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Shady Lane, the Preacher, and the Boy
by Ken McDaniel via Echo of Truth, Vol. 3, No. 29, July 16, 1995 During a recent gospel meeting that I preached, the local evangelist and I went calling on a few individuals in hopes of motivating some to faithfulness and setting up Bible studies with others who have not yet been saved. As is often…
Read MoreI am Compelled
by Ronny E. Hinds via Biblical Insights, Vol. 11, No. 11, November 2011 I checked my thesaurus to make sure. Yes, the synonyms for compelled are bound, obliged, forced, obligated, duty-bound, required, and constrained. Yes, that describes my attitude exactly. About what? — About the recent news from New York and California. The New York State…
Read MoreThe Holy Spirit’s Intercessory Prayer
by Tanner Campbell In this article, we will put Romans 8:26 under a full investigation. The text explains that “the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” This difficult…
Read MoreLove is Different
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Paul’s description of love in I Corinthians 13:4-8 is both well-known and unheeded. Despite knowing what love is and is not, people still expect more of love. They want the fluttery feeling of butterflies in the stomach and the emotional high. To many, love isn’t real without the emotions. But are…
Read MoreGiving Up on the Little Church
by Robert E. Speer via Think on These Things, April-May-June, 2011, Volume 42, Number 2 Many years ago — Ouch! Has it really been that long? — my family and I responded to a plea from another family to join them in a work they were trying to establish on the southern shores of Lake Superior.…
Read MoreThe First One to Plead His Cause Seems Right
by Bryan Matthew Dockens “The first one to plead his cause seems right, until his neighbor comes and examines him” (Proverbs 18:17). Wise Solomon observed the reflexive tendency in man to accept as truth the first version of events presented in a potential controversy. When gossip circulates through the workplace, the neighborhood, or even the…
Read MoreFaithful Wounds
by Zeke Flores “Faithful are the wounds of a friend …” (Proverbs 27:6). I enjoy being in the company of insightful people with a lighthearted sense of humor. Who doesn’t like a jovial conversation just for the sake of having a few laughs? I also like serious discussions about current events, politics, moral issues, and…
Read MoreThe End of the World
by Irvin Himmel via Truth Magazine, XV: 38, pp. 8-10, August 5, 1971 Among many religionists, there is an expectation that Christ will come again and reign on earth. Some believe that the eternal abode of the righteous will be on the same globe which we now inhabit, following a remodeling, renovating, and purifying. Many…
Read MoreThe Elder-Businessman Model
by Jefferson David Tant via Biblical Insights, Vol. 11, No. 6, June 2011 We know the Bible is clear about appointing elders to shepherd the flock (Acts 14:23). We know Paul left Titus in Crete with the charge to “appoint elders in every city” (Titus 1:7). This is a clear indication of God’s plan for the…
Read MoreThe Dreaded Task
by Richard Massey The Dreaded Task Margaret E. Brown I found the task that I had dreaded so, Was not so difficult when once begun; It was the dread itself that was the foe, And dread once conquered means a victory won. How true is the above statement. The first time brethren asked me to teach…
Read MoreDoes the Case of Cornelius Prove the “Sinner’s Prayer” Doctrine?
by Wayne Jackson Does not the case of Cornelius, the Roman soldier (Acts 10), prove that God hears the prayers of those who have not been baptized? The angel told Cornelius, “your prayer has been heard” (Acts 10:31), and yet the centurion was not baptized until later. Can you explain the apparent conflict between this…
Read MoreThe Difference Between Individuals and the Church
by Greg Gwin In a recent discussion of church benevolence, the point was made that the church has a limited benevolent role (only to needy saints), while individual Christians can and should help all who are legitimately in need (Galatians 6:10). Someone offered this rebuttal: “Why maintain a division in the church over money when…
Read MoreThe Development of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy
by Frank Van Dyke via The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 8, June 1952 The Catholic doctrine of the primacy of Peter and the Roman See was set forth in the following decree of the Council of Florence in 1439: “Also we decree that the holy apostolic See and the Roman pontiff has a primacy over…
Read MoreThe Cords of the Wicked
by Wayne S. Walker “The LORD is righteous; He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked” (Psalm 129:4). The heading given to Psalm 129 in the New King James Version is “Song of Victory over Zion’s Enemies.” Some Bible critics have raised objections to the argument for the inspiration of the scriptures based…
Read MoreComing in the Clouds
by Matthew H. Allen via The Jackson Drive Reporter, August 2, 2009. “Behold, He is coming in the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be, Amen” (Revelation 1:7). The term coming “with the clouds”…
Read MoreEvidence of Pardon: How Can I Know I Am Saved?
by Kenneth E. Thomas Christianity is a system of faith, but it is not a leap of faith. Our faith in God is founded firmly upon the evidence of His existence found in His creation. “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). “Because what may be known…
Read MoreThe Providence of God (Thornhill)
by Thomas Thornhill Anyone who studies the Bible carefully comes face to face with the providence of God. His hand is seen in events that unfold throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. If one really believes the Bible one will also believe in the providence of God. Yet, many who see God’s hand in…
Read MoreBeliefs Not Found in the Bible
Author Unknown via The Jackson Drive Reporter, Oct. 4, 2009 Men say: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” The Bible says: “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire…
Read MoreBaptism: The Re-Enactment of the Gospel
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton
Read MoreAre All Peacemakers Blessed?
by Gary W. Summers All Bible students have the obligation to study the Scriptures to ascertain their true meaning. Many problems in the Lord’s church, not to mention the religious world in general, could have been avoided with more of an honest investigation into God’s Holy Word. Too often has a verse been lifted out…
Read MoreApostolic Supremacy
by Clinton D. Hamilton via The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 7, May 1952. The real issue with reference to religious division is which church is the true one. In an almost unanimous voice, religious people affirm that for a church to be the true one it must teach the identical doctrines revealed by the apostles. The…
Read MoreProclaimed in All Creation
by Jefferson David Tant via Biblical Insights, March 2011, page 9. Some thirty years after Christ’s death, Paul wrote to the Colossians. A year later, an earthquake destroyed Colossae along with Laodicea and Hierapolis. Among the interesting things in Paul’s letter is the statement in Colossians 1:23, wherein he urges them to “continue in the faith…
Read MoreA Thing Which Ought Not to Be Done
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton The newspapers and talk radio have been commenting about a lawsuit in Blair, Nebraska. It seems that a young man of 16 got a young woman of 15 pregnant. She did not realize it until she was 23 to 27 weeks into the pregnancy. Her family urged her to get an…
Read MoreRecreational Drug Use Is Sinful
by Bryan Matthew Dockens Recreational drug use is sinful because it violates the law. Under the current legal code in the United States, the recreational use of narcotics is strictly forbidden. The word of God requires obedience to the law: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except…
Read MoreCounterfeit Sexuality: Sexuality as Reduced to Animal Impulse
by Ethan R. Longhenry Few topics prove as sensitive and yet as controversial as sexuality. The topic generates a lot of interest; sadly, few conversations regarding sexuality prove very profitable. Most people understand their sexuality according to the terms of their culture and the world; few challenge the perspective and the narrative they are told regarding…
Read MoreCounterfeit Sexuality: Sexuality as Identity
by Ethan R. Longhenry Sexuality remains one of the most sensitive and yet “hot-button” issues within our culture and among Christians today. Such a controversial issue features a lot of passion and debate regarding the surface level issues of proper and improper forms of sexuality, and in such an environment, digging deeper and finding a Biblically…
Read MoreWhat Keeps a Man Sexually Pure?
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I ran across several interesting studies the other day dealing with the factors that lead teenage boys to engage in sex prior to marriage. One study is titled “The Transition of Adolescent Males to First Sexual Intercourse: Anticipated or Delayed?” The reason for the title is that the surveyed youths were divided into…
Read MoreWill We Know One Another in Heaven?
by Clem Thurman via Gospel Minutes, Vol. 58, No. 35, Aug. 28, 2009 This is a question that has long plagued those who are Christians. There is not a “clear-cut” passage of Scripture that answers it. However, there are many passages that relate to it. For instance: The rich man in the story Jesus told…
Read MoreWhat! No Special Programs?
by Bobby Witherington via The Reflector, April 2011 Visitors to our assemblies are sometimes amazed (and maybe disappointed) to learn that this congregation does not have a special youth program. Nor a kitchen. Not even a bus ministry. Do we have something against young people? Or kitchens? Or busses? Not at all. We have several young…
Read MoreWhat Can be Known Can be Shown
by Tim Nichols All rational students of the Bible want to be told, by teachers and preachers, not just what to believe, but also why those things are to be believed. Every faithful teacher of the Bible is prepared to deliver both in clear terms. Bible doctrines are all taught by specific Bible passages and…
Read MoreTwo Preachers: Amos and Amaziah
by Mark White The Old Testament prophet Amos was a shepherd turned preacher. The crowd to whom he preached was the upper class of Israel, including the King himself. He was not their choice of a preacher, however. They did not choose him — God chose Amos for them. His oratory was not refined eloquence.…
Read MoreJudging with Righteous Judgment
by Steven Harper The world’s favorite Bible passage must surely be Matthew 7:1, where Jesus said, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” This verse is most often cited when someone points out a sin in the life of another and the accused one is then quick to reveal the depths of their Bible knowledge by…
Read MoreThere Is Freedom
by Kent Heaton Freedom is a precious stone shared by a few and made precious by only those who understand its worth. Living in a land of freedom does not make us free. The heart is only free when one realizes the cost of liberty. Being free recognizes the darkness of bondage embraced by the…
Read MoreHave You Heard About the Church of Christ?
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton The churches of Christ are not a denomination. They are neither Protestant, Catholic, or Jew. They are comprised of individuals born again through obedience to the commands of Christ (John 3:1-5; I Peter 1:22-25). The church of Christ is the church Jesus said he would build (Matthew 16:18), coming into existence…
Read MoreIs Mark 16:9-20 Inspired?
by Kyle Pope via Biblical Insights, Vol. 9, No. 8, August 2009 Many students of the New Testament have found themselves puzzled by notes encountered at the close of the Gospel of Mark, claiming, “The most reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9–20″[1]. Should we question the reliability or inspiration of…
Read MoreMormonism and Marketing
by Wendi Capehart Almost five years ago my family accepted an invitation to study with Mormon missionaries. Our studies lasted almost a year, and of course, over time missionaries were transferred in and out (one rather quickly) and others brought in to ‘discuss’ things with us. There were several parts of this study that did…
Read MoreThe Spirit of the Law
by Dale Smelser As noted in a recent class discussion, Christians dedicated to living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4), are derided for trying to keep the letter of the law, when their efforts rather should be expended on keeping the spirit of the law, whatever that is. On…
Read MoreSocial Compatibility or Scriptural Compatibility
by Warren E. Berkley Many who read this article will immediately know what I’m going to describe. You are members of a small congregation somewhere in the United States. Due to the economics and mobility of urban life and suburban careers, your membership has dwindled and the budget is strained. Yet, you still do everything…
Read MoreWhat Saves a Person?
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Since, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (II Peter 3:9), it would be sensible to understand that in order to get people saved, God would tell them…
Read MoreWhat Must I Do to be Saved? (Hamilton)
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Listening to preachers, pastors, and priests today, one wonders if they could answer the question, “What must I do to be saved?” in a manner similar to the apostles. What Must I Do to be Saved? In the very first sermon recorded, Peter convicted the Jews of participating in the death of…
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