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Voices from the Past
by Keith Sharp Mainstream Churches of Christ are far along in a falling away that began around the time I was born, and I’ll soon be eligible for Medicare! The drift has taken place so slowly that most brethren think the modern innovations from the divine pattern for the church have always been practiced. You…
Read MoreUnderstanding Prophecy
by Ethan R. Longhenry Prophecy is an important part of the message of God as understood in the Scriptures. Unfortunately, the nature of prophecy is often quite misunderstood. Many think that prophecy always involves things that will happen in the future. When the word “prophecy” is mentioned, many start thinking maybe of Elijah or Isaiah,…
Read MoreTypes Seen in the Tabernacle and Temple
by Michael Hatcher Taken from “John 9:31″ in Defender, November 2004 The physical structures of the Tabernacle and the Temple were typifying the spiritual aspects of the New Testament system (Hebrews 8-10). God gave specific instructions as to the making of these structures, and the Israelites were to follow the pattern God gave them (Exodus 25:40).…
Read MoreTradition Versus Scripture
by Wayne Jackson When the report of the Savior’s miracles spread abroad, Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem made their way north to Gennesaret to confront Jesus. They charged that the Lord’s disciples neglected to keep the “traditions” of the elders because they did not ceremonially wash their hands (to purify themselves from Gentile contamination) before…
Read MoreLove Is … (Article)
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton In learning the craft of needlepoint, a person will sometimes work on a sampler. The sampler typically features a notable quotation and a variety of images and scrollwork to showcase the different stitches mastered. Bible verses are often selected for the basic text, and one of the most popular selections is…
Read MoreThat’s More Than I Am Supposed to Do
by Harry E. Rice Practically all progress in the world has been made by those who did more than their share, “more than they were supposed to do.” Our independence was won by George Washington and his men who “did more than they were supposed to do” as they suffered privation at Valley Forge while…
Read MoreTen Little Christians
Author Unknown Ten little Christians standing in line. One disliked the preacher, then there were nine. Nine little Christians stayed up very late. One overslept Sunday, then there were eight. Eight little Christians on their way to Heaven. One took the low road, then there were seven. Seven little Christians chirping like chicks. One disliked…
Read MoreTalking to Others About the Lord
Author Unknown We tend to talk with others about those things that are of the greatest interest to us. Golfers like to talk about golf, musicians about music, and hunters about hunting. The point here is this: Do Christians like to talk about Christ, the church, and the Bible? How committed are we to who…
Read MoreSons of Jacob (Children’s Class Song)
by Jeanie Pratt Please feel free to use the following lyrics which I wrote many years ago. I could not remember the usual version and wanted the order of birth. I sing this to the tune of Jesus Loves Me. I have a poster board with the song. I color code the boys’ names by…
Read MoreThe Songs That We Sing
by Wayne S. Walker As I was growing up, I loved to join in the singing of hymns and gospel songs during church services and other occasions where people gathered together to praise God in song, and through the years with my general love of music I have maintained an active interest in the songs…
Read MoreSomeone Writes Asking About Christmas
by Wayne Goforth Hello Becky! I appreciate your good thoughts here, and certainly, I am not trying to encourage you to go against your conscience (Romans 14) or to observe Christmas in any type of way. I simply want to explain why I believe, as a Christian, we have the liberty of celebrating a national holiday on December…
Read MoreThe Silver Thermometer (Hailey)
by Homer Hailey via The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 2, Dec. 1951. It is easier to describe and evaluate the tangible than to describe or evaluate the intangible. Because this is so, the Lord’s churches are often led to place undue emphasis on numbers added to their membership and to the size of their weekly…
Read MorePredetermined Destiny
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Many people in this world believe in fate or destiny. They feel there is a specific role chosen for them which they must play, whatever their personal choice. John Calvin taught that God predestines some people to be Christians and, if so chosen by God, there is nothing that a person…
Read MoreScience and the Bible
by R. L. Whiteside from Kingdom of Promise and Prophecy The claim that science and the Bible do not agree should disturb no one. What is called “science” is not static. Each generation brings new light; most of the old theories have been exploded by scientists themselves. Yet, each generation of scientists boldly announces that science…
Read MoreSalvation is Unlimited — But Conditional
by Earl Robertson via “The Instructor”, October 1982, Volume 19, Number 10 John wrote “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). Many of the creeds of men…
Read MoreRoman Catholic Quotes Regarding the Pope
It would of course be a monstrous anachronism were we to attribute a belief in papal infallibility to Ante-Nicene Fathers. [Addis and Arnold, Catholic Dictionary, The Catholic Publication Society, 1887, page 674] The Pope in himself is subject to error like other men; his infallibility comes from the Spirit of God, which on certain occasions protects…
Read MorePlural Personal Pronouns in Galatians
by Bob Myhan Is Paul writing to a collectivity of “churches” or to a plurality of “churches”? The plural “you” [as opposed to “thee”] indicates the latter. Jesus “gave Himself for our sins.” Did Jesus give Himself for the sins of the churches or for the sins of the individuals who make up the churches?…
Read MoreUnderstanding the Will of the Lord
by Charles L. Morton via The Preceptor, Vol. 28, No. 5, March 1979 “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the Will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17). Some things are involved in this text that are basic. Your attention is invited to some of them. The admonition to understand the Will of the Lord…
Read MoreThe People of God: Their Attitude Toward the Social Order
by Ed Harrell Throughout history, in relating themselves to the world, the two options which Christians have most often pursued were to vigorously strive to control the world or to disdainfully withdraw from it. Some have dreamed that they would make their society “Christian,” necessarily defined in cultural and nationalistic terms, and have passed laws,…
Read MorePaul’s Fears
by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr. Guardian of Truth XXXI: 3, pp. 76-77, February 5, 1987 “For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears” (II Corinthians 7:5). Paul admitting to fear? This is the man who had the courage…
Read MoreHow Long Was the Egyptian Bondage? (Hamilton)
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Occasionally someone will insist that the Bible is not inspired by God and to prove their point they will state there are contradictions in the Bible. One of these apparent contradictions involves the duration of the Israelites’ bondage in Egypt. There are five verses which state the length of this…
Read MoreOverseers of the Flock?
by Marvin L. Weir Julien Dupre, A Shepherd and His Flock A faithful child of God realizes that he must battle with those within the kingdom as well as with those outside the kingdom. It is sad that one’s energies and efforts must be expended on exposing those who “will not endure the sound doctrine;…
Read MoreThe Origins of the Seventh-Day Adventists: Also Known as the Adventist-Millerite Movement
by Jerry Blount Today many religious groups can trace their roots back to the activities of a New York farmer named William Miller (1782-1849). After fighting in the War of 1812, he then began farming in upstate New York. In 1818 he converted from Deism to become a Baptist preacher. “I saw that the Bible…
Read MoreWhat Must I Do to be Saved? (Walker)
by Wayne S. Walker Of all the questions asked … Where did I come from? Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? The most important question ever asked was: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30) In the sixteenth chapter of the book of Acts, the apostle Paul…
Read MoreA Church Treasury, Only in an Emergency?
by Gordon J. Pennock via Truth Magazine – January 1961 It seems that considerable controversy has arisen regarding what we call the church treasury, meaning of course the funds contributed by the members of local churches. This controversy seems to be a by-product of the discussion of scriptural and unscriptural ways in which such funds are spent.…
Read MoreNeglect: A Way of Life
by Bill Humble in The Preceptor, Vol. 2, No. 5, March 1953 The church has always faced a host of formidable enemies, and the present generation of Christians is no exception. There is Catholicism, un-American as well as un-Christian in its basic teachings. There is modernism, whose demoralizing and deadening influences have already engulfed a…
Read MoreThe Needle’s Eye
by Irvin Himmel A rich young ruler came running to Jesus and, kneeling before the Master, posed the question, “Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Jesus called attention to some of the basic commands of the law. The young man answered, “Master, all these have I observed from my…
Read MoreMormonism and the Virgin Birth of Christ
by Connie W. Adams via Guardian of Truth XXXIX: 5 p. 3-4, March 2, 1995 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not…
Read MoreMorals in the Pulpit and in the Pew
by Leslie Diestelkamp via Think, Vol. 2, No. 5, July 1971 Once, when I preached a sermon on morals, a mature man in the congregation asked to speak. For perhaps two or three minutes he exhorted the people, giving complete endorsement to what I had preached. I believe his endorsement may have impressed the people more…
Read MoreMoney Myth Debunked: Money Management is the KEY!
by William C. Sexton In the January 6th, 2004 Fort Smith newspaper, Southwest Times Record, Mary Hunt had a list of MYTHS about money, which Lois read to me and I was impressed with most of them, especially the first one. Let us examine it, and then make some valid points that are related, also…
Read MoreWhy Does God Allow Evil?
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton No doubt, sin and the evil accompanying it exist in this world. When atrocious examples of evil come to our attention, people commonly wonder why God allows such evil to happen. Atheists will use the very existence of obvious evil to argue against God. “If God were so good,” they smirk,…
Read MoreMcGarvey as a Preacher and Teacher
by Henry S. Ficklin via Gospel Guardian, Vol. 10, No. 39, Feb. 5, 1959 In 1902, when I began as a student at Transylvania University, in Lexington, Kentucky, McGarvey was President of the College Of The Bible. These two institutions were on the same campus, but they were separately organized. It was McGarvey’s desire, I fully…
Read MoreMaintain Good Conduct
by Kent Heaton It would be hard to imagine how difficult it was for the early Christians to live under the rule of Nero, emperor of Rome. Peter’s first epistle is considered to be written during the reign of one of the world’s most corrupt and vicious rulers. It would seem from his writing; Peter…
Read MoreLove Never Ends
by Sam Stinson “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the does of the field, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.” (Song Of Solomon 2:7, ESV) Love is essential for Christ’s disciples. Love is a desire we awaken so that the abilities we practice and the…
Read MoreLiving With Hideous Monsters
by Ben May A man visited a psychiatrist to talk about his dreams. “Every night,” the man said, “I dream that these three hideous monsters are sitting on the edge of my bed, ready to attack me.” “Hmmm,” said the doctor. “I feel sure I can cure you of this problem. But the treatment will…
Read MoreThe Last Fight
by Robert F. Turner via Plain Talk, January 1971 On the ruins of a theater in Ephesus, there is a memorial to an athlete of the 2nd century A.D. which reads: “He fought three fights, and twice was crowned.” Watch out for that last step! You see, those “athletes” fought to the death. A man’s…
Read MoreWelcome to Church … Kids Not Invited
by Mike Thomas I was so distracted once at a church service (away from here), by an overwhelming amount of noise from the audience, that I had a hard time concentrating on the lesson. I tried focusing my attention on the speaker, but the person behind me and a few others across the aisle were…
Read MoreJoseph Smith or Jesus Christ?
by Gilbert Alexander God has spoken to us in these last days by His Son, whose name is Jesus or Immanuel (Matthew 1:21,23; Hebrews 1:1-4). His message is the New Testament, the gospel of Christ, the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Hebrews 8:6; Mark 16:15-16; Romans 10:16; Jude 3). Do you firmly…
Read MoreIt Just Slipped Out … Of What?
by Bryan Matthew Dockens When excusing themselves for uttering profanities or curses, the kind of words which should never escape our mouths (Ephesians 4:29), many will say, “I’m sorry; it just slipped out”. But what did those corrupt words slip out of, exactly? Jesus explained, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth…
Read MoreIt Can Change So Fast
by Matthew Allen The wealth and materialistic excess of God’s people eight centuries before Jesus were almost unparalleled. The level of prosperity almost certainly equaled that of the days of David and Solomon. Amos gives us a vivid detail of life during the reigns of Jeroboam II of Israel and Uzziah of Judah, shedding light…
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