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The Spiritual Simplicity of Our Singing
by Paul Earnhart In the 1940s Elmer T. Clark observed that is “a peculiar type of mind which is convinced that God is interested in whether his worshipers sing with or without instrumental music” (Small Sects in America, p. 16). Clark’s words carry a twentieth-century bias. The truth is that the mind that he thought…
Read MoreSome Unsaved Believers
by Erin Percell The creed book of one popular denomination says, “that we are justified by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.” But is it true? Does the Bible say that if one believes on Jesus, it makes no difference what else he believes or does? Are you surprised…
Read MoreSome Thoughts About Offering Criticism
by William Barclay “I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first” (Revelation 2:19). There is something very interesting about this verse. The letter to the church at Thyatira is to be a letter of warning and of criticism,…
Read MoreFlaws in the “Iraq – Interesting” E-Mail
by Nathan Barton Once again, an e-mail “chain letter” is being circulated which is a hoax filled with misleading information that should not be spread by anyone. It is full of false teaching about the Bible and history, and generally very much wrong. It won’t try to rip you off, or make you send all…
Read MoreBarabbas – A Prisoner Set Free
by Kent Heaton The scene was chaos as the crowd shouted, “Crucify Him, crucify Him.” The subject of their wrath was not for a murderer but a man “who went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). Their cries for death were not given for one who had been an insurrectionist but to a man who healed…
Read MoreThe Authority of the Church
by Dan Gatlin What is your attitude toward the church? For many sectarians, a foundational belief is that the church has all authority. Whatever the church says to believe and practice, that is what must be done without question. This is the basic attitude of the vast majority of Roman Catholics. They are taught…
Read MoreFinding Liberty in Silence (Article)
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton It was one of those interesting coincidences. In the same week I received two correspondences dealing with separate issues, but both seeking to justify their beliefs in the same manner. The first was in an article. It contained a quote from Gary Mattingly, a preacher for the Christian Church who had…
Read MoreHow to Use the Book of Mormon
by Dudley Ross Spears The “Book of Mormon” is one of several alleged “revelations” the followers of the late Joseph Smith, Jr. accept as divinely inspired. While they give some credence to the Bible, “as far as it is translated correctly” (Articles of Faith, # 8), the Book of Mormon is their mainstay. They never…
Read MoreShould We Talk About Ethical Issues?
by Richard Mansel Forthright, May 3, 2005 Many believe it is a waste of time to study ethical issues such as abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, cloning, etc. Is this a valid complaint? As Christians, we are in a time of extraordinary challenges, both ethically and morally. These ethical issues all involve sin. Euthanasia, Abortion, and Cloning…
Read MoreShould We Criticize Others?
by Kent Heaton The nature of truth is that it exposes error. In a world fueled by a politically correct presentation of non-offensive language, criticism is not accepted. This is especially true when this criticism speaks of religion. Challenging the teachings and beliefs of others is perceived as a personal attack upon the moral character…
Read MoreServices Canceled Due To Christmas!
by Zeke Flores Much is said this time of year about Christmas. Some scream about “putting the Christ back in Christmas,” while others bemoan the fact that retail stores are “pushing Christmas out” by replacing the term “Merry Christmas” with “Happy Holidays” in their ads. Still others grumble about the increasing “secularization” of Christmas as…
Read MoreSeeking to Establish Their Own Righteousness
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton A series of articles came across my desk that caused me to realize that our society is not just abandoning the teachings of Christ. People realize that society needs moral standards in order to function, but without the standards of God to guide them, society is turning to guidelines of its…
Read MoreThe Security of the Believer
by Robert F. Turner via Guardian of Truth, October 1985 There seems to be a resurgence of interest in “security” perhaps due to emphasis upon “grace” and both subjects are worthy of our consideration. Because of earlier battles with Calvinists on grace, faith only, and “once saved, always saved,” certain prejudices adhere to the very words…
Read MoreSealed in Death
by Kent Heaton There is a remarkable thing that happens at the moment of death. When the spirit leaves the body and returns to Him who made us (Ecclesiastes 12:7) everything about our life is sealed permanently. There is no second chance for anything when death strikes. All of the accomplishments of life are ended.…
Read MoreThe “Right” Church
by Robert F. Turner A brother told me his friend asked if the church of which he was a member was the true church. The brother is an honest, conscientious man, and he said he couldn’t tell his friend the church of which he was a member was perfect. He knew, and the friend knew,…
Read MoreReverend Is His Name
by Kent Heaton The book of Psalms is a powerful testimony to the majesty, praise, glory, and awesome power of Jehovah God. Isaiah wrote the words of the Lord, “To whom would you liken Me and make Me equal and compare Me, that we would be alike . Remember the former things long past, for…
Read MoreRepentance Leading to Salvation
by Bryan Matthew Dockens God “commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30), and Jesus’ purpose on earth was to call “sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). Repentance is necessary to receive the remission of sins (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38); the alternative being death (Luke 13:3, 5). Repentance simply means to change one’s mind. The word…
Read MoreRemember the Duck
Author Unknown There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting discouraged, he headed back inside for lunch. As he was walking back, he saw his grandmother’s pet…
Read MoreRemembering His Resurrection Annually?
by Richard Thetford The calendar reads “Easter Sunday.” As a result, many people throughout the world will be attending the “church of their choice” to remember the resurrection of Jesus. It won’t be the “normal” service, but rather a “special” service of remembering the resurrection of our Lord that no doubt will include different plays,…
Read MoreReasons to Discipline
by Bryan Matthew Dockens God commands Christians to discipline their brethren (Romans 16:17; II Thessalonians 3:6), yet many neglect to do so. Revealing the proper reasons for discipline may motivate the reluctant. We Discipline for Love Love is always the correct motive for fulfilling the Lord’s will (John 14:15), and so it is with discipline…
Read MoreReal Men
by Randy Blackaby Real men are becoming a lost commodity. Men who know their role in the family, in society, and in the world are harder and harder to find. The feminist movement, which has entered its second generation, has failed utterly in its mission to liberate women but has caused many men to lose…
Read MoreReady to Fly?
by Steve Klein It is spring, and the birds around the Klein plantation have been busy building nests, laying eggs, and rearing young. We even have a nest full of baby birds in the wreath that hangs on our front door. But sadly, not all baby birds will make it to adulthood. This past week,…
Read More“Christian” Situation Ethics
by Dan Gatlin In Matthew 12:1-8 (and its parallel in Mark 2:23-28 and Luke 6:1-5) we have recorded a confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees concerning the Sabbath: “At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And…
Read MoreQuestion and Answer About Church Socials
by Leslie Diestelkamp Two questions have been asked: (1) Why doesn’t the church have more socials? and (2) Why can’t we have parties in the basement of the church building? The New Testament authorizes every act and activity of the church. It provides us with all that pertains to life and godliness (II Peter 1:3).…
Read MorePunishment Doesn’t Help
by Mark Roberts Journalist Betsy Flagler writes the syndicated “Parent to Parent” column that asks readers to write in with parenting problems and then tries to get expert help for those troubles. A mother in California recently wrote in that her first-grader has been pushing and hitting, has been kicked out of the library, and…
Read MorePresumptuous Sins
by Carey Scott Take a few minutes to read Psalm 19. Our focus will be on verse 13: “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me; then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.” To presume something is to have our minds…
Read MoreThe Point of No Return
by Tom Wacaster A plane, flying across the ocean, will eventually reach the “point of no return.” It is a real and definite point, beyond which it is better, in case of mechanical problems, to proceed than to attempt a return to the origination point. In the mind of the pilot, it is impossible to…
Read MorePerseverance of the Saints and II Peter 2:17
by Bryan Sharp In II Peter 2:1, Peter warns of false teachers from within the Church “who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.” In II Peter 2:17 Peter says these same people “are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them…
Read MorePeople Change
by Donnie V. Rader via Guardian of Truth XL: No. 19, p. 6-7, October 3, 1996 When General Motors came out with the new aerodynamic style Chevy Caprice (1990) I said that I would never have one of those “ugly” things. When cellular phones started getting popular, I thought it was dumb to carry your phone with…
Read MorePatience: The Art of Persevering in this Life
by Forrest D. Moyer As Peter continued to list the characteristics that one must add, he named “patience” as being essential in our lives to keep us from falling and to insure us a part in the “everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior” (II Peter 1:5-11). James wrote: “Indeed, we count them blessed who…
Read MorePartial Faith Is Satan’s Victory
by Carey Scott “A major survey by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life finds that most Americans have a non-dogmatic approach to faith. A majority of those who are affiliated with a religion, for instance, do not believe their religion is the only way to salvation. And almost the same number…
Read MoreOrphan Institution in Search of Family Homes
by Dennis Carrow From the sponsoring church arrangement in the effort of evangelism, (i.e., the missionary society), grew the same carnal diversion from the divine pattern in the realm of benevolence. Brethren were not content with following the simple arrangement of the giver sending directly to the needy. The claim was made that we are…
Read MoreOnly the Players Get Paid
by Steven Harper If you have ever gone to a college or professional basketball or football game where the arena or stadium is sold out, you know the spectators far outnumber the players. At the largest college football stadium, there will be only 22 players on the field while over 100,000 people will be cheering in…
Read MoreA Question about the Lord’s Supper
by Greg Gwin [edited] We have received a question about the weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper. Our questioner suggested that we ought to only take the Lord’s Supper once each year, at the time of the Jewish Passover, because this was the time when Jesus instituted the memorial. He further discounted Acts 20:7 as a proof…
Read MoreThe Obedience of Faith
by Steve Dewhirst via Gospel Power, Vol. 12, No. 17, April 24, 2005. How odd, that one of the Bible’s most fundamental teachings should have become so puzzling to folks. God is not the author of confusion, but man is. And during the centuries since Jesus walked the earth, the very nature of the faith…
Read MoreNo Prophecy
by Carl A. Allen Often, when I am reading at random, I come across a thought that is worthy of passing on. Some of these thoughts are for thinking, not just passing over. I believe this quote to be of that value. “There are no prophecies for Buddha, Confucius, Muhammad or any other leader of…
Read MoreThe New ESV Translation
by Mark Roberts I am moving toward using a new translation of the Bible: the English Standard Version (ESV). I have used the New King James Version (NKJV) for years and I love it and appreciate it as a fine translation. However, the new ESV is, in my opinion, just better. It is based on…
Read MoreIs it a Sin to be in Debt?
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton An article in the paper caught my eye. “For some Christians, it’s a sin to be in debt.” As I continued to read, the author admitted that only a few “hardliners” say owing money is morally wrong. The verses they used to justify their belief were Romans 13:8, which says to owe…
Read MoreNEEDED: The Discipline to Do the Unpleasant!
by William C. Sexton Some years ago I heard a sermon by a young preacher who made some pertinent points relative to a passage from I Kings 20:42, which says, “Then he said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Because you have let slip out of <your> hand a man whom I appointed to utter…
Read MoreSome Thoughts to Consider with Our Mothers in Mind
by Abraham Smith “For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears” (Hebrews 12:17). This verse holds many valuable applications for the one who would accept them. From the preceding verses, we learn that Hebrews…
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