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"And take...the sword of
the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17)
In this issue:
Rightly Dividing
the Word of God
Sermon Outlines:
Noteworthy News:
Southern Baptist Promotes
'Prophetic Preaching'
Rightly Dividing the Word of God
Joe R. Price
Did you know that the Bible talks about the hole in the ozone layer? Or,
that the apostle Paul predicted Mikhail Gorbachev’s glasnost? Well, neither
did I! But, back in 1990 I received a notice from “The Omega-Letter” which
set me straight. According to that organization, Revelation 16:8 tells of
the hole in our atmosphere, and 1 Thessalonians 5:3 foretells a speech given
by Mikhail Gorbachev in November 1987.
These are but two
illustrations of the numerous distortions of the word of God with which we
are continually bombarded. No wonder so many people ridicule the Bible and
those who would order their lives by it. What can we learn from the
foregoing examples of false teaching?
First, rest assured that the
Bible can be understood. God has revealed His will to man; it is no
longer a mystery (Eph. 3:3-5). The Bible can be understood.
When we understand the Bible
the way God wants us to, we will understand it alike. This is not a popular
view of God’s word these days, but the logic is sound – and scriptural:
“Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is”
(Eph. 5:17); “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no
divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same
mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10).
Because so many people say so many different things about
what the Bible teaches, many are inclined to accept the notion that “you can
prove anything by the Bible.” While many have tried to prove many
things by the Bible, that does not mean they have succeeded. No, you
cannot prove whatever you please by the Bible. Assert and
speculate? Yes. But prove? No. The Bible calls such endeavors the
twisting of scriptures, and warns that in doing so one loses his soul (2
Pet. 3:15-16). Do not let what others say the Bible teaches keep you
from personally studying the Bible in order to learn and obey what it
really teaches.
How can you be sure that what
you are being taught is in fact what the Bible teaches? Be careful to not
depend on someone else’s study of the Bible as the measure of your faith.
While God wants His word to be taught, He certainly He does not want us to
blindly follow the teacher (Acts 8:30-35; Matt. 15:14). Like the ancient
Bereans, you must “search the Scriptures daily to find out whether”
the things you are taught are so (Acts 17:11). Because they actually
examined the Scriptures, many of them believed the gospel (Acts 17:12). So
can you.
To properly understand the
Bible you need to be reading it. Bible reading and study enables one to be
“rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). You must spend
time with God’s word if your goal is to use it properly. My friend, if your
time with the Bible consists only of listening to sermons and attending
Bible classes a couple of times a week, you are ripe for some false teacher
to pick! The apostle John warned Christians that many false prophets are in
the world and that we must test their teaching against the apostles’
doctrine (1 Jno. 4:1, 6). Only by accurate and consistent use of God’s word
can this be accomplished. To accurately use God’s word we must give
“attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Tim. 4:13).
Another thing needed in
assessing truth is how we approach Bible study. That is, do you
study it with your mind already made up about the subject you are studying?
An open mind, willing to do God’s will, is essential when studying the
Bible. “If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the
doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority”
(Jno. 7:17). Do you approach Bible study determined to prove what you
already believe, or with a willingness to obey whatever you learn from your
study (even it if refutes your present belief and practice)? Those who
rejected Jesus as the Son of God had this problem, for Jesus rebuked them in
John 5:39: “You search the scriptures, for in them you think you have
eternal life, and these are they which testify of Me.” The Jews had
made up their minds that Jesus was not the Savior. They thought they
had found eternal life in the Scriptures, but by rejecting Jesus, those very
Scriptures, which testified of Him, exposed their spiritual death. As Jesus
said, “for if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote
about Me” (Jno. 5:46). They went to the scriptures with a preconceived
notion, and set out to uphold their preconception regardless of the evidence
to the contrary. What a shame.
We must maintain an “honest
and good heart” that will hear the word of God, examine it, believe it
and then obey it (Lk. 8:15). An open mind, an open heart and an open Bible
will bring souls to faith and salvation in Jesus (Rom. 1:16; 10:13-17; Acts
17:11-12; Jas. 1:21-22).
Top
You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
Spiritual Growth
Scripture Reading: 1
Peter 1:22-2:3 1. NT accurately describes
man’s spiritual condition: Sinners who can only be saved by Jesus Christ
(Rom. 3:23; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Col. 1:19-22; Eph. 2:1-3).
2. Cannot live with God and live in sin, Eph. 4:17-19, 22.
3. Once saved, we must continue in the faith (grow) – Col. 1:23; Eph.
4:11-16.
I. SPIRITUAL GROWTH BEGINS WITH A SPIRITUAL REBIRTH
– Jno. 3:3-8.
A. The Sinner is Born Again – 1 Pet. 1:22-23.
B. With Rebirth we are New Creatures in Christ & Begin to Grow
Spiritually – 2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Pet. 2:1-2.
II. SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS AN ONGOING PROCESS (2
Pet. 3:18).
A. Faith is the Foundation for our Spiritual Growth
– 2 Pet. 1:3-5 (1 Pet. 1:5).
B. Growth Requires Personal Diligence –2 Pet. 1:5, 10 (5-7); 1 Pet. 1:13
(Lk. 9:23).
C. Spiritual Growth Requires Resisting the Sinful Desires of the Flesh –
1 Pet. 1:14-16; 2:11 (Heb. 12:10); Gal. 5:19-21; Heb. 5:14.
D. Spiritual Growth Requires Resisting False Doctrine (Eph. 4:14); 2 Pet.
2:18-19; 2:1-3.
-Spiritual growth means holding fast to truth – 2 Tim. 1:13; 2:15.
III. SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS REWARDED.
A. Heavenly Inheritance Reserved, 1 Pet. 1:4-9.
Conclusion
1. Your spiritual growth is up to you – Heb.
5:12.
2. Diligently obey God with full assurance of hope, faith & patience – Heb.
6:9-12.
3. Be strong in the Lord (Eph. 6:10).
Top
You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
Bible Question Box: (July 2004)
Scripture Reading: Romans
2:12-16 Were Gentiles under the
Patriarchal Law of God until the establishment of the church?
Ans. Yes, Gentiles were under law before church
I. OVERVIEW OF GOD’S DEALINGS WITH MANKIND
(Dispensations).
A. Patriarchal Age: Creation until the time of
Christ (Gen. 18:19); cf. Heb. 1:1.
B. Jewish Age: Giving of Law of Moses at Sinai to law of Christ (Acts
2); Exo. 34:27-28; Deut. 5:2-3 (Rom. 9:4); Gal. 3:15-19.
C. Christian Age: From giving of gospel of Christ to end of world, Matt.
28:18-20 (Acts 1-2).
II. GOD’S LAW AND THE GENTILES.
A. Men have always been under Divine Law – Rom.
5:12-13; 4:15 (1:18); Isa. 24:5.
B. The Law that People were under during the Patriarchal Age was Revealed
by God (it was not inherently in them).
C. God Revealed His Moral & Spiritual Laws to People from the Beginning.
1. If not, men couldn’t live by faith, Ro. 10:17.
2. If not revealed, men could not be unfaithful.
3. Man learned God’s will…he was not born with it inside him (Gen.
20:1-7; Job 31:1-4, 9-12)
D. The Law that Gentiles were under was not Written (like LOM) – Rom.
2:12; 1:18-32.
-Nevertheless, God’s law was revealed to man – Rom. 1:18-19, 21, 25, 28.
E. Spiritual Condition of Gentiles Compared with the Jews (while LOM in
effect) – Ro. 2:14-16
III. ALL MEN ARE NOW UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS
CHRIST (Eph. 1:20-23).
A. Christ Rules All Men with His Gospel, Jno. 17:2;
Matt. 28:18-19; Heb. 1:1-3; Acts 17:30-31.
Top
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the
light of Scripture)
Southern
Baptist Promotes 'Prophetic Preaching'
Joe R. Price
During last month’s
annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana,
one preacher urged a return to “prophetic preaching” in America. Moral
issues like abortion and homosexuality will “determine the future of
America,” said Steve Gaines of the First Baptist Church in Gardendale,
Alabama. In his message he chastised “many aspects of modern worship and
ministry found in contemporary churches” (Allie Martin,
http://news.christiansunite.com/religion/religion01168.shtml).
“I don't know about you,” the Alabama preacher said in his fiery message,
“but I think America is fed up with drama skits, coffee talks, interpretive
dances, operatic cantatas, high-church ‘Frankenstein music,’ pop psychology
sessions from the pulpit -- America is looking for some prophets of God!” (Ibid.)
America certainly needs Bible preaching today. We agree that immorality is
a shameful curse upon this land (Prov. 14:34). And, we agree that men have
strayed far from true worship (Jno. 4:23-24).
When God’s word was “like a burning fire” in one of God’s ancient
prophets (Jeremiah) that could not be contained, he spoke out against
Judah’s sin. But, the people did not want his message of warning and rebuke
(Jer. 6:10-17). They reproached him; they mocked him; they imprisoned him
(Jer. 20:7-10; 18:18; 37:11-38:13).
Allow me to propose some preaching that Southern Baptists should receive.
First, we urge you to forever abandon and forsake the Baptist Church, its
offices and functions. The NT never speaks of the Baptist Church; it never
existed in NT days. Jesus built His church, not the Baptist denomination,
and adds the saved ones to His church, not the Baptist Church (Matt. 16:18;
Rom. 16:16; Acts 2:47).
Next, we implore you to abandon the use of all instrumental music in worship
of God. It is an addition of men that perverts true worship (Jno. 4:23-24;
Eph. 5:19; 1 Cor. 14:15). Your good intentions in using them do not approve
that which the Lord has not asked for (Col. 3:17; see 1 Sam. 15).
Will you begin teaching men to be saved the way Jesus did? “He who
believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mk. 16:16). Give up the
manmade doctrine of salvation by faith only (Jas. 2:24).
It
is our earnest prayer that Southern Baptists, and every soul, truly wants
Bible preaching. However, human history – and the Bible - suggests
otherwise (Isa. 53:1; Rom. 10:16-17).
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