And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17
THE
SPIRIT’S
SWORD
Volume 17, Number
34
03/01/2015
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
Rick Holt
Deacons
Aaron Bass
Rich Brooks
Mike Finn
Dan Head
In this issue:
God's Judgment Against Sin
Joe R. Price
The Bible says "the judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether" (Psa. 19:9). We trust the Bible to tell us exactly what God wants of us, what He will do when we honor and obey Him, as well as when we rebel and sin against Him. The choice is ours. The responsibility is ours. We would be wise to accept God's judgments and live in harmony with them: "I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me" (Psa. 119:30).
God's judgment is that sin is real. Sin is not invented by religious powers to control the weak-minded masses. By definition, sin misses the mark of God's will (1 Jno. 3:4; 5:17). The fact that sin exists necessarily implies a standard of good and evil exists to which we are accountable and by which we will be judged. The gospel of Christ it that standard today (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 17:30-31; 2 Cor. 5:10).
God's judgment against sin is eternal hell. The wages of sin is death - eternal separation from God (Rom. 6:23). The world refuses to even use the word "sin", for it condemns their ungodliness (Rom. 1:18). Nevertheless, "all have sinned" and need salvation from its just punishment (Rom. 3:23). Sin sends people to hell. "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Rev. 21:8). God's judgment will be applied on Judgment Day.
God judgment is that you cannot blame others for your sins. "The soul who sins shall die"(Ezek. 18:4, 20). You may try to blame others for your sins, but you are accountable for your own choices. Take responsibility for your sin and come to God for His mercy and forgiveness. Otherwise, God judges you will die eternally in hell.
God's judgment is that His Son Jesus is the only way for you to be saved from sin and eternal death. Jesus is the way to the Father, the only One who saves sinners (Jno. 14:6; Acts 4:12). By rejecting Jesus you reject your only way to heaven. Do you think you can successfully fight against the judgments of God?
On
Judgment Day you and I will stand before God and answer to Him for how we
lived our lives (2 Cor. 5:10). You are not ready to do so if you are sinning
against God. "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the
kingdom of God" (1 Cor. 6:9)? Do you not know that hell is prepared for
those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of Christ (2 Ths.
1:8-9; Matt. 25:41, 46)? Do you want to go to heaven? Believe, repent and
obey Jesus Christ, for "now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2).
Top
"Live Long and Prosper"
Leonard Nimoy
died today of lung disease at the age of 83. Best known for his role as
Spock in the science fiction series Star Trek, Nimoy was of Ukrainian Jewish
descent. Although he quit smoking 30 years ago, he wrote on Twitter in 2014
that it was "not soon enough" (he died of COPD). His character Spock
famously said "live long and prosper" with split fingers held upward as a
parting gesture.
The Bible talks
about living long and prospering, too. But not necessarily in ways imagined
by Spock. What God says about it is far more important than this fictitious
character's famous line.
Live long.
The "first commandment with promise" as Paul described it, was spoken
by God to Israel from Mt. Sinai, "Honor your father and your mother, that
your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you"
(Exo. 20:12). The nation of Israel would be blessed in the land of promise
if they honored their parents. Conversely, Israel's sins against their
parents was one reason for their demise in the land: "For son dishonors
father, daughter rises against her mother, daughter-in-law against her
mother-in-law; A man's enemies are the men of his own household" (Micah
7:6, 4).
Obeying your
parents is still right in God's sight, and doing so generally leads to a
more blessed life (Eph. 6:1-3). God's arrangement of the home gives children
the instruction and guidance they need for life. Wise parents are teaching
their children to live in the Lord, while obedient children learn that life
is more productive and rewarding when they obey their parents.
Adults need
this lesson of obedience, too. Obeying our heavenly Father brings us the
blessing of life eternal. Obeying God does not guarantee a long life on
earth, but it does insure a spiritually enriched life now with the pledge of
eternal life beyond this realm. "Seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" assures us of
God's care now as we live for Him and with Him (Matt. 6:33).
And prosper.
"Therefore, keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may
prosper in all that you do" (Deut. 29:9). Israel would prosper in the
land of promise if the people would obey God's covenant. Joshua was told,
"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall
meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all
that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then
you will have good success" (Josh. 1:8). Israel prospered when God's
covenant was kept (cf. 1 Chron. 29:12, 16).
Christians are
not promised material prosperity for being faithful to the covenant of
Christ. We are promised the prosperity of "every spiritual blessing"
in Christ - a treasure more valuable than the whole world (Eph. 1:3; Matt.
16:26). Of what lasting benefit is worldly wealth? None. "For we brought
nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out" (1
Tim. 6:7). We are content with "food and clothing", knowing on the
great day of resurrection we will be clothed with immortality (1 Tim. 6:8; 1
Cor. 15:50-57).
"Live long and
prosper" ought to compel us to think beyond here and now into eternity.
Joe R. Price
You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS
Scripture Reading: Psalm 4
1. God's word
warns of the trouble where strife reigns in the home:
a.
Contentious, angry wife, Prov. 19:13; 21:9, 19-21; 27:15-16.
b.
Jealous husband, Prov. 6:34-35; 27:4; SS 8:6.
I. HAVE THE SAME MASTER AND GUIDE: JESUS AND HIS TRUTH, 1 Pet. 3:15; Jno. 8:12, 31-32; Eph. 5:22-24, 28-29; 1 Pet. 5:6-7.
II. HAVE THE SAME VALUES: SPIRITUAL TREASURE, Matt. 6:19-21; 16:26; 1 Tim. 6:8-10; Amos 3:3.
III. HAVE THE SAME MOTIVE: LOVE, 1 Cor. 13:1-4; 1 Cor. 16:14.
IV. HAVE THE SAME ATTITUDE: CONTENTMENT, Phil. 4:11-13; Matt. 6:25, 30-34; 1 Tim. 6:8; Heb. 13:5; 1 Cor. 7:20-21.
V. HAVE THE SAME CARE: FORGIVENESS, Lk. 17:3-4; Eph. 4:31-32; Matt. 5:7; Jas. 1:19-20; 4:1-3.
VI. HAVE THE SAME GOAL: HEAVEN, Heb. 11:10-16; 2 Cor. 6:14.
Conclusion
1. Wives and husbands have the mutual responsibility to conduct
themselves with holiness and grace toward one another, 1 Pet. 3:1-2, 5-7.
2. With a common faith and committed effort your marriage can overcome
strife.
3. Otherwise, your marriage will not please God or you.
You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS
Scripture Reading: Romans 10:11-17
1. Your
fellowship and encouragement helps make this work possible. My thanks to you
and the Lord to be blessed to do this work.
2. Jan. 14-Feb. 16, 2015 (my 10th trip to India).
a. Two
week-long preacher classes, plus 1 and 2 day classes at two other places.
b.
Visited and preached for 13 different churches; Witnessed 9 baptisms.
c.
Companions: Marc Smith and my wife, Debbie.
I. THE PREACHER CLASSES.
A.
Jadcherla: Advanced Classes (2nd year). 45 preachers; By myself (Marc came
one week later due to wife's surgery).
B.
Kothakota: Basics Classes (1st year). 40 preachers; Concentrated on Bible
authority, the work and organ. of the local church.
C.
Madala: One day Preacher Classes (~40 preachers; 85 attendance).
D.
Purnea: Two-Day Classes. (~40).
E.
Assessment of these Classes.
II. PREACHING IN VILLAGES.
A. Simple
Gospel Lessons of Exhortation.
B.
Women's Classes at Three Villages.
C.
Assessments from Village Preaching.
III. ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND SOME OBSERVATIONS.
A. Next
Year: Preacher Class in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
B.
Some False Doctrines to Address.
C.
Additional Work Possibilities, Jno. 4:35.
D.
Work on Publishing a Bi-monthly, 8 page Telugu Language Bulletin.
E. A
Young Preacher Training Program is being Discussed.
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the light of Scripture)
The Work of the Local Church
Joe R. Price
The Bible pattern for the work of the local church defines a spiritual mission. One that involves evangelism to the lost, edification of the saved, and relieving the benevolent needs of Christians (1 Ths. 1:8; Phil. 1:5-7; Acts 11:26; 13:1; 4:34-37).
Not a few churches of Christ have digressed from this Bible pattern to include social gospel activities to their work. They feed the hungry, clothe the poor, entertain the idle, medicate the sick, teach the illiterate, etc. These are worthy endeavors, but they are not the work the Lord has given local churches of Christ to do. These works are additions to the Bible pattern concerning the work of the local church. They violate the fundamental principle of having Bible authority for all we teach and practice (Col. 3:17).
Such churches of Christ are following the social gospel lead of denominational churches. One such church is the Southland Christian Church in Lexington, KY. It is known as "The Giving Church" since, as one blogger wrote, "it is the church that helps anyone who needs it" (Kelly Givens, "Meet the Church That Helps Anyone Who Needs It"). Its social work includes:
-
A “Dollar Club” that collects $12,000 one dollar bills every week, and then gives it to someone in need.
-
Free medical clinics throughout the city, providing primary care for 3,500 people who can’t afford a doctor.
-
A school lunch program
-
A community garden
-
Tutoring for local students
-
Prison care ministry for inmates
-
A garage to provide cheap auto care
There's a lot
of "social" there, but not much "gospel"! Once Bible authority for the local
church's work becomes optional, everything is allowable. There's just one
problem: Without Bible authority it fails to have God's approval (Matt.
7:21-23). Follow God, not men!
Created by Chuck Sibbing, last updated. 03/02/2015
The Spirit's Sword is a free,
weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA
Send all questions, comments and subscriptions to the editor at:
ssword@bibleanswer.com