it? Even in the Bible, there were people who attempted to destroy all traces of God’s word. There was a wicked king named Jehoiakim who heard God’s word read to him and he got so made after only a few pages that he cut it up and burned it. That’s in Jeremiah chapter 36. If you read further, you will see that God just had Jeremiah’s secretary write it again. So, even the king could not destroy it.

Over 2,000 years ago, there was a somewhat insane ruler named Antiochus who tried to destroy all traces of Jewish worship. He even went so far as to burn every copy of the Old Testament that he could find, and kill all the people he found that possessed copies of it. This man was the ruler of the empire at the time, and yet the Old Testament still exists and we have many copies of it. He’s dead, but the Bible lives on.

Many people since then (including some rulers of the entire Roman Empire) have tried to physically destroy the Bible. Some extremely powerful people have done everything that they could to keep all copies of the Bible out of the hands of the common people.

Still others have tried to destroy the Bible intellectually. Many people who did not believe in God stated that the Bible would be completely forgotten in their lifetimes. But they keep dying; the Bible lives on. How do you explain the fact that the Bible has endured more persecution than any person or book in history, yet it still lives on in abundance? There are literally millions of Bibles printed every month. God gave us the Bible, and He is making sure we always have it.

Do you remember hearing a few years ago about them finding another ancient city that was mentioned in the Bible? That happens quite frequently nowadays. The archaeologists keep digging up more things that confirm that the Bible is correct. There have been many people mentioned in the Bible that skeptics say never really existed, but time after time, evidence keeps proving them wrong. There was an entire nation of people in the Bible, called the Hittites, that some people said did not ever exist, but archaeological evidence has proven that they existed, and that they existed exactly when the Bible says they did.

Some people have even gone so far in their efforts to discredit the Bible that they say Moses couldn’t have written the first five books of the Bible because there was not any written language back then. Yet, archaeologists discovered that there was a written language around 3500 BC, which was about 2,000 years before Moses was born. How is it that the “greatest” historians have to keep re-writing their histories as new evidence comes up, but the Bible is always right? It can only be that the Bible is from God; that is why it is 100% accurate.

Another thing that proves the Bible came from God is the fact that even though it was written by around 40 men over a period of about 1600 years, they all agree with each other. The writers of the Bible came from far different backgrounds and educations, yet they are all united in their presentation. There were kings, shepherds, a doctor, and even a tax collector that all wrote what God said to write. Have you ever wondered how all these people could have known what to write, and to make it in perfect harmony with the rest of the Bible? You could not get 40 people who knew each other to sit in the same room and write on the same subject and all be in agreement. How is it that the Bible accomplished just that? God told them what to write!

I bet you’re probably thinking “but the Bible does not always agree.” You probably think that there are contradictions in the Bible. I once heard someone say there were thousands of contradictions in the Bible. That is simply not true. While we might not completely understand everything involved in a supposed contradiction, most of them are easily explained. For example, suppose you were speaking with aunt Rex and Uncle Blondie and asking them who they saw in the grocery store. Rex says she saw Kacie and Rick, but Blondie just tells you they saw Rick. Is one of them lying to you? No, Rex is just telling you a more complete version of it.

A large chunk of the supposed contradictions involve similar scenarios. Matthew 8:28 speaks of two demon-possessed men healed by Jesus, while Luke and Mark both only mention one. Well, Matthew simply mentions all of them, the others only mentioned one of them. That is not a contradiction. The same type of “contradiction” appears in how many angels were at the tomb of Jesus. Matthew and Mark each mention one angel, but Luke mentions two. Luke gave a fuller account of what happened there. There is no contradiction. One great writer once said that a contradiction cannot exist unless it is impossible for both accounts to be true. If there were two angels, it is obvious that there was at least one angel there. The records of the Bible are complimentary.

Sometimes, there are totally different things mentioned in the same story. Well, Agnes, why do they always call so many witnesses in trials? Isn’t one witness good enough? You know better than that. One person sees things from a different angle, and may relay different parts of the story from another. The same is true with the Bible. Over the four gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), there are seven different things said by Jesus while He was on the cross.   Is one of them untrustworthy if he doesn’t mention all seven things? Are they contradictory if they mention some, but not others? Of course not. You must have read twenty different biographies of Elvis, but do all of them say the same thing that the others do? No, they all add different information that the others leave out. It all depends on what the author was wanting to focus on. When you read them all, you get a fuller idea of who Elvis was. In the Bible, there are four different books about the life of Jesus; when you read all of them, you get a fuller idea of who Jesus really was. You get the whole story that way.

One of the things that a lot of people point to as a contradiction is the genealogies of Christ. There are two of them given in the New Testament. One of them is in Matthew, and the other is in Luke. There are almost no similarities between them, except for just a few names. Let me ask you something before I go any further: is your mother’s family line the same as your father’s? Of course not. One of the genealogies was from Jesus’ mother, Mary’s side of the family, and the other was from His adoptive father, Joseph.

So you see, there are some things that seem at first glance to be contradictions, but when you look at them, there is a logical explanation for each of them. Sometimes, we don’t know the answer, but when you have a reliable witness, you take it on faith until you find the evidence to prove it. That might seem odd to say, but remember old aunt Sue? You could take her word for anything; she never told a fib. If she told you something that sounded outlandish, you would still believe her, right? That’s because she has been completely trustworthy and reliable on everything else. You should treat the Bible in the same way. As I’ve mentioned throughout this letter, the Bible has been proven reliable and accurate over and over again. There is no reason to doubt anything that it says!

Well, I guess that’s about it for now. Remember, you can always call me if you have any questions about this stuff. I’m no expert, but I’ll do my best to talk with you so that we’re both on the same page. Have a nice week!

Brad

Sermons

Sermon Thursday – Assembling With the Saints

1 Comment

This week, we continue our look at the Fundamentals of the Faith and look at the topic of assembling with the saints to worship.

Introduction:

I’ve been saved, why do I need to come worship with the church?  I mean, I can think of quite a few reasons not to come:  I’m tired; I’ve got other things to do; I don’t like the preacher; I don’t know the songs; if I go, they’ll expect something out of me; I just don’t like church.

Some people teach that gathering with the saints isn’t necessary, others teach that it is.  The truth of the matter is that coming together with other Christians is an outgrowth of what’s in your heart.  If you don’t come, then that shows where your heart is.  If you do come, but you complain about it or are unwilling to participate, that also shows where your heart is.  If you come, and you actively join in, then that shows where your heart is as well.

We all would (I hope) agree that the Bible is our standard of right and wrong.  So today, let’s look at what the Bible says about gathering with the saints.

When was it done?  Where was it done?  Why was it done?  Must it be done?

When did the saints meet for a specific time of worship?

There are several religious groups who claim that the church met on the Sabbath (Saturday), and that meeting on Sunday is from Satan.  But we’re not interested in what they have to say.  We’re only interested in what the Bible has to say about it.

Jesus rose on the first day of the week (John 20:1-ff). This obviously isn’t proof in and of itself, but it is evidence that points in a certain direction.  Christianity is completely based on the fact that Christ rose from the dead, it would make sense that the church would gather on the same day of the week.  This is circumstantial evidence, proving nothing by itself, but it does help point the way.

The disciples gathered together on the first day of the week after the resurrection (John 20:26). In this passage, it says “after eight days…”  The Jews counted time by including whatever day it happened to be at the time, so they would have counted the Resurrection day as day 1, so the eighth day would have been the next Sunday.  “After” would place it on Sunday evening.  This, as well, isn’t definitive proof, but it is noteworthy nonetheless.

The church was established on the first day of the week (Acts 2). Pentecost literally means “fifty days.”  It took place fifty days after the feast of Passover.  This places the first sermon in the church, the first meeting of the church, on the first day of the week.

But, let’s look further.

The disciples came together to “break bread” on the “first day of the week” (Acts 20:7).  This is talking about the Lord’s Supper.  But even if it wasn’t, it is noteworthy that the apostle Paul waited an entire week in the city of Troas so that he could meet with the saints there (20:6-7).  This shows us—without any doubt—that there was a specific gathering of the saints on the first day of the week, at least in Troas.

But was this just a local custom, or was it something that took place in all the churches?

The church in Corinth—by apostolic authority—met on the first day of the week.  In Acts 18, Paul went to Corinth, and he is the one who planted the church there.  He stayed for 18 months, teaching them the doctrine of Jesus Christ, and how God is to be served in the Christian era.  He later wrote to them, and said, “Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store” (in other words, take up a collection), I Corinthians 16:2.

But notice that this is something that was to take place on the first day of the week—the day that Paul obviously told them was their day to come together and worship God.

But there’s more—the verse before it says that Paul made the exact same command to the churches in Galatia; that is, to take up a collection on the first day of the week.

When did the church in the Bible gather together for worship? On the first day of the week!  By inspiration of God, Paul commanded it.

It is also significant that there is not one passage in the New Testament that shows Christians gathering for worship on the Sabbath.  There are passages where Paul went to the synagogue on the Sabbath to teach the Jews—because that’s when the Jews would meet.  But not one passage that says the church ever gathered on the Sabbath.

It’s true that especially at the beginning of the church, the Christians met together daily for food, encouragement, and support (Acts 2:46).  But meeting specifically for worship (specifically the Lord’s Supper and giving) was expressly stated to be on the first day of the week.  Is it any surprise that it has been known as “The Lord’s Day” for almost 2,000 years?

Where are the saints to gather together?

The city doesn’t matter.  We have records in the Bible of Christians meeting in Jerusalem (Acts 2:46).  But also in Corinth (II Corinthians 1:1), Ephesus (Ephesians 1:1), and many other cities.

The churches met in different types of places.  The church in some locations apparently met in synagogues (James 2:2 – the word “assembly” is the Greek word “synagogue”).  The church in Troas met in an “upper room,” but nothing is specified as to whether this was on top of a house or above a merchant’s shop, or perhaps even a community building (Acts 20:6-8).  The church in Laodicea met in the house of Philemon (Philemon 1-2).  It is possible that the Christians in Jerusalem met at the temple for a time (Acts 5:12).

What can we take from this?  That the physical location is unimportant.  The important thing is to actually meet with the saints, wherever they are meeting.

Why should the saints gather together?

God never gave a command that was arbitrary—every command has a benefit for us.  So, what is the benefit of gathering together with the saints?  To the Bible for the answer!

To take the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7).  Judging by the biblical testimony, it appears that the Lord’s Supper was the centerpiece, or focal point, of the early Christian worship.  Acts 20:7 says that they came together in order to break bread (take the Lord’s Supper).  Paul severely chastised the Christians in Corinth because when they came together, it wasn’t for that purpose (I Corinthians 11:17-20).  In fact, he called it heresy! (v 19).

This isn’t to say there weren’t other things that took place (as we will see), but that was to be the main reason—remembering Christ’s death through the memorial feast.  The saints should gather on the first day of each week to take the Lord’s Supper and honor Jesus Christ through it.

To give as they have been prospered (I Corinthians 16:1-2).  In the context, Paul was specifically telling them that they needed to start taking up a collection each week so that the poor Christians in Jerusalem could be aided.

But we can easily take this principle and apply it to other financial needs that may arise, such as assisting others (Galatians 6:10), paying those who proclaim the gospel and do other work for the church (Luke 10:7), purchase food for feeding the members of the congregation (Acts 4:37; 6:1), and helping out Christians who had need (Acts 4:34-35).  Is there ever a time when there is not a need?

But what benefit do we get from this?  It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).  It is a time to remind ourselves of the blessings that God has given to us.  It’s an opportunity to show our love for others and for God by sharing some of what we’ve been blessed with.

To sing praises to God (I Corinthians 14:15-19, 23).  Singing songs of praise to God was to be done “in the church” and when “the whole church is come together in one place” (these are phrases used in the context of verse 15).  Thus, they were to be done when they church comes together.  They were to be intelligible songs (sing with the understanding).  These songs are to teach (Colossians 3:16).  These songs are to be sung to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19).  These songs uplift and edify us.

To encourage one another (Hebrews 10:24).  “Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.”  Coming together as a family shows support, encouragement, and love for one another.  This is one of the many blessings that come with assembling with the saints.

To study God’s word (Acts 20:7).  When the Christians of Troas came together, Paul preached to them.  When the Corinthians were gathered together, it was understood that someone would be bringing a message from God (I Corinthians 14).  What better time than this to study God’s word deeper?

Must the saints come together?

We’ve seen when, where, and why the saints came together in the Bible; now the question is “Must the saints come together?”  Is it required?  Is it mandatory to get to heaven?  Again, let’s go to the Bible for the answer.

“Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching. Because if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin” (Hebrews 10:25-26).

The inspired writer here says that if you sin willfully, your sins will not be forgiven.  In fact, he goes on to say that the only thing you will have to look forward to is judgment and fiery indignation reserved for the enemies of God (10:27).

But look at what his example of willful sin is—verse 25 – forsaking the assembling of yourselves together.  This isn’t missing a service here or there because you’re sick or otherwise physically unable to come.  This is willfully deciding that you aren’t going to worship with the saints.  And this is the example of willful sin that makes you an enemy of God!

Must the saints come together? If they want to go to heaven, they do.

I don’t like hearing people say “I have to go to church.”  Our attitude should be “Ain’t it great? I get to go to church today!”  Skipping services isn’t the problem, it’s just a symptom of a spiritual problem.

Conclusion:

I’m glad you made the decision to gather with the saints to worship God today.  It is my prayer that you have been blessed by being here.

Jesus Christ gave His life for you, and is it really asking all that much that you devote a few hours of your week to coming together with His people?

If you truly appreciate Jesus’ sacrifice, then you’ll want to devote your entire life to Him.  If you’re not a Christian, then what are you waiting for?  You’re lost in sin, surrounded by the fiery pits of hell on all sides, but Jesus is reaching out to save you!  All you have to do is take hold of Him by believing that He is the Christ, the Son of God; repenting of your sins, confessing His name, and being baptized—the water saves you from the fire!

If you are a Christian, and your priorities haven’t been where they should be, why not make it right today?

Articles

Is It Profitable?

Leave a comment

If you haven’t heard it already, you probably will.  Someone will surely tell you that the Bible doesn’t say anything about a certain topic.  While it may be true that it is never specifically mentioned in the Word, there are many verses that give us Godly principles that can be applied to almost all topics.  With these verses, we can determine what we should and shouldn’t do; what is right and what is wrong in God’s eyes.  These verses not only apply to the so-called “grey areas” but can also be applied to more black-and-white topics.

Paul said, “All things are lawful unto me, but not all things are expedient.  All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” (I Cor. 6:12) The ESV says “…not all things are helpful…” “…I will not be enslaved by anything.”

  • I Thessalonians 5:21, 22 tells us to “Prove all things, hold fast to that which is good.  Abstain from all appearance of evil.“
  • Matthew 12:36 says, “Every idle word that man shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment.“
  • I Cor 10:31: “Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.“
  • I Cor 3:16, 17: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwells in you?  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.“
  • I Cor 8:12, 13: “But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ, wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world stands, lest I make my brother to offend.“

Paul told us that while some things may have been permissible in and of themselves, he wouldn’t do them because of the way it would look to others.  “abstain from all appearance of evil,” we are told (I Thessalonians 5:22).  If it even has the appearance of being wrong, we ought to at least give serious thought before we do it!

These are interesting principles, but what can they apply to?

Drinking alcoholic beverages.

The New Testament says “be not drunk with wine” (Eph. 5:18), and it says that elders should not be “given to wine.”  Many people take that and say that it is OK to drink alcohol as long as we don’t get drunk.  First off, please get out your Bibles and read Proverbs 20:1. It’s OK, we’ll wait.

It is well-known that Paul told Timothy to “drink a little wine” for his stomach’s sake, and for his constant infirmities.  This verse—which might not even be speaking of alcohol (same Greek word for grape juice)—was a prescription given to a specific person at a specific time for a specific purpose.  Even if this is speaking of alcohol, it doesn’t permit it to be used for any and every reason!  Is it OK to use morphine and narcotics for medical pain-relieving purposes?  Of course.  Does that them make it OK to use them just for fun?  No way!

Let’s take the topic and apply the earlier mentioned Biblical principles to it.  First, if–and that’s a big IF–it is spiritually lawful, is it expedient (or helpful)?  Is it profitable (as another translation says)?  Will drinking a beer help our soul?

Paul says things may be lawful, but he will “not be brought under the power of any” (I Cor. 6:12).  It’s been scientifically shown that even one drink kills brain cells.  We all know that alcohol is addictive, so can someone really drink and “not be brought under the power” of the alcohol?  Can we drink alcohol to the glory of God (I Cor. 10:31)?  Remember, no matter what we do, no matter if we think it’s right or wrong, we will have to answer to God at the day of judgment!  Mark 8:36 says, “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?”  Is it worth your soul for just a drink?

Smoking cigarettes.

This is a topic that most people have opinions on.  This is also the topic (outside of worship matters) that most often brings forth the words, “there’s nothing in the Bible that says it is wrong!”  Smoking didn’t originate until about 1200-1300 years after the Bible was written.  It was first used by American Indians as part of their religious ceremonies.  So, obviously, Paul and the other writers had no knowledge of smoking, nor any reason to mention it.  But the principles in the Bible can help us discover if a Christian should smoke.

Once again, we start with Paul’s statement.  If indeed it is lawful (as some will say), is it expedient?  Is it profitable?  Smoking is very addictive, and anyone who smokes is indeed “brought under the power” of smoking.  Can we smoke a cigarette to the glory of God?

Everyone, by now, is aware that smoking is very harmful to the body.  The question then presents itself: Why do people still do it?  It is possible to quit.  Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13)

We preach and teach that we are to love one another and show love one for another.  We believe we should live by Christ’s words when he said, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”  According to research, sSecond-hand smoke is responsible for approximately 3,000 deaths per year among non-smokers!  Are we showing our love for our neighbors if we smoke?

We should also look at the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30.  We’re shown that God rewards those who are good stewards of what he’s given them.  Is it being a good steward to spend the money he’s blessed us with on cigarettes?  An average pack costs $4.00 (the average smoker smokes one pack per day), which is almost $1,500 per year!  Imagine what good could be done with that money!

Conclusion:

When Paul said “not all things are profitable,” he meant it.  There are things that do nothing to help the body or the soul, and do nothing to bring others to Christ.  Paul also said he would not do something if it offended others (I Cor. 8:8-13), in fact he said “While the world stands” he would not do it!

Just ask yourself this: What would you think of someone who went door-to-door with a cigarette in their mouth and a beer in their hand, trying to convert people to Christ?

Indeed, not all things are profitable, and we will give an account to God of every little thing we do.  Do all to the glory of God.  Let us apply these principles to everything we do in our lives!

(NOTE: this article was first written in 2007, and has undergone some revision since then)

–Bradley Cobb