And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near (Hebrews 10:24-25).
The
New Testament makes it clear that believers should be assembling
together, under the leadership of a Pastor and Deacons. Unfortunately,
many people do not attend Church. As we see from Hebrews 10:24-25,
not gathering together under biblical leadership was happening even in
the beginning and was warned against. The Bible gives the requirements
for leadership in the Church (1 Timothy 3) and tells us that God has appointed some to be preachers and teachers (Ephesians 4:11).
God took the time to lay all of this out because this is how He wants
His body to function while on Earth. We are to encourage one another,
support each other and help each other grow in truth and love.
If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary (1 Corinthians 12:15-22)
Each member of Christ's body (the Church) has a part to play. People
who remove themselves from God's design are not only being disobedient
to what God has told them to do, they are hurting themselves and the
Church. By not attending Church they will be removed from the authority
and leadership God has in place to be over them, teaching them right
doctrine and also from fellowship with other believers. Because they
are not doing their part in the body, the Church suffers. In our
culture things are so easy we sometimes forget what a blessing it is to
even have the ability to own a Bible or attend Church. Throughout most
of history and even today in many parts of the world, the act of meeting
together with other believers to study the Bible could be a death
sentence. Others have literally been put to death for things we so
casually do today.
I implore everyone to do their part, to work
together and to treasure the Bible and the Church. There could be
coming a time when we will no longer have that ability as freely as we
do now. Older godly men and women need to share their knowledge with
younger members in the Church, help them know the truth and mentor them
throughout their lives. Younger members, listen to your Elders so you
can avoid many troubles. Help your Pastor and Deacons. Everyone has
some gift or skill that can be used in some way. Christ was willing to
die for the Church, we should at least be willing to participate in it.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Romans 1:18-32
The wrath of God
is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and
wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For
since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal
power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from
what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew
God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their
thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles (Romans 1:18-23)
Romans 1:18-32 are some of the most interesting verses to me in all of the Bible because those verses speak of when God abandons a nation. When a nation rebels against Him over and over again He allows them to be consumed by all of the wicked things they desire. God removes His restraining grace and allows those people to destroy themselves. The Bible says that God has made Himself known to them but they suppress the truth in wickedness. In other words, because they want to do evil things and love their sin, they lie to themselves and say their is no God or they create a god in their own image who supports all of the evil things they love.
Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error (Romans 1:24-27).
As we can see from the above verses, His wrath comes in an order. He first turns a nation over to sexual immorality. Next He turns a nation over to homosexuality. Both of these branches on the tree of lust destroy the family unit which God Himself put into place. Both of those sins also bring about the destruction of those who commit them. Millions have died because of sexually transmitted diseases which could be what is meant by "and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Lastly (verse 28), He turns them over to a depraved mind. It means a mind that is literally found worthless. When a nation gets to this point they can't even turn around because they no longer have the ability to think properly. Their end is in sight.
So what can we do to avoid this slippery slope that ends in destruction and has happened a countless number of times throughout history? Preach to Gospel! Take the Gospel to everyone you can and pray for God's mercy. Teach others the truth, that if they repent and put their trust in Christ, they will be saved. God's word never returns void so witness to everyone possible while there is still time.
Romans 1:18-32 are some of the most interesting verses to me in all of the Bible because those verses speak of when God abandons a nation. When a nation rebels against Him over and over again He allows them to be consumed by all of the wicked things they desire. God removes His restraining grace and allows those people to destroy themselves. The Bible says that God has made Himself known to them but they suppress the truth in wickedness. In other words, because they want to do evil things and love their sin, they lie to themselves and say their is no God or they create a god in their own image who supports all of the evil things they love.
Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error (Romans 1:24-27).
As we can see from the above verses, His wrath comes in an order. He first turns a nation over to sexual immorality. Next He turns a nation over to homosexuality. Both of these branches on the tree of lust destroy the family unit which God Himself put into place. Both of those sins also bring about the destruction of those who commit them. Millions have died because of sexually transmitted diseases which could be what is meant by "and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Lastly (verse 28), He turns them over to a depraved mind. It means a mind that is literally found worthless. When a nation gets to this point they can't even turn around because they no longer have the ability to think properly. Their end is in sight.
So what can we do to avoid this slippery slope that ends in destruction and has happened a countless number of times throughout history? Preach to Gospel! Take the Gospel to everyone you can and pray for God's mercy. Teach others the truth, that if they repent and put their trust in Christ, they will be saved. God's word never returns void so witness to everyone possible while there is still time.
God and the Bible
It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible. Of
all the dispositions and habits that lead to political prosperity, our
religion and morality are the indispensable supporters. Let us with
caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without
religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that our
national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle. -George Washington (Farewell Address, 1796)
"I believe the Bible is the best gift God has given to man...But for this Book, we could not know right from wrong...Take all you can of this Book upon reason, and the balance on faith, and you will live and die a happier man." -Abraham Lincoln
Many of our Country's most respected leaders have had a great respect for the Bible and put it's principles to use in their own lives. Unfortunately, many people today do not share that same respect for God's word and our Country has been paying for it for many years. Instead of teaching the Bible in schools like we used to we teach illogical and false theories like evolution. The result has been catastrophic. Many children today grow up thinking we are nothing but evolved animals so it doesn't make any difference what they do, how they treat people, or even they they shoot up their school...it is survival of the fittest according to what they have been taught after all. I do find it slightly ironic that the very institutions that teach children the lies of evolution are the very same places these children target when carrying out it's principles. As parents, older siblings, cousins, etc it's very important that we teach children the truth, the very Word of God.
Of course before we teach anyone anything we need to know the truth ourselves. The Bible says we should "like newborn babies, long for the pure Milk of the Word so that by it you may grow in respect for Salvation" (1 Peter 2:2). The Bible is like food for our Spirit. We wouldn't go a day without eating but many times Christians go for days, even years without reading the Bible.
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) God wrote the Bible using men, just like we would write a letter using a pen to put our thoughts on paper. The previous verse tells us what we are supposed to use it for: for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. I know people have busy lives, but we are never to busy to feed our stomachs, lets not be to busy to feed something even more important, our Spirits. I would recommend read your Bible everyday and obeying what you read. Use that knowledge to train up your children (or nephews, cousins, anyone you are in contact with) in the ways of the Lord and things will be (as Lincoln said) "happier".
"I believe the Bible is the best gift God has given to man...But for this Book, we could not know right from wrong...Take all you can of this Book upon reason, and the balance on faith, and you will live and die a happier man." -Abraham Lincoln
Many of our Country's most respected leaders have had a great respect for the Bible and put it's principles to use in their own lives. Unfortunately, many people today do not share that same respect for God's word and our Country has been paying for it for many years. Instead of teaching the Bible in schools like we used to we teach illogical and false theories like evolution. The result has been catastrophic. Many children today grow up thinking we are nothing but evolved animals so it doesn't make any difference what they do, how they treat people, or even they they shoot up their school...it is survival of the fittest according to what they have been taught after all. I do find it slightly ironic that the very institutions that teach children the lies of evolution are the very same places these children target when carrying out it's principles. As parents, older siblings, cousins, etc it's very important that we teach children the truth, the very Word of God.
Of course before we teach anyone anything we need to know the truth ourselves. The Bible says we should "like newborn babies, long for the pure Milk of the Word so that by it you may grow in respect for Salvation" (1 Peter 2:2). The Bible is like food for our Spirit. We wouldn't go a day without eating but many times Christians go for days, even years without reading the Bible.
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) God wrote the Bible using men, just like we would write a letter using a pen to put our thoughts on paper. The previous verse tells us what we are supposed to use it for: for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. I know people have busy lives, but we are never to busy to feed our stomachs, lets not be to busy to feed something even more important, our Spirits. I would recommend read your Bible everyday and obeying what you read. Use that knowledge to train up your children (or nephews, cousins, anyone you are in contact with) in the ways of the Lord and things will be (as Lincoln said) "happier".
One Way
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)
There are really only two religions in the world; Christianity, which states you can't earn salvation, it's a free gift from God that is provided because of His mercy and every other (man made) religion that states you have to earn your way into Heaven through your deeds. It is true that as Christians we should do good deeds, but these deeds are a product of our salvation, not the cause of it. The Bible says that our good deeds are like filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6) and that no one is good but God (Matthew 19:17).
People who try to use good deeds to earn salvation are like a man in a courtroom who is guilty of many terrible crimes telling the Judge "I know I have committed many crimes, but I washed your car for you on the way in here this morning". Doing something "good" has nothing to do with all of the crimes he has committed. Not only that but he is attempting to bribe the Judge to get off the hook. Just as a good Judge would not let a man off for his crimes because he had done a few good things, God will not let people away with their sins simply because they have done some good things in an attempt to bribe Him into letting them into Heaven.
Jesus even warned us MANY people will say to Him on the day of judgement that they have done all of these deeds in His name and He will say to them "Depart from me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you" (Matthew 7:21-23). We can't earn salvation, it is a free gift from God, not because of anything we have done, but because He is loving and merciful. As we see from the following verses, the thief on the cross didn't do any good works while hanging next to Jesus, he simply saw himself as the sinner he was and put his trust in Christ to save him. We should all do the same while there is still time.
One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43)
There are really only two religions in the world; Christianity, which states you can't earn salvation, it's a free gift from God that is provided because of His mercy and every other (man made) religion that states you have to earn your way into Heaven through your deeds. It is true that as Christians we should do good deeds, but these deeds are a product of our salvation, not the cause of it. The Bible says that our good deeds are like filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6) and that no one is good but God (Matthew 19:17).
People who try to use good deeds to earn salvation are like a man in a courtroom who is guilty of many terrible crimes telling the Judge "I know I have committed many crimes, but I washed your car for you on the way in here this morning". Doing something "good" has nothing to do with all of the crimes he has committed. Not only that but he is attempting to bribe the Judge to get off the hook. Just as a good Judge would not let a man off for his crimes because he had done a few good things, God will not let people away with their sins simply because they have done some good things in an attempt to bribe Him into letting them into Heaven.
Jesus even warned us MANY people will say to Him on the day of judgement that they have done all of these deeds in His name and He will say to them "Depart from me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you" (Matthew 7:21-23). We can't earn salvation, it is a free gift from God, not because of anything we have done, but because He is loving and merciful. As we see from the following verses, the thief on the cross didn't do any good works while hanging next to Jesus, he simply saw himself as the sinner he was and put his trust in Christ to save him. We should all do the same while there is still time.
One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43)
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