It is becoming more and more common to hear of women preaching with authority over men and calling themselves “pastors.” Is this authorized by God? It is understood that this can be a sensitive subject, especially because of modern culture. No disrespect is intended toward women at all, but the honest child of God will seek to know God’s will on this topic. Those who truly love God will allow Him to transform our minds, instead of allowing our minds to be conformed to the ways of this world (Rom.… Read more
Author: Jason
Men, Did You Give Thanks in Communion?
When brothers in Christ are leading the congregation in worship during the Lord’s Supper, it should be understood that they must follow the pattern given in the Scriptures (John 4:23, 24; Colossians 3:17; Hebrews 11:4, etc.). This would include the pattern of prayer exemplified by Jesus and repeated by Paul. When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He gave thanks to the Father in Heaven for the unleavened bread, likewise giving thanks for the fruit of the vine (Matthew 26:26, 27; Mark 14:22, 23; Luke 22:17-19).… Read more
Cornelius Does Not Help “Faith Only” Advocates
The account of Cornelius’ conversion in Acts 10 does not support the false doctrine of “faith only salvation.” If one actually reads the entire book of Acts, by the time he gets to chapter 10 he has already read of thousands of people who were required to be baptized in water for their sins to be forgiven. In Acts 10 and subsequent chapters the reader will find even more people who were required to do the same.… Read more
The Hypocrisy of “Faith Only Salvation”
Some say man is saved by faith alone without any acts of obedience. Is it not ironic that these who put so much emphasis on belief do not actually believe what God said? Those who teach “faith only” salvation are the very ones who do not have faith in what God said!
- They don’t believe God, who said that “by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:24).
- They don’t believe God, who said that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20).
Overcoming “Cognitive Dissonance”
Any person interested in religion will inevitably be exposed to new ideas he has never considered. This is a natural part of the growth process. Some ideas that seem new may actually be ancient, being rooted in sound Biblical teaching (Jeremiah 6:16). Other ideas or teachings are new because they did not come from God, but man (cf. Matthew 15:9). What should one do when he is exposed to religious information that is new to him?… Read more
Who Taught “Faith Only” Salvation?
Not Jesus
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.… Read more
15 Popular Teachings Not Found in the Bible
- “Follow your heart” is not in the Bible (Prov. 14:12; 16:25; 30:12; Jer. 10:23; 17:9).
- “It is always wrong to judge others” is not in the Bible (Matt. 7:5, 6, 15-20; Luke 12:57; 17:3; John 7:24; 1 Cor. 5; 6:2-5; Gal. 2:11-14; 4:16; Titus 2:15, etc.).
- “Babies inheriting sin” is not in the Bible (2 Sam. 12:23; Ezek. 18:20; 28:15; Matt. 18:3; 19:14).
- “Peter was the first pope” is not in the Bible (Matt.
Does Revelation 5 Teach Prayer to Jesus?
On several occasions, Jesus taught His disciples how to pray. He taught them how to pray before His death (Mt. 6:9-13; 7:7-11; Lk. 11:1-4), and He taught them how they should pray after His death, burial, and resurrection (Jn. 14-16). On every occasion, Jesus taught His disciples to pray to the Father, not to Jesus or the Holy Spirit. In fact, Jesus explicitly told His disciples not to address Him in prayer after He left them in the Father’s care: “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing.… Read more
If I Refuse to Assemble
Faithfully assembling with other members of the Lord’s church in one’s area is commanded and demanded by God (Heb. 10:23-31; cf. Acts 2:42; 20:6, 7; 1 Cor. 16:1, 2, etc.). There are times when Christians are unable to attend, but if I could be there and choose not to attend, I am:
- Denying God the kind of worship He desires and deserves (Psa. 18:3; John 4:23, 24; 1 Cor. 11:17-20, 33; 14:23; Rev. 4:11).
- Disobeying God’s command to assemble, thereby disassembling the body of Christ (Heb.
When God’s Patience Runs Out
One of the great characteristics of God is His love for man and His desire that all should come to repentance and be saved (1 Timothy 2:3, 4; 2 Peter 3:9). Because of God’s love, He has often been very patient with people who were in ignorance or rebellion. However, as the Scriptures reveal the mind of God to us (1 Corinthians 2:10-16), we realize that God’s patience with man has its limits.
For example, God gave the people of Noah’s time one hundred twenty years to repent, as Noah was preaching to them and building the ark (Genesis 6:3; 2 Peter 2:5).… Read more
Parallelism in the Scriptures
When Paul wrote, “giving thanks…unto God and the Father” (Ephesians 5:20), was he referring to more than one being receiving thanks, or describing the same being in two different ways? He was referring to the First Person of the Godhead in two different ways. He is both God and Father. A relatable example would be words like this said at a funeral: “I will miss my sister and my friend.” One person is under consideration, described as both a sister and a friend.… Read more
Why Call it the Church of Christ?
· It belongs to CHRIST (Matthew 16:18).
· It was built by CHRIST (Matthew 16:18).
· It is the kingdom of CHRIST (Matthew 16:18, 19, 28).
· Its foundation is CHRIST (1 Corinthians 3:11).
· Its only head is CHRIST (Colossians 1:18).
· It is the body of CHRIST (Ephesians 1:22-23).
· It is the flock of CHRIST (Acts 20:28).
· It was bought by CHRIST (Acts 20:28).
· Its Saviour is CHRIST (Ephesians 5:23).
· It is the bride of CHRIST (Ephesians 5:22-32).
· It is sanctified by CHRIST (Ephesians 5:26).… Read more
The Chicken, or the Egg?
One day my family and I were sitting at the dining room table eating lunch together. We were eating chicken, and I asked the question, “Which came first—the chicken, or the egg?” My son who was eight years old spoke up very quickly and said, “The egg!” Wondering why he seemed so confident in his answer, I asked, “Why do you say that?” He replied, “Because we had eggs for breakfast!”
I suppose I should have been more specific when I asked the question!… Read more
How Long Does it Take to Read the Bible?
It seems that Satan has done an excellent job convincing people that the Bible is too large and intimidating. Many never begin reading the Bible, because they are intimidated by its size. Is the Bible really an insurmountable obstacle which cannot be conquered? Do Christians today have enough time to devote to reading such a “large” book? If one were to compare time spent engaged in popular forms of entertainment versus the time it takes to read the Bible, what would he find?… Read more
Are We Wrong to Say They Are Wrong?
In today’s “politically correct” world, most people do not want to hear anyone saying that someone else’s beliefs are wrong. This is a controversial subject that is often avoided at all costs. Many years ago, when Billy Graham was asked why he does not preach more on baptism, he said it was too controversial. In the days of Christ’s earthly ministry and the early days of the church, men did not avoid subjects that were “too controversial.” … Read more