Article
Dancing
by Michael Pickford There is considerable confusion and even some debate over the idea of dancing. Some believe dancing is a sin simply because it is dancing. However, the Bible does not condemn dancing in itself. It never says, “Thou shalt not dance.” To the contrary, the Bible says that there is “a time to…
Read MoreSin Is Never Pretty
by Zeke Flores Sin in the church is never pretty. It’s usually always a holdout from a way of life that should have been left behind. But sin is stubborn, and so are we, and we can tend to cling to it despite our best intentions. So, Paul reminds us that there is a new…
Read MoreA Cruel Lie
by Nathan Smelser An aged gentleman says, “Well, I believe in God, what else is there?” His health is dire; I had asked if he knew the Lord. Folks: Observe the disastrous consequences of “easy believism.” This gentleman had likely been assured that as long as he believed in God, all was well. There is…
Read MoreCredit
by Zeke Flores When I was a much younger man, I wrecked my credit. I made foolish decisions, borrowed more than I should have, and made late payments. Soon, the only ones who would lend me money were the high-rate lenders, and even they were wary. It took years to restore my financial good name,…
Read MorePicking up Elijah’s Mantle
by Terry Wane Benton Elijah did what he could to keep truth alive in a generation of Israelites that forgot God’s law and were into the latest fads and popular religions of their day. Baal had become the sensation, and God’s order had become boring in the eyes of the Israelites. Elijah seemed like an…
Read MoreAlexander the Coppersmith
by Wilson Adams We don’t know much about Alexander the Coppersmith except his name, profession, and the harm he did to Paul. Did he at one time co-labor with Paul in teaching the gospel? Don’t know. Personal vendetta? Unsure. At the least, they knew each other and had a connection. Something went wrong because Paul…
Read MoreZephaniah: Judgment Is Coming!
by Rick Duggin Most people have trouble finding Zephaniah’s fifty-three verses. Because of its brevity, we label Zephaniah as a minor prophet, but any student of the book can affirm that length is the only “minor matter” about the man or his message. Prophesying more than 600 years before Christ, Zephaniah traces his genealogy back…
Read MoreWhy There Are No Genuine Miracles Today
by Roger D. Campbell In the New Testament, a “miracle” refers to a supernatural act of power that had observable and immediate results or effects. We should not expect God Himself to perform miracles or bestow miraculous powers upon humans today. Why not? God’s Will It is not God’s will that there be miracles today.…
Read MoreWhat About Those ‘What About’ Questions?
by Bob West “What about those who have never heard the gospel? Are they saved?” “What about the sincere believer who has never been baptized?” “What about the sincere (insert any world religion)? Are they really going to be lost?” “What about this situation?” “What about that situation?” “Is God really going to be so…
Read MoreWhat Percentage of People Obey the Gospel?
by Ronald D. Gilbert The day of Gospel meetings is not over! Don’t give up, brethren! Your preaching and teaching may be more effective “percentage-wise” than on the day of Pentecost. “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41).…
Read MoreWillfully Sinning
by Ed Smith via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 3, 30 September 1991 Experience told me the cause of the old building’s demise as I looked over the sagging eaves: it was the result of a series of events that had progressed to this point. A leaky gutter allowed water to saturate the timber framing; damp…
Read MoreFight the Good Fight of Faith
by Keith Crews Christians are soldiers in the Lord’s army. “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (II Timothy 2:3). As soldiers we must be focused…
Read MoreI Believe the Lord, But …
by Marvin L. Weir Spiritual matters take priority over worldly matters. Many people who profess to be Christians would angrily protest if they were told they did not believe the Lord. A failure to believe Christ is not a new problem. During His earthly ministry, Jesus said to the Jews, “And ye have not his…
Read MoreOur Faith and The Faith
by Steve Dewhirst via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 3, 30 September 1991 In Paul’s declaration of the gospel’s power to save, he concluded with the words of the prophet Habakkuk, “The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:16-17). Man’s fellowship with Deity has always been conditional. God has always demanded a faith that surrenders to…
Read MoreDo Not Be Deceived!
by Roy Davison There are many warnings about deception in the Scriptures. What is deception? One is led to believe something that is not true or not to believe something true. We must avoid deceivers. Paul wrote: “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you…
Read MoreThe Apostles and the Will of Christ
by Jon W. Quinn Somebody once came up with a good idea that has proven helpful to me. Someone decided to print a series of Bibles that would use red ink to record the words of Jesus. Since that time, many others have followed, and now it is common. It is helpful to me when…
Read MoreFaith
by Terry Wane Benton Biblical faith is believing in God, believing what His word (the Bible) says, trusting Him enough to be refreshed and reassured by His promises, yielding and submissive to His Sovereignty, and active in obeying His commands. When any of these ingredients are fading or missing, then it ceases to be faith.…
Read MoreIs It “Taking It Out Of Context”?
by Bill Jackson A few days ago, some publicity was given to a gentleman in our area who was posting religious messages on a well-traveled highway, but on property owned by his religious group, and with their consent. The point of the article was that his messages were resented by much of the populace, and…
Read MorePowerful Preaching
by Zeke Flores Paul, the apostle, often portrayed himself as weak, ineffective, and even fearful. Sometimes, he felt that his words didn’t impress anyone. I can relate. Every preacher has dreamed of doing great things for God with his oratory skills. Some have. Others simply preach the old, unchanging message consistently, despite their perceived lack…
Read MoreThe Family Meal
by L. A. Stauffer via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 2, February 2015 Much has been said in our times by psychiatrists and family experts about bonding between parents and children. Fathers and mothers are told to hold, hug, rock, and talk with their children in the very first hours and days of their lives. It…
Read MoreQuitters Are Needed
by Ed Smith via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 2, 30 June 1991 The only thing I hate more than seeing somebody quit a worthwhile endeavor is quitting it myself. As a youngster, I recall always trying to persuade people not to quit activities that I found enjoyable, such as athletics, drama, music, and scouting, to…
Read MoreThey
by William V. Beasley via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 2, 30 June 1991 “They” is a third-person plural pronoun in the nominative case. “They” is also, oftentimes, an indication of spiritual weakness. A great deal can be learned by listening to how some individuals speak about the congregation to which he or she belong. It…
Read MoreYou’ve helped me in my studies
Question: I just wanted to reach out and tell you how much you have encouraged me and helped me in my study of the Word. We are praying for you. Your brother in Christ. Answer: I am glad to hear we have been of service to you.
Read MoreThe Micah Principle Applied
by David Gibson What God Expects “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). What John Preached When tax collectors asked what repentance would mean for them, John answered,…
Read MoreGreen Grass
by Terry Wane Benton It is a common problem with the human heart to fail to see the green grass we have and appreciate it. The heart can be conditioned over time to be unthankful and unappreciative of what we have. This outlook always sees greener grass elsewhere. This means that we have failed our…
Read MoreA Crutch for the Weak
by Zeke Flores “Christianity is a crutch for the weak!” some say. I agree. God’s way is a comfort for the afflicted (II Corinthians 1:3-5), a help for the persecuted (Hebrews 10:32-39), and strength for the downtrodden (Romans 8:31, 36-39). The reason we need this “crutch” is because we are unable to navigate life solely…
Read MoreThe Way
by Terry Wayne Benton Saul was looking for Christians, followers of Christ, to capture and prosecute, but Luke commented that they were “of the Way” (Acts 9:2). In Acts 8:3, he stated that Saul made “havoc of the church.” The church is comprised of people who have united with Jesus and are in His way of…
Read MoreWhy Was Peter Afraid?
by Clay Gentry In Galatians 2:11-14, the Apostle Paul recounts a surprising incident that occurred in the church in Antioch. Peter, who had been freely sharing meals and fellowship with Gentile believers, abruptly “separated himself, fearing the circumcision party” after “certain men arrived from James” (that is, Jewish-Christians from Jerusalem). For us today, it can…
Read MoreOn Baptism Into…
by Terry Wane Benton Paul, guided by the Holy Spirit, stated that the Israelites were “baptized into Moses” when they crossed the Red Sea while fleeing Pharaoh and his armies. They were immersed under a cloud of water and with the walls of water on each side (I Corinthians 10:1-2). They had a choice to…
Read MoreNaaman Was Healed by Grace Through Faith
by Terry Wane Benton At first, Naaman did not appreciate the simple instructions to dip in the Jordan seven times (II Kings 5:1-14). He wanted to be healed of leprosy, but he wanted it to be on his terms. He imagined that God would heal him some other way. He was wrong. God would not…
Read MoreDo Your Part
by Zeke Flores Every person in Christ’s kingdom has a responsibility to the Lord, His people, and himself. God is building a temple, His own dwelling, so it’s vitally important that each individual block – you and I – stay true to the purpose. We contribute individually when we each recognize our responsibility and assume…
Read MorePlatitudes Sound Good But …
by Perry Hall Human platitudes sound good, wholesome, and biblical except when examined by the Bible. For example, “No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once” (Oswald J. Smith). I appreciate the zeal and love for lost souls. However, does this quote match the…
Read MoreIs the Holy Spirit Just the Force of God?
by Terry Wane Benton I was told that there is an argument circulating that the Holy Spirit is not a person but a force. To get around there being Three Persons in the Godhead, it is argued that the Holy Spirit is not a personal being but merely the force of God. Let’s think and…
Read MoreWhat Causes Churches of Christ to Split?
by Dylan Stewart via The Good News of God This article is not intended to address the reasons for all religious divisions, such as denominationalism. This article aims to specifically address the reasons why divisions exist within churches of Christ and why many local congregations split. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here…
Read MoreFasting and Sabbaths
by Tommy Peeler Isaiah 58 stresses God’s commandments about fasting (Isaiah 58:1-12) and the Sabbath day (Isaiah 58:13-14). Israel was called to humble themselves when fasting (Isaiah 58:3, 5) and to refrain from their pleasures on the Sabbath to do what is pleasing to the Lord (Isaiah 58:13-14). Israel was not listening to God’s commandments…
Read MoreTalking About the Gospel
by Zeke Flores Have you ever tried to share the gospel with someone? Maybe your family, friends, or co-workers? If you have, you know it can be a little intimidating. If they reject it, it can be downright disappointing. But who knows what will later come from the seed you’ve planted? In his letters to…
Read MoreHow Has Satan Been Cast Out?
by Terry Wane Benton “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out” (John 12:31). When Jesus died for our sins, it cast out Satan’s power to keep us accused of sin and thereby condemned with him. His accusations don’t stand where remission of sins has been given.…
Read MoreJust a Body Please
by Terry Wane Benton The prophecies of the Jewish book had spoken of someone who would not see corruption (Psalm 16), someone who would be executed for others’ transgressions, yet whose days would then be prolonged (Isaiah 53). Then, later, Jesus was executed, but the Jewish leaders were determined to prevent a story of resurrection…
Read MorePersonal Letters
by Zeke Flores Who doesn’t love getting personal, hand-written letters? I read about a boy living in New Jersey who waits expectantly every year for the mailman to deliver a special letter to him on his birthday. When his father was dying of a terminal disease, he knew the youngster would not have the benefit…
Read MoreWould You Die for Your Faith?
by Terry Wane Benton I keep hearing of people in other countries dying for their faith in Jesus at the hands of Muslims. It is so sad that this goes on without a government backlash against murderous Muslims. But, what about our faith here? Do we believe in Jesus so strongly and with such loyal…
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