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Why I Left the Methodist Church (Jackson)
by Robert Jackson I became a member of the Methodist church in Charlotte, Tennessee, at the age of twelve. This was the result of being brought up in a Methodist family. I was taught that one should believe in Christ and then join the church of his choice, and his choice, as a rule, would…
Read MoreWho Can Stand?
by Ryan Boyer In Revelation 6, Jesus (the Lamb) is opening the scroll’s seals one by one. The first four are the famous four horsemen of the apocalypse. These are not only punishments against people who have persecuted God’s people but also wake-up calls and opportunities to repent (like the Egyptian plagues). They are also…
Read MoreCan I get married in the church?
Question: Hello, I have a question. It happened months ago, but I want to know about this concern. I was studying doctrine. I liked a brother, and I decided to go out with him. We were like boyfriend and girlfriend but never agreed to be in a relationship. That date went so far that we…
Read MoreFeminism: A New Faith
by Wanda Walker via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 11, November 30, 1983 There are numerous religious organizations in the United States and throughout the world, all claiming to serve God in some fashion or tradition. Their use of the Bible as God’s inspired word is minimal. Instead, most of these organizations attempt to set…
Read MoreThe Marriage Problem
by Lynn Trapp via Sentry Magazine, vol. 9, no. 11, November 30, 1983 (slightly abridged) Divorce is on the rise among Christians. The church has been and always will be affected by the society around it. Thus, as society approves more and more of divorce, the church will be swept along with the tide. People…
Read MoreThe Benefit of the Doubt
by Zeke Flores Sometimes, we say, “Give me the benefit of the doubt.” We want some leeway, some wiggle room, some consideration, some understanding. But are we willing to extend that same courtesy to others? The church and the world would undoubtedly be better off if we were as patient with others as we expect…
Read MoreThe Power of Preachers
by Chadwick Brewer “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.…And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom…I…
Read MoreSo Certain in Faith
by Terry Wane Benton Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O…
Read MoreA Broken Mold
by Zeke Flores Jesus broke the mold of how a rabbi should act. At least, He didn’t act in a way that the religious, holy-toity leaders in His day thought He should. It was bad enough to have accepted a (gasp) tax collector as a follower after He was seen associating with various other “sinners!”…
Read MorePropaganda Wars – The Use of the Education System
by Terry Wane Benton The propaganda that God does not exist unless He lets us see Him directly has always been treated as foolish propaganda, and rightly so. Psalms 14:1 says the “fool has said in his heart, ‘there is no God.'” Just a few chapters later (Psalms 19:1), the Psalmist pointed out that “the…
Read MorePropaganda Wars – Manipulating the Truth
by Terry Wane Benton The devil engaged in a propaganda war with the first couple in the garden. He tried to convince them that God was bad and was holding them back from some great potential experience. God was in their way. The propaganda seemed valid. The fruit on the tree did look good for…
Read MorePropaganda Wars
by Terry Wane Benton Controlling the Narrative Rhetoric Unbelief Based on Propaganda When People Can’t or Won’t Hear Truth Manipulating the Truth The Use of the Education System
Read MorePropaganda Wars – Rhetoric
by Terry Wane Benton Interestingly, the rhetoric used in truth vs. propaganda often turns to prejudicial phrases. Elijah was called a “troubler” in Israel by the wicked king. Who really was the troubler? Was it not those who grew to accept immorality and idolatry? But Ahab used the word “troubler” to close minds against God’s…
Read MorePropaganda Wars: Unbelief Based on Propaganda
by Terry Wane Benton The Bible talks about a god that never existed and a Jesus who never existed, modern atheists and humanists tell us. Is that fact (truth) or propaganda? Our president laid his hand on a fiction book and swore by fiction to uphold the Constitution: “So help me, fictional god?” Truth or…
Read MorePropaganda Wars – When People Can’t or Won’t Hear Truth
by Terry Wane Benton We have the book of Jeremiah only because truth wins in the end. But think of the propaganda that seemed to prevail when Jeremiah was trying to preach to the corrupt establishment. God had an important mission for Jeremiah, “to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw…
Read MoreNever Speak Evil
by Doy Moyer Never speak evil. We are not to speak evil of anyone, including those in positions of power. Not even Michael the archangel would bring a railing accusation against the devil, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (Jude 9) The powers that be are in God’s hands and judged according to His will;…
Read MoreIs the Bible Full of Fables?
by Richard Blackford I was recently invited to join a website for Bible discussion. It didn’t take long to observe that its purpose was to bash the Bible, Christ, and Christianity. An accusation was made a few weeks ago that the Bible is composed of fables. My reaction to that is two-fold: This person is…
Read MoreMusic
by Richard Blackford We don’t limit “Set for the Defense” (Philippians 1:7,17) to responding to arguments made against God and the Bible (often in blasphemous attacks), but also in presenting positive affirmations for believing there is a highly Intelligent Designer who is the cause of all creation. Many things in our universe argue for such…
Read MoreIn Defense of the Apostle Paul
by Richard Blackford We have heard it said that Paul was not an authentic apostle. They say he injected his prejudices into his writing, that he was a misogynist and a homophobe. Others don’t care much for Paul because of his teaching on baptism. They also claim to be Christians, but they mainly just follow…
Read MoreGive the ‘Prince of Peace’ a Chance
by Richard Blackford While many herald, “Give peace a chance,” they get the cart before the horse. Any attempt at peace that omits the Prince of Peace is doomed to fail. Someone said, “It’s not that Christianity was tried and found difficult. It’s that it was found difficult and not tried.” Some know about Christianity,…
Read MoreLifestyle Evangelism
by Terry Wane Benton A good way to live is by the golden rule. Do unto others as you would have them to do unto you. (Matthew 7:12) Would you want others to treat you as worthless? Don’t treat others as worthless. Would you want to be ignored and never included? Shunned? Of course not!…
Read MoreIt is Written
by David Gibson My dad kept a small notebook in his pocket for writing reminders of appointments and things to do. Why do we write notes to ourselves? Because we all know how fallible human memory is. When Israel was at Sinai, Moses would climb the mountain to receive God’s instructions, then come down and…
Read MoreFaith Alone in Ephesians 2:8?
by Terry Wane Benton Question: Many claim that Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches salvation by faith alone and that baptism is not necessary for salvation. Please respond. Answer: First, the word “alone” is not in Ephesians 2:8 but it is in James 2:14-24 and there it clearly says, “Not by faith alone.” So, we must not allow…
Read MoreGod’s Wisdom in Church Leadership
by David Gibson God always does it right the first time. Take, for example, church leadership. What church leaders are called in the New Testament What many people do not realize is that in the New Testament, there are at least three terms used synonymously: 1) pastors, 2) overseers (also called bishops), and 3) elders.…
Read MoreIs God a Narcissist?
by Richard Blackford I participate periodically in discussions on a website that atheists run. The accusation has been made frequently that God is a narcissist. He is depicted as a self-centered tyrant absorbed in himself who wants everyone groveling at His feet and needs constant attention. I believe this is a misunderstanding. Some fail to…
Read MoreIn Defense of a Jealous God
by Richard Blackford Several times, the Bible states that God is a jealous God. One of those is in the Ten Commandments: “Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image……Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God…” (Exodus 20:4-5). That conjures…
Read MoreMeme Makers Myth-informed
by Richard Blackford Meme makers are trying to discredit Jesus again. It’s difficult to find more falsehood in such a small space. This was making the rounds on social media during the holidays. One of the first things mentioned is Jesus’ “Birthday is celebrated on December 25th. ”But notice the title: “THE BIBLE. Not as…
Read MoreEvolutionary Logic
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 11, November 30, 1983
Read MoreThe Nature of the Church
by R. L. Whiteside via Gospel Advocate, December 3, 1942 From what reading I do, it seems to me that brethren are drifting away from a correct conception of what the church is. The church of God is the family of God, and all his children are in it. If one of his children wanders…
Read MoreDead Wood Among the Branches
by Jack Behle via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 11, November 30, 1983 The teacher tenure law in our state protects teachers against being dismissed arbitrarily after teaching in a district for five years. In fact, it is very difficult to fire a tenured teacher, no matter what the reason. The law was designed to…
Read MoreJacob and Esau
by David Lipscomb The treatment of Esau and Joseph was sinful. It was done in a wrong spirit and for a wicked purpose. Jacob and the brethren of Joseph all suffered intensely for the wrongs they did. Jacob suffered in the exile from his family and the fear and dread of meeting Esau, and the…
Read MoreThe Church in Two Senses of the Word
based on charts by Scott Mann via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 11, November 30, 1983 Universal Church The Relationship of Saints with God Members are enrolled in heaven (Hebrews 12:23; II Timothy 2:19) Consists of all saints, everywhere, living or dead (Ephesians 3:15; 5:27-29) Only the Lord adds to their number (Acts 2:47) Entrance…
Read MoreSpeaking in “Tongues”
by Jim Deason via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15, No. 1, January 2015 Anyone who has “surfed” the 666 channels on your cable network or has talked with your neighbor across your backyard fence has heard people claim the special and direct guidance of the Holy Spirit. Many of these people believe that the first evidence…
Read MoreHastening the Day of the Lord (Benton)
by Terry Wane Benton “Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?” (II Peter 3:12) What manner of person should you be in godliness, as you are “looking for and hastening the coming of…
Read MoreIncreasingly Angry
by Zeke Flores An interesting thing happened at a grocery store one morning. I was at the customer service desk and saw a man complaining very loudly to a store manager about the rude service he thought he had gotten from one of the store clerks. While the manager did her best to be sympathetic…
Read MoreThe Little Things
by Doy Moyer People often seem prone to wanting big things out of life. If we are going to accomplish anything, we want it to be big, fancy, and impressive. Culturally, we tend to think in terms of big names, sports, and movie stars, or heroic action. Famous people get our attention. Consequently, we might…
Read MoreEveryone Who Had Something to Give Contributed
by Zeke Flores There’s an interesting incident in Exodus 35: Everyone with something to contribute to the Tabernacle gave what they had. Whether it was cloth, wood, stone, spices, oil, or gold, Scripture repeatedly says, “They brought it.” In fact, they brought so much that they had more than enough to do God’s work, and…
Read MoreIn Their Hearts
by David Gibson In his address to the Sanhedrin, Stephen said, “Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him [Moses], but repudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt…” (Acts 7:39 NASB). “We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks…
Read MoreNot Every One Should Be Baptized
by Terry Wane Benton Babies should not be baptized. They haven’t sinned, don’t disbelieve or believe, don’t know what repentance is about, and can’t confess Jesus. Dunking such persons in water only gets them wet. Calling it baptism does not make it “in the name of the Lord” (Acts 2:38). The Ethiopian Eunuch asked Philip,…
Read MoreIs it right to say God has mercy on some?
Question: Best regards, A few days ago, I came across this article, “Are We Condemning Those Who Never Heard the Gospel?” and I have been meditating on it. My observation and comment are not because I do not believe in the perfect righteousness of God, since I am a Christian, a member of the church…
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