The Black Type in the Red-Letter Edition of the New Testament

by Garry Smalley Of course, it is extremely disturbing to read or hear destructive criticisms toward the Holy Bible as unbelievers state disparaging comments regarding the reliability of the God-breathed writings (II Timothy 3:16; cf. II Peter 1:16-21; I Corinthians 2:12-13). But even among Christians, there are some who seek to diminish the authority of…

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Were the apostles also elders and can there be unmarried elders?

Question: My prayer is that all is well. I have questions regarding the eldership and its qualifications. Based on what the scripture teaches regarding the elders’ qualification (and work to a degree), we read about them in I Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9 (along with Acts 20:28, Ephesians 4:11; and I Peter 5:1-4). Additionally, only the…

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The Apostles and Hermeneutics

by Frank Jamerson Some of the articles that I have read lately have confused ridicule with reasoning. They seem to think that if they ridicule commands, examples, and necessary inferences as the basis of authority, they have given a scholarly refutation of pattern authority. One such article concluded: “It seems to me that we ought…

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Did the apostles have the right to forgive sins?

Question: Dear sir, A question was posted a decade or so ago on John 20:21-23 and whether or not all men could forgive sins. I couldn’t see that the responder actually addressed what was meant by the Apostles having the authority to forgive sins, except to say that they could bind or loose what they…

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The Nature of the Apostles’ Inspiration

by Clarence Johnson Sentry Magazine, September 1999 When Jesus sent the apostles out on what is sometimes called the limited commission to preach to the lost sheep of Israel. He told them, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware…

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Handling the Scriptures Aright

by Terry Wane Benton Confusion is present when the scriptures are not “handled aright” (II Timothy 2:15). False teachers handle the word of God “deceitfully” (II Corinthians 4:2). There are basics to handling the scriptures carefully and correctly. Know who is writing, and who they were writing to. We are reading these documents second-hand. They…

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To Equip the Saints for Service

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton The Organization of the Church The Apostles Prophets What Are Elders Responsible For? Servants of the Church The Purpose of Preaching What Is Teaching?

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The Authority of the Apostles

by Mike Johnson Many acknowledge the authority of God and Christ but do not accept or understand the authority of the Apostles. Some people today say we only need the words of Jesus to guide us. Some who take this position place a great deal of emphasis on the red-letter edition of the Bible —…

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The Sons of Thunder

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/The-Sons-of-Thunder.mp3 Text: Mark 3:14-19   I.         Often when we talk about the apostles, we focus on the notable Peter and Paul.             A.        There are many things we can learn from their lives, but we also can learn from the examples of the other apostles as well.             B.        Today I would like to direct your attention to two brothers,…

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How did the church in Corinth receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

Question: How did the Corinthian church receive the Holy Spirit in a miraculous way? Was it by the laying on hands by the apostles or what? Or does the Bible not say? Answer: The church in Corinth was started by the Apostle Paul (Acts 18). He initially taught there for 18 months (Acts 18:11) and…

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