Article
Pressured to Grow
by Zeke Flores “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out, so that they dreaded the sons of Israel” (Exodus 1:12). There’s something strangely encouraging about this verse. Israel is being crushed under Pharaoh’s fear-driven oppression, yet God quietly flips the script. The very pressure meant to…
Read MoreRestricted by Your Own Affections
by Terry Wane Benton There were some at Corinth that did not like Paul for one excuse or another. Perhaps they did not like his appearance, his style of oratory, or skill in the same, but whatever was the excuse, they were not thinking correctly. There were carnal members who were not spiritually minded (I…
Read MoreBy Bread Alone
by Hugh DeLong We all have our favorite scriptures and concepts that we ‘religiously’ follow. We also all have some aspects of Jesus’ teaching that, because of our dispositions and/or situations, we ignore or set aside. In such situations, most of us ‘justify’ our actions. Read this first temptation again as Luke records it! Jesus…
Read MoreA Little Folly
by Chadwick Brewer “Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor” (Ecclesiastes 10:1). When I was a child, I was told the parable of the ship’s mast. The main mast in a ship might take well over a hundred years to grow to the right…
Read MoreThe A.D. 70 System of Kingism
by Garland M. Robinson via Seek the Old Paths The task before me in this series of articles is to examine the fallacies of the “Max King Doctrine.” Some may yet be unaware what the “Max King Doctrine” is. Briefly stated, it is the fanciful theory (heresy) that all the things for which we look…
Read MoreSome Obvious Shadows of Jesus in Exodus
by Terry Wane Benton Exodus is rich in foreshadowing Jesus. A mark of divine wisdom is in the embedding of the shape and form of Jesus long before He arrived in the flesh, showing a wisdom too great for human wisdom alone to account for it. Moses is a lot like Jesus in his unusual…
Read MoreRed Letters
by John Guzzetta I’m sure you’ve noticed that in many editions of the Bible, maybe even the one you are holding, the editors have printed the words of Jesus Christ in red ink. The first red-letter edition was conceived and printed by Louis Klopsch in 1899, first titled (in the long-winded style of the day)…
Read MoreThe “Genocide” Accusation Against the Bible—And Why It Fails
by Brad Harrub, Ph.D. Every semester, thousands of college students sit in classrooms where the Bible is ridiculed or reduced to a caricature. One of the most common accusations they hear is this: “If God is real, why did He command genocide?” For many young Christians, that question lands like a punch to the gut.…
Read MoreWhere Are the Elders?
by Brad Harrub, Ph.D. Walk into many congregations today and ask a simple question: “Do you have elders?” Far too often, the answer is the same: “No…not yet.” Sometimes that answer has been given for 10 years…20 years…even 40-50 years. But that should cause us to pause and ask a very serious question: How did…
Read MorePreacher, Why Does New Testament Christianity Scare You So?
by Floyd Chappelear via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 4, December 1994 The enemy was formidable, so a sizeable army needed to be assembled to ensure victory. Even so, how could an army of 32,000 conquer the host of Midian, Amalek, and the other eastern peoples whose number exceeded 120,000? Although one would wonder, the Lord…
Read MoreDo “All Things” Mean “All Things”?
by Wayne Wells via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 4, December 1994 One of the greatest promises found in the Bible is that God can cause all things to work together for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to hear brethren argue that this passage does not mean what…
Read MoreAdding to the Finished Work of the Cross?
by Terry Wane Benton Check out this statement: “I don’t have to do anything for His blood to cover my sin because I can’t add to the finished or perfect work of the Cross.” This idea of “adding something” to the “finished work of Christ” sounds appealing, and it has become quite typical of many…
Read MoreJohn’s Baptism
by Hugh DeLong The baptism of John, whence was it? This is the question Jesus asked in Luke 20:4, directed at the religious leaders of that day and carrying some alarming implications. First, “there was a man sent from God” (John 1:6). That is the biblical record of the true answer to Jesus’ question. He…
Read MoreGod Meant It for Good
by Zeke Flores In Genesis 50:20, Joseph famously tells his brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” This is one of the clearest statements in Scripture about God’s sovereignty over human actions. Joseph acknowledges the reality of their sin, yet he sees God’s purpose woven through it. This teaches us…
Read MoreThe Separation of Church and State
by David New via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 4, December 1994 [David is a member of the Annandale church of Christ and, as a lawyer, represents clients who are trying to restore prayer to the public schools.] On June 25, 1962, Justice Hugo Black, writing for the Supreme Court in the landmark Engel v. Vitale,…
Read MoreThe Anti-Denominational Denomination
by Floyd Chappelear via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 4, December 1994 Jefferson Davis Tant used to finish articles with the line, “We are drifting.” He could see in the thirties and forties what would happen in the fifties and sixties. Not by any divine gift of inspiration, of course, but because his prescience was born…
Read MoreI Never Intended to Quit
by Gus Nichols A man who had not attended a church service in four years told me he never thought of “quitting” the church. I reminded him that he had already withdrawn his presence from its services, refused to give his moral support to the activities of the congregation, and had withdrawn his financial support,…
Read MoreGod Is My Shepherd
by Zeke Flores In Genesis 48:15-16, Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons and describes God as the One who has shepherded him all his life. This is the first time God is called a shepherd in Scripture. Jacob looks back and sees that God has guided, protected, and sustained him through every season. This reveals a foundational…
Read MoreWas Christ’s sacrifice applied to all people at once, or applied as needed?
by Terry Wane Benton The sacrifice itself was once‑for‑all, complete, and never repeated. Hebrews 10:14 teaches that Christ’s offering is finished, final, and never needs to be repeated: “By one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” The atoning act is complete, final, and historically accomplished at the cross. This is the…
Read MoreWhen the Church Disappoints You
by Terry Wane Benton Jesus’ twelve apostles disappointed Him at times. Sometimes they would look at Him with a bewildered look of “what are you talking about?” as they failed to grasp the meaning and application of what He said. Sometimes, he would plainly say something simple like, “We are going up to Jerusalem, where…
Read MoreStop Trying to Neuter the God of the Bible
by Brad Harrub, Ph.D. Somewhere along the way, much of modern American Christianity decided that the best way to attract people to God was to soften Him and make everyone “feel good.” Sermons became filled with comforting thoughts, gentle encouragements, and repeated reminders that “God loves you.” Churches highlight the soothing passages. Devotionals emphasize grace,…
Read MorePaul’s Instructions
by Hugh DeLong Paul includes many instructions on living as a disciple. Some we tend to emphasize more than others, but they are all inspired by God. I find the most difficult ones to follow are the ones that don’t fit my personality or abilities. I know I am not alone in this, for most…
Read MoreDifficult Years
by Zeke Flores In Genesis 47:9, Jacob tells Pharaoh, “Few and difficult have been the years of my life.” This is not self-pity; it’s honesty shaped by experience. Jacob has walked through conflict, loss, fear, and hardship, yet he stands as a man preserved by God. This teaches us that a life of faith is…
Read MoreWhat Does Godly Leadership Look Like?
by Doy Moyer In short, it looks like the love the Lord shows. The husband is to love his wife “just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her” (Ephesians 5:25). Leadership that does not do this is not godly, but selfish. Godly leadership is not tyrannical. It is not abusive, controlling, or…
Read MoreI Will Go with You
by Zeke Flores In Genesis 46:3-4, God tells Jacob, “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt … I will go down with you.” This is a powerful reminder that God’s presence is not tied to geography. Jacob is leaving the land of promise, yet God assures him that His presence travels with His…
Read MoreWho Administers Baptism?
by Louis Rushmore The late David Lipscomb is attributed with saying, “There is no more propriety in calling baptism the work of the man baptized than there is in calling the burial the work of the person buried.” Stop and think about that analogy for a moment. The dead neither dig the hole in which…
Read MoreStarting Point of Reference
by Terry Wane Benton If I start with the premise or foundational belief that there is no Creator and Judge, then my outlook would lead me to believe that we got here by accident and that morals are just what we want them to be. Nothing absolute, and no accountability to anyone higher than ourselves.…
Read MoreFaith Takes Work
by Terry Wane Benton The argument that baptism is a “work” but faith is not is not sound. There is far more work involved in faith than in passively letting someone immerse you in water. Think about it. Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). Think of the mental work involved in…
Read MoreLife Has No Guarantees
by Doy Moyer I follow a few pages and sites for those with Parkinson’s and their caregivers (usually a spouse). One of the things I’ve been impressed with (for the good) is the commitment that so many spouses have. It’s not easy for them, and they know this is a “rest of life” matter that…
Read MorePersuasive Arguments
by Hugh DeLong We are drowning in a sea of false information. The internet can be useful, but it appears to me to overwhelmingly contain bad and misleading information. If you do a quick search for almost anything, the titles that are present for you to read contain countless hyperboles: “This destroys all…”, This changes…
Read MoreWas It Any of Lot’s Business?
by Terry Wane Benton I got a note from someone telling me that the LGBTQ causes do not and should not concern me. That is like saying, what they are promoting in schools and through political causes does not concern me. Well, it does! You see, sin is a spiritual disease that spreads by people…
Read MoreThe Story of Redemption
by Jeff Grisham There are some narratives in Scripture that are not exactly what we would call “family-friendly.” In other words, if some of the biblical narratives were televised, we would probably not let our children watch them. Let’s look at a couple of examples. The first is found in Genesis 19 at the end…
Read MoreMay a Woman Ever Teach a Man?
by Jimmy Ferguson There is much error taught and practiced in the brotherhood today regarding women teaching men. In some places, women are allowed and even encouraged to speak in public assemblies and to teach classes where both men and women are present. Some brethren have swung far to the right and contend that a…
Read MoreI wanted to let you know your work is not in vain
Question: Hello, I hope you are doing well. I’m reaching out just to say thank you. I’ve been a born-again believer living in a Buddhist country for several years now, and I spend a lot of my time studying the Bible. Today was the third time I’ve gone through the Gospel of John, and when…
Read MoreImmodesty-Temptation of Conforming
by Keith Greer In a few weeks, summer will arrive. The cold days of winter and the rainy days of spring will be behind us, and we’ll be enjoying warm sunny days. Seasonal change is a wonderful part of God’s creation (Genesis 8:22). Unfortunately, summer brings with it the problem of immodest apparel. Let’s first…
Read MoreUncovering Guilt
by Zeke Flores In Genesis 44:16, Judah says, “God has uncovered your servants’ guilt.” He isn’t referring to the silver cup. He’s referring to the sin they committed against Joseph years earlier. Judah recognizes that God is bringing hidden things into the open. This is a significant moment in the brothers’ spiritual journey. They finally…
Read MoreMore Righteous Than I
by Zeke Flores In Genesis 38:26, Judah says, “She [Tamar] is more righteous than I.” This confession is significant because it marks the beginning of Judah’s transformation. He moves from self-protection to repentance. Judah had been living with hidden sin, hypocrisy, and moral compromise. Tamar’s boldness exposes him, and instead of doubling down, he humbles…
Read MoreGuilty Consciences
by Zeke Flores In Genesis 42:21-22, Joseph’s brothers say, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother.” Their guilt surfaces immediately when trouble hits. This reveals a deep truth about the human conscience: God has woven moral awareness into us. Even when people try to bury their wrongdoing, the conscience remains active. The brothers…
Read MoreRunning the Race
by Hugh DeLong Text: Hebrews 12 Paul uses a lot of ‘life illustrations’ – body, temple, army, and sports. The writer of Hebrews now engages one of the sports illustrations – running. Personally, I dislike running (I prefer biking or other sports instead). But through the years have had to run. In running, particularly anything…
Read MoreThe Bad Guy Is Sometimes Actually the Good Guy
by Terry Wane Benton A child left to himself brings his mother to shame. The unappreciated role is the one spoken of in disrespectful tones (the mother) because she dared to love enough to do the unappreciated tasks of correction and discipline. She is treated as the bad guy, but she is actually the good…
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