Posts by Southwest Church of Christ (Page 5)
Jesus, Our Way to Forgiveness
In Romans 6:23, the Apostle Paul wrote, “the wages [the payment] of sin is death…”, and he is not simply talking about physical death. This “death” is ultimately the “second death”, which involves eternal torment for those who die in their sins (Rev. 21:8). So why is sin considered so bad that the un-forgiven sinners must experience torment? To understand, we must appreciate the nature of God and the problem of sin. God’s nature is such that it is impossible…
Jesus, the Old Testament, and Obedience!
Beginning in Matthew 5:17, Jesus begins teaching against the religious leaders who were guilty of perverting Old Testament teaching. They were accusing Jesus of speaking evil of the Law of Moses, and that He came to destroy the law, but Jesus did not come to minimize or ridicule the law because He knew that the law was holy, just, and good (Ps. 119:105). These Jews had a misconception concerning the law, which led to their false accusations. Therefore, Jesus in…
How Shall We Increase?
Church growth is a spiritual blessing given by Almighty God. Yet, His spiritual blessings are conditioned upon our obedience to Christ (Eph. 1:3), and He has given two conditions for church growth: sowing and watering (1 Cor. 3:6; Matt. 13:19). If we execute these conditions, God will give the increase. What is involved in sowing the seed of the kingdom? We must have the right seed, God’s word (Lk. 8:11; Matt. 13:19) because it is incorruptible, endures forever (1 Pet.…
Confess Your Faults One To Another – Johnie Scaggs, Jr.
James said, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (Jas 5:16). What does it mean to “confess your faults (sin)?” And to whom should we confess our sins? These are questions that have a biblical answer. It is becoming a trend among those who use Facebook and other media outlets to lay out one’s whole life history for the world to…
What is Church Growth?
Currently, church growth is a hot topic for many congregations of the Lord’s church and rightly so. First, because it was the desire of the first century church, and second, because today, many congregations close their doors each year. Therefore, this interest and desire for growth is very encouraging. Certainly, we should like to see this hunger and thirst for evangelism, instead of apathy among our brethren. Yet, the question must be asked, what is growth? The Scriptures teach church…
What Does the Lord Require of You?
In a passage considered to be one of the most comprehensive statements in the Old Testament, Micah raises the question, “What does the Lord require of you?” (Micah 6:6-8). He supplies the answer and makes important points of application, not only for the sake of Israel in his day, but for the benefit of the Lord’s church in ours. As with all of the Old Testament, it was written for our learning (Rom. 15:4). Israel’s attitude was, “God’s demands are…
Crucify the Flesh!
In Galatians 5:24, Paul wrote, “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Have you ever considered the intensity of what he wrote? We are to “crucify” the flesh. Not pound, beat, or smash, but CRUCIFY! Why did Paul use this language? Paul said “crucify” because we must think about the cross. The crucifixion was a strategic effort to silence, discredit and eradicate Jesus. He was nailed to a cross and left to writhe…
Jesus, Our Way to a Better Life
The goal of our generation is to live “the good life.” This dream is not new, it has been the desire of every age and every walk of life. People search all over for what is good, but we must realize that Jesus is the only way to a good life (John 14:6). Jesus Corrects Our Misconceptions: Most people think of the “good life” in terms of material prosperity, physical pleasure, and popularity. They believe that these things will bring…
I Want to Pray… Like the Early Church – Ronnie Scherffius
Prayer is a privilege. Indeed, prayer is a spiritual blessing enjoyed by those who are in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:11-18; 3:12; cf. Heb. 14:14-16; 10:19-22). We are assured that “the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are upon unto their prayers” (1 Pet. 3:12; cf. John 9:31; Ps. 65:2; Pro. 15:8, 29). How comforting to know that when we approach our heavenly Father, He will both hear and regard our words. And yet, if there…
The Mysteries of God
In Matthew 13:10-11, Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” and He answered, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.” The Greek word used for “mysteries” refers to something that was once kept secret, but now is open knowledge (Rom. 16:25-27). Therefore, what are these mysteries that were once hidden, but now have been revealed? The Mystery of…
Following the Lord Fully
In the Old Testament, one of the more well-known accounts of history is the twelve spies of Israel (Num. 13-14). After spending 40 days spying out the land, it was only Joshua and Caleb that had confidence in the Lord (Num. 14:7-9). As a result, they were spared from God’s wrath (Num. 14:38), and the Scripture makes this statement concerning Caleb: “My servant Caleb… he has followed Me fully…” (Num. 14:24). This statement is made time and again about him…
Is My Word Not Like Fire?
Throughout the Old Testament, we learn that God’s people were continually departing from Him, and one of the major reasons were the false prophets. Therefore, God commanded them to preach His word because it is like fire (Jeremiah 23:29). Let us consider the ways in it is like fire, and what it can do in our lives. God’s word is like fire because it gives light. Just as light helps to see in the darkness and gives direction, God’s word…