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The Misunderstood Jesus
by Doy Moyer Understanding people is often difficult. What do they mean? How are they using phrases? Are they being literal or figurative, or both? In person, we can ask and clarify, but when we are reading what others said, we can easily misinterpret because we are not hearing the inflections or seeing their gestures.…
Read MoreThe Winepress of God’s Wrath
by Steve A. Hamilton “So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image” (Revelation 16:2). The date was 541 A.D. Roman Emperor Justinian was reigning in his 14th year…
Read MoreWhy Unleavened Bread?
by Doy Moyer Why do we use unleavened bread when we partake of the Lord’s Supper? At the first level of understanding, we recognize that Jesus used unleavened bread when giving instructions for the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:26). We know this because it was on the occasion of the Passover that Jesus gave these instructions.…
Read MoreReflections on Singleness
by Jonathan T. Engel Photo by Nick Adams on Unsplash Thanks to various factors, over the past few months I have, in some respects, felt more hopeful than ever about my prospects for marriage. A huge part of this is that I finally started convincing myself of what others have told me, namely, that it’s…
Read MoreA Tale of Two Gods
How Calvinism’s God and the Bible’s God are Two Very Different God’s by Ben Giselbach One very popular denominational preacher and writer, John Piper, is famous for saying that “all things” – even down to the subatomic level – “are ordained, guided, and governed” by God. [1] The idea that God determines everything can be traced back…
Read MoreThe Sadducees
by Terry W. Benton The Sadducees did not believe in angels or in the resurrection after death. So, they tried to stump Jesus on the issue of the resurrection (Mark 12:18-23). Jesus pointed out that they didn’t know the Scriptures nor the power of God (Mark 12:24). If they knew the Scriptures and the power…
Read MoreTill My Change Comes
by Terry W. Benton Job had quite impressive faith. He believed in life after this body is put down in death. He said, “If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, till my change comes” (Job 14:14). It is evident that Job believed in a…
Read MoreHow to Judge
by Matthew W. Bassford If there is any verse in the Bible that our society knows, it’s Matthew 7:1. Even people who have never cracked open a Bible in their lives are able to quote from the King James Version, “Judge not that ye be not judged.” I’m not sure that they know what a ye is,…
Read MoreThe Constitution and the Bible
by Terry Wane Benton The debate over the Constitution illustrates some of the same problems in agreeing over the Bible. The problem does not come from these documents. It comes from the agenda of those who approach either one. Some are intent on making laws to fit their own will and so they are not interested…
Read MoreThe World Is Passing Away
by Terry Wayne Benton “The world is passing away” (I John 2:15,17). But AD 70 brethren say that the world is not passing away, using Ephesians 3:21 to say “world without end,” and they say Isaiah 9:6f affirms that the “increase of His government…is without end;” therefore, the world will keep on supplying people for…
Read MoreContext
by Terry Wane Benton The apostles of Jesus were the eyewitnesses and we are the jurors. Promises made to the apostles in John 13-17 are not made to all of us. The context is about a long discussion Jesus had with His twelve witnesses. Jesus said to them “And you also will bear witness, because…
Read MoreEvidence that 90% of Earth’s Species Developed at the Same Time
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton An analysis of the mitochondrial DNA in 100,000 species showed that there were fewer neutral mutations (variations that have no impact) than expected and that the number of neutral mutations in the various species is basically the same, indicating that these species all began at roughly the same time. The authors’…
Read MoreThe Words in Red
by Terry Wayne Benton Some have the impression that if we believe the words in red (in red letter editions of the Bible) are more sacred and binding than the other words delivered by the other apostles of Jesus. This reasoning is terribly wrong. First, Matthew wrote over a decade after Jesus ascended to heaven…
Read MoreBaptism and the Faithfulness of God
by Matthew W. Bassford Whether most Christians think about it or not, their entire belief system is based on the premise that God is faithful. God’s faithfulness is what makes it reasonable for us to trust in Him and devote our lives to doing His will. We know that if we keep our covenant with…
Read MoreTiming the Book of Revelation
by Steve A. Hamilton Timing is everything for the proper interpretation of the book of Revelation. Various theories have developed concerning the interpretation of the Book of Revelation that have been ignored when it was written or when it concludes. These theories take advantage of the symbolic nature of the book to express ideas that…
Read MoreIs Investing Gambling?
by Matthew W. Bassford From time to time, I’ll hear people arguing that, morally speaking, investing in the stock market is the same thing as gambling. Usually, the argument is advanced by folks who think that gambling is fine and want to expose what they see as hypocrisy in those who believe that it’s wrong.…
Read MoreThe Resurrection of Christ and the Inspiration of the Scriptures
by Robert H. Farish via Gospel Guardian, April 14, 1960 The evidence by which the resurrection of Christ is proved is the testimony of the apostles. This testimony was originally given orally and later put into writing by the apostles. This testimony asserts not only the miracle of the resurrection (I Corinthians 15:20) but also…
Read MoreDo You Act — Or React?
by Sydney J. Harris I walked with my friend, a Quaker, to the newsstand the other night, and he bought a paper, thanking the newsie politely. The newsie didn’t even acknowledge it. “A sullen fellow, isn’t he?” I commented. “Oh, he’s that way every night,” shrugged my friend. “Then why do you continue to be…
Read MoreIn the Beginning God …
by Terry Wayne Benton Genesis 1:1. The first verse in the Bible is either true or false. If false, then the truth would have to be: Something accidentally came from nothing. Something eternal accidentally brought life and order. But something has never come from nothing, so we have to admit that something is eternal in…
Read MoreWhose Word I Praise!
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton David was on the run. The king of Israel, Saul, was determined to see him dead. His best friend, Saul’s son, confirmed that Saul would not be deterred. The threat was so severe that David decided to flee into Philistine territory. The Philistines were no friends to Israel, and David had…
Read MoreGluttony (Moyer)
by Doy Moyer Gluttony seems to be one of the under-taught issues of our day. This is, likely, due to our being uncomfortable with the idea that we ourselves might be guilty of it. While we think of it as generally referring to overeating, it is tied to other problems like laziness (Titus 1:12) and…
Read MoreWhat about Topical Lessons?
by Doy Moyer A good topical lesson is not a rejection of exegetical lessons. Nor is it a rejection of the primacy of context. This is not a defense of cherry-picking pet passages, taking them out of context, or ignoring other passages that make our understanding fuller and more complete. Rather, this is an encouragement…
Read MoreAre We Condemning Those Who Never Heard the Gospel?
by Matthew W. Bassford I received the following question: “I heard one yesterday I’ve been pondering. The man said that unless you believe in God you will be lost. So what about all those people who have never had the opportunity? I have him some answers but I’d be interested to hear what you think.”…
Read MoreTill He Comes
by Terry W. Benton In taking the Lord’s Supper each week (Acts 20:7) we “proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (I Corinthians 11:26). We proclaim that we are in communion and partnership with the benefits of His death. It is one of the ways we confess Him. Christians coming together on the first day…
Read MoreActs 2 and 3 and the Gift of the Holy Spirit
by Doy Moyer When you layout Acts 2 and 3, there are some great comparisons. Both begin in the same basic way (Men of Judea, Men of Israel) and contain at least these similarities: They start by clearing up misunderstandings and reference a direct act of God’s power (Acts 2:15-20; 3:16-18). They show how the…
Read MoreChristians in First Century Corinth
by Hugh DeLong We live (lived, past tense, as our world is quickly changing), in a time when Christianity (the basic principles) is the majority belief. The concept of one god is accepted. Such was not true back in the first century. The pagan world was full of gods. Such were woven into the very fabric of the lives…
Read MoreThe Church in Crisis
by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr. I have a sermon titled “Crises in the Jerusalem Church” that I preach from time to time. It is based on notes that I took on a sermon I heard brother Clinton Hamilton preach many years ago. It points to several crises faced by the first congregation of Christians ever.…
Read MoreIs Jesus a Bad Teacher?
by Jeremy Crump Have you ever had a teacher that just wouldn’t give you a straight answer? I remember a math teacher I had in high school who I’d ask for help and instead of solving the problem for me, she’d give me some hints and then send me back to my seat to work…
Read MoreWhy Do People Refuse to Come to Jesus?
by Wayne Jackson Jesus was in Jerusalem attending one of the annual Jewish feasts—probably the Passover. On this occasion, he encountered a disabled man who had been in his affliction for some thirty-eight years. The Lord asked the poor gentleman if he would like to be made whole. After a brief exchange, Christ instructed the…
Read MoreThe Faith of an Atheist
by William J. Stewart Some time ago, I had the opportunity to talk with a self-proclaimed Atheist. I found it to be a rather interesting conversation. He discussed several things which he found to be adequate evidence to discount the existence of God, none of which stood to any measure of inspection. Yet, he vehemently…
Read MoreAnalyzing Arguments in Favor of Instrumental Music
by Mark Mayberry via Guardian of Truth, January 18, 1990 Christianity is a religion of faith. To walk by faith means that we live in harmony with God’s Word. This has special application to our expression of worship: It must be according to God’s will! Our faith, practice, and worship must be grounded in the teachings…
Read MoreThe Pattern for Personal Apostasy
by Dee Bowman It seems to me that even evil follows a predictable pattern. I have seen one or two persons, on rare occasions, suddenly and unexpectedly bolt from the faith and forsake God – seemingly all in one motion. However, this has certainly been the exception and not the rule. Most people who leave…
Read MoreThe Passing of Billy Graham
by Dan Gatlin Billy Graham passed away today. Some may not be familiar with what he taught. He said, “I believe baptism is important, and I have been baptized. But I think we violate the Scriptures when we make baptism the prime requirement for salvation … Paul’s central theme was Christ and His saving power.…
Read MoreReactionary Apostasy
by Warren E. Berkley via Guardian of Truth, February 1, 1990 Here is a situation that isn’t hypothetical. It is common, and thus worthy of our attention. In a local church where there is a history of objection to the sponsoring church arrangement and other unauthorized innovations, war breaks out. Brethren “bite and devour one another,”…
Read MoreThe Nature and Character of the New Covenant
by Larry Ray Hafley via Guardian of Truth, May 17, 1984 Noting and quoting Jeremiah 31:31-34, the Hebrew writer (we will assume it was the apostle Paul) said: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the…
Read MoreSome Thoughts on Christmas
by Darrell Hamilton I actually don’t believe that God intended for us to celebrate the birth of Christ, so I am one of those who purposely separates any religious aspects from Christmas — which is actually quite easy to do. I see Christmas as a holiday that is dedicated to some good virtues. Just like…
Read MoreIs It Love or Lust?
by Robert H. Farish Gospel Guardian – October 19, 1967 The English word “love” is one of the most used and worst abused words in the language. For many people, love is identified with lust. People who do have not the remotest idea of what love is according to God are heard speaking enthusiastically of…
Read MoreIf It Feels Right then Go with It
by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr. If “it feels right then go with it” is the prevailing philosophy of too many in our time. Along with this, we are told by “experts” that it is unhealthy to suppress one’s feelings. Folks are encouraged to let it all out. The idea of exercising self-control and discretion to…
Read MorePlanned Repentance
by Cloyce Sutton Several years ago I met a man who was planning to repent. He had been a Christian for some time but worked a job that prevented him from attending services virtually all of the time. Eventually, he quit trying at all and fell away altogether. At the time he was part of…
Read MoreConfirmation
by Jefferson David Tant “Confirmation” is an important factor in life. We want, and need, things to be confirmed, validated, or guaranteed. We want things “signed, sealed, and delivered,” as a popular song suggests. Statements in court are to be confirmed with an oath “to tell the truth…” Certain documents may be required to be…
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