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
Helping Homosexuals
Maybe you have seen something similar to this online:
If a homosexual were hurt…would I help him? YES.
If a homosexual’s car broke down…would I help him? YES.
If a homosexual got lost while traveling…would I help him? YES.
If a homosexual were hungry…would I help him? YES.
If a homosexual were drowning…would I help him? YES.
If a homosexual asked me to conduct a “gay marriage ceremony”…would I help him? NO.
“Hate” has never been the issue.… Read more
Secondhand Religion
I wonder how many people rely on the “faith of their fathers” to hopefully get them to Heaven, without ever really seeking the Truth on their own. So many are reared under so many different beliefs. These opposing religions cannot all be right, yet how many truly objectively question what they have been taught their whole lives and honestly seek the Truth? (Proverbs 8:17; Acts 17:27; Hebrews 11:6). The sad fact is that most Dads and Moms in the world are wrong when it comes to matters of faith (Matthew 7:13-14).… Read more
15 Reasons Not to Use Mechanical Instruments in Worship
- Worship must be offered exactly the way God specified. It is not about what we may want, but what God wants (John 4:23, 24). Just ask Cain, Nadab, Abihu, Korah, Jeroboam, Uzziah, and many others who “learned this the hard way” in the Bible (Genesis 4:1-5; Leviticus 10:1-3; 1 Kings 12:26-33; 13:4; 2 Chronicles 26:16-23; Matthew 15:9; John 4:23, 24; Colossians 2:23, etc.).
- Mechanical instruments are not authorized in the New Testament for worship. God specified singing as the type of music He desires in New Testament worship (Romans 15:9; 1 Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; James 5:13; cf.
Historical Quotes About Mechanical Instruments in Worship
“I have no objection to instruments of music in our worship, provided they are neither seen nor heard.” — John Wesley, founder of Methodism, quoted in Adam Clarke’s Commentary, Vol. 4, p. 685.
“But were it even evident, which it is not, either from this or any other place in the sacred writings, that instruments of music were prescribed by divine authority under the law, could this be adduced with any semblance of reason, that they ought to be used in Christian worship?… Read more
How Were People Saved in the Book of Acts?
When those on the day of Pentecost realized they had slain the sinless, resurrected Son of God, they asked what they should do to be forgiven. Though most modern preachers would tell people to simply “accept Jesus as their personal Savior,” to “pray the sinner’s prayer,” or “ask Jesus to come into their hearts,” that is not what Peter instructed them to do:
… Read more“Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The Thief on the Cross: Exposing the Erroneous Example
When it comes to the question “What must I do to be saved?,” some people object to the Biblical teaching of the essentiality of baptism for salvation. Quite often the person who objects to this requirement of God will say, “What about the thief on the cross? He was not baptized…” Please notice the following points regarding the forgiven thief on the cross:
Can one be so sure that the thief was never baptized? Multitudes had come to John from all surrounding areas to be baptized of him: “Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan…” (Matthew 3:5, 6).… Read more
What Does This Mean? (Regarding Baptism)
Years ago a married couple responded to a door knocking campaign by expressing interest in a personal Bible study. My wife and I studied with them, and we eventually got to the subject of baptism. Upon reading various Scriptures, the woman with whom we were studying acknowledged that baptism was necessary for salvation, but her husband was in denial of this fact. After studying other pertinent Scriptures, we all read these words together:
… Read moreWhich sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.