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How Can There Be “Evil from the Lord”?
by Roger Campbell Sometimes, students of the Bible are shocked and confused to read in the Scriptures that the Holy Spirit at times describes the thoughts and actions of God as “evil.” For example, in the Book of Jeremiah alone we read that Jehovah “brought” evil (Jeremiah 4:6), He “thought to do” evil (Jeremiah 18:8),…
Read MoreThe Church of Christ
by Joe R. Price via The Spirit’s Sword The expression “church of Christ” is a descriptive term of possession. The word church is a collective noun (like “flock” or “family”). The church is composed of saved people (Christians, the “called out” ones, Acts 2:41, 47). “Church of Christ” is used to signify the church that…
Read MoreWhat Price Obedience?
by David Gibson What it cost Abraham: his homeland (Acts 7:2-3; Hebrews 11:8-10). What it cost Joseph: imprisonment (Genesis 39). What it cost Moses: the pleasures of sin and the treasures of Egypt (Hebrews 11:24-26). What it cost Jesus: His blood (I Peter 1:18-19). What it cost John the Baptist: his head (Mark 6:17-29). What…
Read MoreHandle with Caution
by David Gibson Anger, like gasoline, is volatile, explosive, and dangerous. It must be handled with utmost caution. In our world today, we are witnessing a volcano of rage, leading to deadly consequences. The Scriptures offer at least two guidelines for managing anger. First, be “slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve…
Read MoreGod’s Call to Bethel
by Zeke Flores In Genesis 35:1, God tells Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there .. build an altar.” This is a reminder that worship is not optional for God’s people; it’s foundational. Bethel was the place where Jacob first encountered God. Now God calls him back to renew his devotion. Spiritual drift is…
Read MoreNot That, But This
by David Gibson The whole Bible takes a balanced approach to “dos” and “don’ts.” The author of Hebrews was written to Christians who were in danger of falling away. To address this peril, the writer offers both warnings and promises, rebukes and encouragements: “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence…
Read MoreOnce for All
by Hugh DeLong “For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; and because of it he is…
Read MoreEternal Life: Imagine
by Terry Wane Benton Jesus brought immortality to light and made it real by demonstrating His resurrection from the dead. Now we know that eternal life is real. The prophetic word spoke of it, and then Jesus confirmed it; the eyewitnesses verified it. It is not a matter of blind faith or pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking.…
Read MoreWhy I Left the Homosexual Lifestyle
by Tony Horton via Gospel Truths I abandoned homosexuality because I want to spend eternity in heaven. This life is like a vapor. We’re not on this earth very long (James 4:14). We are here to serve God and do His will (John 6:38), and if we remain faithful unto death, He will give us…
Read MoreMutual Responsibility
by Gardner Hall An excellent article on sexual abuse in marriage, but… Recently, I saw an excellent article on how some men, often with the collaboration of misguided preachers, misuse I Corinthians 7:3-5 to pressure their wives into “obligation sex” rather than working to establish an atmosphere of mutual joy and satisfaction in marriage as…
Read MoreGrow in Grace and Knowledge
by Edwin Crozier Peter began his second letter saying God’s “divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” (II Peter 1:3 ESV). Coming full circle, he ends the letter saying we must “grow in the…
Read MoreTwo Ways to Die
by David Gibson So often in the Bible, we see a stark contrast between two and only two mutually-exclusive alternatives: the wise and foolish builders, the broad and narrow ways, the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of Christ, etc. Note this contrast: “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins;…
Read MoreWhat Is Denominational Thinking?
by Floyd Chappalear via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 3, September 1994 Too few preachers seem to understand what constitutes denominational thinking and, as a result, decry denominationalism while espousing its precepts. Thus, we need to know a little bit about what constitutes denominational thinking. Denominational thinking blurs the distinction between the church universal and the…
Read MoreEvangelism, the Great Need, or Preacher, Change Your Job Description
by Chuck Scott via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 3, September 1994 Jesus said, “Go teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19)! We are not to wait for them to come to us to hear His word; we are to go out and evangelize. Why am I an evangelist? God has abundantly blessed me with all spiritual blessings,…
Read MoreWhose Keeper?
by Kenneth Frazier via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 3, September 1994 It is true that Cain asked God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9). It is true that the apostle John said, “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works…
Read MoreThere Is No Such Thing as Safe Teenage Sex
by Walter L. Bradley via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 3, September 1994 Once upon a time, in a faraway place, in a lovely little town, a problem arose that sparked a great controversy. Some small children had developed the careless habit of playing in the street. The untimely death of several children who were hit…
Read MoreAcquiring Another’s Reputation
by Floyd Chappalear via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 3, September 1994 “So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them…
Read MoreHistory Shapes Us
by Doy Moyer When we accept Scripture as God’s communication to humanity, we are necessarily accepting the reality that history shapes us. Our understanding of who God is, what sin is, and how God brought about salvation is built on a historical understanding. The death and resurrection of Jesus are historical events. For the children…
Read MoreBe Careful
by Dee Bowman “You be careful!” “Watch out!” “Look where you’re going!” We’ve all heard these or similar warnings for most of our lives. Actually, there is no area of life where the proper use of care is not necessary. We exercise care regarding education, employment, families, and our health. And well we should–caution is…
Read MoreYou Have Brought Trouble
by Zeke Flores In Genesis 34:30, Jacob says to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me.” This chapter is messy, painful, and morally complex. But it highlights a crucial truth: human anger, even when justified, cannot produce God’s righteousness. Simeon and Levi respond to Dinah’s violation with vengeance. Their outrage is understandable, but…
Read MoreOur Rest
by Hugh DeLong Rest? Interesting that God has given the concept of rest in so many different ways. He rested from His labor of creating. He gave Israel the seventh-day rest, then the seventh-year rest, then even the fiftieth-year rest. Joshua brought them into the land (Joshua 1:13; 21:44). Yet, that was not their rest, for…
Read MoreOur Desire to Avoid Blame
by Gary Henry “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what…
Read MoreFaith: A Gift Not Given?
by Gary Henry via WordPoints.com “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). One of the most wonderful things about the gospel is its openness. The promise of salvation is open to “whoever believes,” no matter…
Read MoreCan God Be Charged with Murder?
by Terry Wane Benton with the help of Copilot The biblical answer is “No,” and Scripture gives multiple reasons why. The Bible consistently teaches that God cannot be guilty of murder, because murder is the unlawful taking of life, and God, as the Creator and Judge of all life, has the absolute right to give…
Read MoreThe Advantages of Preventing Sin
by David Gibson As wonderful as forgiveness is, isn’t it far better not to sin in the first place? Preventing sin helps us avoid being hardened by sin (Ephesians 4:19; I Timothy 4:2; Hebrews 3:13). Habitual sin desensitizes. A hardened sinner is a sad spectacle indeed! Preventing sin helps keep our influence positive. If others…
Read MoreSwearing Not at All — Understanding Jesus’ Prohibition in Light of the Whole Counsel of God
by Becky René Few biblical subjects appear, at first glance, as straightforward as the prohibition against swearing found in the words of Jesus and James. “Swear not at all” seems plain, uncompromising, and universal. For this reason, some conclude that any oath-taking in any circumstance—including legal oaths required by civil authorities—is forbidden to the Christian.…
Read MoreWhich Doctrines to Never Mention in Church?
by Terry Wane Benton In order to make the church more appealing to lost sinners in the community, we could avoid talking about drunkenness, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, etc., but then our goal becomes seeking to please men (the creature) over the Creator (Romans 1:18ff). God put verses in the epistles to be read and studied…
Read MoreDon’t Be Overcome
by Edwin Crozier As we continue our walk through II Peter, we will do something a little out of the ordinary. We will begin by commenting on the end of the chapter. We do this because we need to know where Peter is going and what is at stake in all he writes. In II…
Read MoreDoes the Bible Teach Degrees of Misery in the Afterlife for the Unfaithful?
by Terry Wane Benton Several passages strongly imply that judgment varies based on knowledge, responsibility, and the severity of one’s actions. Perhaps it will torture all, in various degrees, to realize how close to salvation they had opportunities, but did not pursue or take advantage of. It would torture me more to remember how close…
Read MoreI Will Be with You
by Zeke Flores “Yahweh said to Jacob, ‘Return to the land of your fathers … and I will be with you'” (Genesis 31:3). This is more than travel instructions; it’s a doctrinal and directional anchor: God’s presence is the foundation for obedience, but His presence doesn’t come without obedience. Jacob isn’t returning because the circumstances…
Read MoreNew Is Better
by Hugh DeLong “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world” (Hebrews 1:1-2). The Bible is God’s word. God,…
Read MoreThe Questionnaire Creed: Its History and Its Future
by Floyd Chappalear via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 3, September 1994 “If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam. After seeking advice, the king made…
Read MoreWhat I Love to See
by David Gibson Powerful Effect I love to see a well-used Bible—worn cover, key passages marked, and with lots of hand-written notes in the margins. Even more, I love seeing believers whose lives are shaped by the Scriptures. They not only know the Bible but, far more importantly, live it. This is exactly what God…
Read MoreGetting to Know God
by Jason Hardin “Who are you?” and “What do you do?” They are the most frequently asked questions when people are getting to know each other. They establish context. They create common ground. “Who are you?” and “What do you do?” Psalms 119:68 is a pillar of context for the entire Bible. That’s a sweeping…
Read MoreThose “Sorry” Young Preachers
by Bill Hall via Biblical Insights, Vol. 14 No. 8, August 2014 We hear criticism all along of the young preachers among us: “They don’t preach like the older preachers,” they say. That’s funny! It sounds like what people said of us older preachers when we were young. The truth is, we know of many young…
Read MoreThe Will to Be Wise
by Dee Bowman via Biblical Insights, Vol. 14 No. 8, August 2014 In the introduction to the Proverbs, Solomon uses several words with similar connotations, each related to wisdom. Listen to them: “To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding. To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity. To give to…
Read MoreOur Sights Are Set on Heaven
by Roger D. Campbell On a recent trip to Malaysia, I saw a familiar sight that once again reminded me of one particular practice of the Muslims. In a hotel room where Donna and I spent a couple of nights, there was an arrow on the ceiling pointing toward Mecca. Why is there such an…
Read MoreThe Charge that the Bible Promotes Misogyny
by Terry Wane Benton based on output from Copilot How do Bible-believing educators answer the charge that the Bible is misogynistic? Here’s a clear, thoughtful way Bible‑believing educators typically answer the charge that “the Bible is misogynistic.” Start with Definitions and Expectations Before answering, educators clarify what people mean by “misogynistic.” Most critics mean one…
Read MoreThe Testimony of the Three Witnesses
by Kenny Chumbley via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 3, September 1994 “This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood, And it is the Spirit that beareth witness… there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and…
Read MoreHow God Could End Religious Confusion
by Dennis Allan I recently met a man on a bus, and our conversation quickly came around to spiritual questions. He spoke of his experiences in studying various religions. He had participated in several “Christian” denominations, had studied Buddhism, Islam, etc. We readily agreed on some fundamental facts, including God’s existence and the sad reality…
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