And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17
THE
SPIRIT’S
SWORD
Volume 21, Number
34
07/14/2019
Published
by
Mt. Baker
church of Christ
Location:
1860 Mt. Baker HWY
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 30821
Bellingham, WA 98228
(360) 752-2692
Sunday:
Bible Classes..........9:30 AM
Worship..10:30AM; 6:00PM
Wednesday:
Bible Classes.........7:00 PM
All sing last Wednesday
Web sites:
Mt. Baker church
Bible Answers
Editor......Joe R. Price
Elders
Morris Bass
Rich Brooks
Deacons
Aaron Bass
Shane Bass
Mike Finn
Dan Head
In this issue:
Both the Law of Moses and the gospel of Christ warn against the sin of talebearing. Moses wrote, “You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord” (Lev. 19:15-16). The apostle Paul warned, “And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not” (1 Tim. 5:13).
Talebearing (gossip) has been normalized as millions flock to the rumormongers as an avenue of their usual, information-gathering process. (If you doubt it, witness TV shows like Entertainment Tonight, TMZ, and Page 6, and publications like People Magazine and National Enquirer, whose website tag is, “Hottest Celebrity Gossip & Entertainment News.”) Society is saturated with talebearing – juicy gossip that tingles the ears with baseless assumptions, groundless speculations, and false accusations against others.
Israel was told not to be talebearers precisely because it is unrighteous judgment against others (cf. Jas. 4:11-12). Paul observed the temptation to gossip that idleness poses, and urged younger widows to avoid that conduct by accepting their God-given domestic responsibilities.
You see, talebearing is
about having power over others. It draws people into its snare, leading them
to abandon reason and fairness, causing some to even “stand against the
life” of the innocent based on nothing more than hearsay (Lev. 19:16). The
talebearer is an untrustworthy liar. Wisdom teaches us not to associate with
such folks, because talebearing causes wounds and strife (Prov. 11:13; 18:8;
20:19; 26:20-22). The best way to put out the fire of talebearing is not to
receive it. (And, being sure we do not start that flame.)
The Church of Christ
(Part 2)
Joe R. Price
Jesus Christ, who is the head of His body, has all authority over the church of Christ.
Ephesians 1:22:23: “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
Matthew 28:18: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”
The church of Christ is not defined and maintained by the doctrines of men, but by the gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:16; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).
The church of Christ is discussed in two senses in the New Testament, universally and locally.
1) Universally stated, the church of Christ is composed of all the saved, regardless of time and location. It is the “general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven” (Heb. 12:23).
2) Locally stated, a church of Christ is composed of Christians who band together, a local congregation in a particular place (1 Cor. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1). Local churches are composed of “faithful brethren in Christ” (Col. 1:2). These local churches are described as “churches of Christ” (Rom. 16:16). Therefore, each congregation is a church that belongs to Christ (Gal. 1:2; Rev. 1:4; 2:1).
The denominational usage of the word “church” is not found in the New Testament. Namely, the church of Christ is not composed of churches. “Church” is not used in Scripture to define a group of Christians that is larger than a local church, yet smaller than the universal church. The denominational alignment of churches is not in the word of God. The church of Christ is not a denomination.
Nowhere does the New Testament teach one to “choose the church of your choice.” That is the doctrine of men. Jesus Christ calls every person to choose His church – the church we read about in the Bible, the church of Christ – by believing and obeying His gospel to be saved from sin (Acts 2:36-41, 47).
We ask you to compare
Bible facts about the church of Christ with other churches, including the
one you attend. If the comparison reveals differences, then we urge you to
turn away from the doctrines of men and follow the doctrine of Christ (Col.
2:8; 2 Jno. 9). We invite you to obey the gospel that saves you from your
sins. When you do, the Lord will add you to His church; the church of Christ
(Acts 2:37-41, 47).
-To be
continued
You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS Joe R. Price
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 5:8-14
1. Immorality is always
a present danger.
2. Presents the danger of turning the grace of God into lasciviousness, Jude
4.
3. Define immorality, Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-5, 8-12. Called to holiness, 1
Thess. 4:1-8.
4. Called to moral purity because of God’s grace and Christ’s return, Titus
2:11-14.
I. MORAL PURITY IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GRACE WE HAVE RECEIVED, Tit. 2:11.
A. We Must Abandon
Sin because We have Received Grace, Rom. 6:1-2, 12-14.
B. Fleshly Wisdom (incl.
immorality) is Opposed to Grace, 2 Cor. 1:12.
C. Immorality Forfeits Grace,
He. 12:14-16.
II. MORAL PURITY MAKES A DEFINITE DISTINCTION BETWEEN CHRISTIANS AND THE WORLD, Titus 2:12.
A. We Must Deny
Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts, Rom. 13:12-14.
B. We are “Not of the World,”
Jno. 15:17-19.
C. A Clear Line of Demarcation
Must Exist Between Christian and World, 2 Cor. 6:14-18
III. MORAL PURITY KEEPS US PREPARED FOR CHRIST’S RETURN, Titus 2:13.
A. Our Hope of being
Glorified with Christ Compels Us to Live Pure Lives, 1 Jno. 3:1-3.
B. World’s Coming Destruction
Convinces Us to be Morally Pure, 2 Pet. 3:10-14.
C. Our Job is to Kill
Immorality within Us, Col. 3:4-9.
IV. MORAL PURITY IS ESSENTIAL IF WE ARE TO BE (AND BE SEEN AS) THE PEOPLE OF GOD, Titus 2:14, 6-8 (3:3-5, 8).
You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS
"You Who Love the Lord, Hate Evil!"
Scripture Reading: Psalm 5:1-8
1. The sin of hate is a
destructive attitude, motive, and action, Prov. 10:12.
2. Bible speaks of hate in several ways:
a. Malicious animosity, Tit.
3:3.
b. Relative preference, Lk.
14:26 (Rom. 9:13).
c. Repugnance for evil, Heb.
1:9.
I. WE MUST HATE SOME THINGS BECAUSE GOD DOES.
A. God Hates Sin,
Psa. 45:6-7 (Heb. 1:9); Mal. 2:16; Rev. 2:6. (Psa. 97:10; 101:3-4; 119:104)
B. The Sense in Which God
Hates (Detests) Sinners, Psa. 5:4-6; 11:4-5; Prov. 6:16-19 (Jno. 3:16); Psa.
26:4-5; 31:6; 139:21-22.
C. There is a Time to Hate,
Eccl. 3:8.
II. WHILE HATING SIN, BE CAREFUL NOT TO HATE (BE HATEFUL TOWARD) OTHERS.
A. Sinful Hate is of
the World, Tit. 3:3.
B. While Hating Sin, God Loved
the World, Jno. 3:16. (Active goodwill)
C. Condition When We Hate a
Brother, 1 Jno. 2:9, 11; 1 Jno. 3:13-15; 4:19-20.
III. CHRISTIANS MUST DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HATE THEM , Lk. 6:22.
A. God Does, Matt.
5:43-48.
B. God Warns Us Not to Take
Vengeance against Evil, but to Repay Evil with Good, Rom. 12:17-21.
Conclusion
1. The multi-sided nature of hate deserves deliberate and prayerful
attention.
2. We are to hate what God hates, love what He loves, and put our trust in
Him, Psa. 34:19-22.
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the light of Scripture)
Facts are Stubborn Things
Joe R. Price
A Florida high school principal has been removed from his position for comments he made over a year ago about the Holocaust. William Latson wrote in an April 2018 email that “the curriculum is to be introduced but not forced upon individuals as we all have the same rights but not all the same beliefs” (“Florida Principal: Holocaust Is Not A ‘Factual, Historical Event,’ Marcy Oster, forward.com). He elaborated, “Not everyone believes the Holocaust happened…I can’t say the Holocaust is a factual, historical event because I am not in a position to do so as a school district employee. I do allow information about the Holocaust to be presented and allow students and parents to make decisions about it accordingly. I do the same with information about slavery” (“Doubting the Holocaust in Boca Raton,” Jeffrey Salkin, religionnews.com).
The holocaust happened. That’s a fact. The deeper problem here is when the facts of history are thought to be simply one’s “belief” about that event. When that occurs, the facts of history will be rewritten to fit our belief system. That is dishonest and very dangerous. Think with me.
Fact: Jesus worked many miracles (Acts 2:22; 10:38). After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, His enemies did not deny this fact (Jno. 11:44-53). They set out to kill Jesus because they refused the evidence His miracles gave that He is the Son of God. Unbelief did not change the facts.
Fact: The dead body of Jesus was buried in a tomb, and three days later the tomb was empty (Matt. 27:59-60; 28:1-8). The enemies of Christ lied and bribed the soldiers about why the tomb was empty, but they did not deny the fact that it was empty (Matt. 28:11-15). Jesus was alive!
Fact: The gospel is
true and conspicuous (1 Cor. 15:1-8). These things did not happen in a
corner (Acts 26:26). We can foolishly deny the gospel, or we can educate
ourselves about it. We receive its “words of truth and reason” because it
will save our souls (Acts 26:24-25; Rom. 1:16). “Let God be (found) true but
every man a liar” (Rom. 3:4). Yes indeed, facts are stubborn things.
Created by Chuck Sibbing, last updated. 07/15/2019
The Spirit's Sword is a free,
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