Posts by Cody Westbrook (Page 18)
Sin Distancing
The emergence of the COVID-19 Coronavirus has changed our world in a number of ways. Though hard to believe, wearing masks, standing in line to enter the grocery store, and toilet paper at a premium have all become part of daily American life. Part of this great change is the practice of social distancing. Health officials tell us that we can prevent contracting and spreading the virus by maintaining a distance of 6 feet from each other, refraining from hugging…
Respecting the Authority of Christ
At a time in which everyone does what is right is his own eyes (Judges 17:6), the challenge to respect the authority of Christ is great. This present age is very much like those described in the pages of history. Consider Israel, in 1 Samuel 8, who demanded a king to rule over them like the surrounding nations. The problem was that they already had a King, Jehovah, but they rejected Him (1 Sam. 8:6-9). In his pride, man seeks…
The Value of a Good Reputation
Solomon said, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold” (Pro. 22:1). We all have a reputation of some kind and everyone has an opinion of us. It is true that we cannot control what people think, but we can control the impression we give them by the way we act. Scripture implores us to recognize the value of a good reputation. We should recognize that our reputation will not…
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
If you were to write a book about the greatest kingdom in the world, you would probably say something about a very large kingdom with unmatched military power, an indestructible economy, and a capable king. To human eyes, these things are perfectly sensible but from a divine standpoint, they mean nothing. Jesus promised to build His kingdom (Matt. 16:18) and it is far superior to every human kingdom (Dan. 2:44), but its origin and characteristics are not worldly (John 18:36).…
Abstaining From All Others . . .
The American infatuation with sex continues to grow at breathtaking levels. One recent study asked people throughout the world about the number of sexual partners they have had in their lifetime. Americans who were surveyed responded that 2 partners is not enough–it is too sexually conservative, while 15 is the point at which one should be considered to be “too promiscuous,” and 7 is the magic number. Another study showed that 67% of Americans view sex outside of marriage to…
Can you Trust the New Testament?
How can we be sure that the New Testament is historically reliable? It’s an important question. Consider three brief evidences that prove the reliability of the New Testament. First, consider the enormous amount of manuscripts in existence. To this writer’s knowledge, there are 5,748 in Greek, 10,000 in Latin, and 10,000 to 15,000 in other languages in existence. This totals 25,000 to 30,000 handwritten copies of the New Testament. Some of these manuscripts date back to the second century, making…
The Miracles of Jesus
Scripture describes Jesus as One who performed miracles. Jesus instructed John’s disciples to “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Matt. 11:4-5). He was authenticated by His miracles (Acts 2:22). His miracles “bore witness” to His identity (John 5:36). Even His enemies recognized that He worked “many…
Why Some Refuse to Obey the Gospel
There are over 7 Billion souls in this world, each one fighting with the struggles of life, and each one in need of salvation (cf. Rom. 3:23). The gospel is God’s power to save (Rom. 1:16), and it provides the answers to the issues of life which are common to all people. You may think that everyone would gladly obey the message that provides hope, joy, peace, and salvation, but that is simply not the case. Some refuse to obey the…
Jesus: The Sinless Sacrifice
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) (Eph. 2:4-5). Imagine the horror of cutting the throat of an innocent lamb, watching as its life’s blood pours from its body, and knowing you are the reason it had to die. This is precisely what was required of the Jew’s living under the…
Escaping Temptation
Temptation is a phenomenon to which everyone is subjected. It is not prejudiced, and it is certainly not convenient. Though we all must deal with temptation, we have no need to sorrow because the Scripture tells us, The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of Judgment (2 Pet. 2:9). Through a study of God’s Word, we can properly arm ourselves with the tools to help us…
Some Suggestions for Personal Evangelism
Personal evangelism is a topic that should interest every Christian. The great commission is a fundamental Bible doctrine that we learn from an early age. God wants, yea requires, His people to spread the good news throughout the world. From time to time, it is good for us to “sharpen our sword” in order to improve in the area of personal evangelism. Here are some practical suggestions that will help us to be the best personal evangelists we can be.…
To Fear is to Obey, To Obey is to Fear
The word “fear” is found 367 times in Scripture and takes on a variety of meanings. Sometimes the word refers to dread or terror. We see this usage in passages like Genesis 3:10, Jonah 1:5, Matthew 1:20, and 1 Peter 3:14. But other times the word is used in reference to God and refers to reverence, awe, and healthy respect. Ecclesiastes 12:13, Proverbs 1:7, and 1 Peter 2:17 are just a few of the many passages where the word is…