We Submit to Christ Because… (Part 3)
The world is full of carnal pleasures seeking our allegiance. The “god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4) blinds us with the “pleasure of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:25) that we may find ourselves enslaved to the Father of lies (John 8:44). This was one of the many problems in the Colossian congregation. In addition to Gnosticism convincing many that Christ was not truly the Son of God, carnality and sin of every kind gained entrance into the body…
We Submit to Christ Because… (Part 2)
4. He is before all things (Col. 1:17). Since He created all things, it logically follows that Christ preexisted all things. In fact, Christ is eternally existent. In John 8:58 He said, “…before Abraham was, I AM.” There was a point in time when Abraham began to exist. That time has never come for Jesus because He existed before time. There has never been a time when Jesus did not exist, and there will never be a time when He…
We Submit to Christ Because… (Part 1)
The world is full of carnal pleasures seeking our allegiance. The “god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4) blinds us with the “pleasure of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:25) that we may find ourselves enslaved to the Father of lies (John 8:44). This was one of the many problems in the Colossian congregation. In addition to Gnosticism convincing many that Christ was not truly the Son of God, carnality and sin of every kind gained entrance into the body…
The End of the Book – John Haffner
Have you ever peeked at the last chapter of a novel? Maybe you hoped to learn the identity of the culprit. Maybe you just wanted to be assured of a happy ending before committing yourself to reading. When it comes to “The Book” (the word Bible comes from the Ancient Greek for “book, paper, or scroll”), we have many good reasons to peek at the ending. The end of the New Testament is found at the Revelation of John. In…
Look at the Christ – Ronnie Scherffius
One of the most well-known paintings of Leonardo da Vinci is “The Last Supper.” Though fraught with biblical contradictions, it stands as the classic representation of Jesus with His apostles on this momentous occasion. Legend says that when Leonardo first revealed the painting to friends, they noted the attention to detail the artist had given, particularly to the fringe of the tablecloth. Disgusted, da Vinci wiped away the ornate border and demanded, “Look at the Christ.” If you could paint…
The Disciplined Ones – Bill Jackson
We have repeatedly stated that the child of God is a controlled being. He, after all, once lived to his own will and pleasure, fulfilling all the desires of the flesh and mind (Eph. 2:3), but in coming obediently to the Christ he has denied self (Luke 9:23) and willingly subscribed to the Master’s will. He has then said that he will live a controlled and regimented life. As a child of God he is called a “disciple,” and thus…
The Offensive Christ – Johnny Ramsey
In Galatians 5:11, we read of “the offense of the cross.” To some in Corinth, nothing was as distasteful as the preaching of the crucified Savior. In Athens, Paul was mocked for preaching the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 17:12). To be perfectly honest, Christ was a “rock of offense” and a “stone of stumbling” to many among His own people and in the Roman Empire (Rom. 9:33). Why did Jesus offend so many? He was despised in the region of…
Symptoms of a Dying Church
How sad it is that so many congregations of the Lord’s people are dying. Sadder still, the fact that much of it could be prevented. Major health problems often advertise their presence through minor symptoms. Doctors recommend routine health screenings to look for signs of trouble. In many cases, if symptoms can be identified early then steps can be taken to prevent any major problems. The health of the church operates in the same fashion. By looking closely at symptoms,…
The Deity of Christ – Guy N. Woods
The word God is one of the Spirit’s designations for the divine nature. Under the figure of the synecdoche, where a part is made to stand for the whole, or the whole for a part, the word God is used to designate each of the divine Persons constituting deity; and, while there is but one God—one divine nature—the Scriptures clearly teach that there are three distinct personalities possessing this nature. The Father is called God (John 3:16), the Son is…
The Lie of Every Generation
Every generation proclaims itself to be superior to the previous in how it thinks and lives. The moral standards of the past are often looked down on by the present and lumped into the same category as outdated computer technology. Social responsibilities, family relationships, and worldviews always seem to be updated due to what a new generation deems to be right. It is an age-old practice which will continue until the Lord returns. But it is also a lie. What…
God Finishes what He Begins
If we are honest, we will all admit that we often fail to finish what we begin. We are prone to set goals and cast them aside at the halfway point. We begin projects and let them sit idle for weeks hoping to finish them at some point in the future. We often look back on these unfinished plans with regret. “If only I had set aside a little time each day, this would be finished by now,” we say…
Looking Forward to the New Year
The Holiday Season is now behind us and thus we look forward to a new year. No doubt your calendar is beginning to fill up with plans and projects for the next 12 months. And, of course, we all take time to contemplate goals and improvements to implement in the days ahead. These are good and necessary practices for maintaining a healthy lifestyle both physically and spiritually. While thinking about things like health and finances allow me to suggest 4…