What must I do to be saved?

Theatrical performances require lots of preparation in order to be successful.  Efforts to ‘set the stage’ are needed to make a play, skit, or musical production effective.  Much work is done ‘for the show.’

Unfortunately, many religious folks also like to make a show — of their good works.  There is a determined effort on their part to make sure others will be aware of what they have done, are doing, or are planning to do.  But here is where Jesus urged us to actually avoid things that would draw attention to our actions.  In the Sermon the Mount, He repeatedly warned about doing our deeds to ‘be seen of men’ (Matthew 6:1ff).  We must carefully heed His warning.

The next time you have an opportunity to serve, help, or encourage someone else, do it without any concern that others will know and commend you for what you have done.  Know that God is always aware and will bless you for your work.  Proverbs 15:3 says that “the eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”  We often use this verse to warn that no sin is hidden from God.  But notice that no good deed goes unnoticed by Him either.  So, don’t worry that He won’t see and know what you have done in His service.

Of course, frequently our good deeds will be noticed by others.  This is not because we sought such attention, but simply because others learn of these things in a natural, unannounced manner.  When this is the case, our desire should be to direct all the glory and honor to the Father.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus also said: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Let us do nothing ‘for the show’ with a desire to direct attention to ourselves.  Let us to everything to point others to Him.  Think!

– by Greg Gwin

Currently, “legalism” is a popular subject.  But just exactly what is meant by “legalism”? We often are made to wonder if all those who firmly preach anti-legalism are agreed as to the meaning of legalism?

Let us consider three possible meanings of the term in question. By so doing, we can determine the scripturalness or unscripturalness of each legalism:

(1) Does legalism mean strict adherence to God’s law? If this is the meaning of the term, it represents a scriptural principle. Jesus told His disciples: “What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven . . .” (Matt. 16:19 and 18:18). To this end the “Spirit of truth” came to guide them unto all the truth (John 16:13). In this sense Jesus and His ambassadors were legalists. But where does this place the anti-legalists? It puts them in direct opposition to the authority of Christ. Furthermore, this meaning of legalism renders the anti-legalist a double-minded man. He refuses to accept the idea that anything is bound in religion – with one major exception, anti-legalism!  He reminds us of the skeptic who says that the only possible truth is the truth that there can be no possible truth! (?) So if the doctrine of legalism is defined as “strict adherence to God’s law,” it is scripturally sound. Let modern thinkers (?) say what they will, it is still God’s will that, “This is the end of the matter: all hath been heard: fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccl. 12:13).

(2) If legalism is the disposition to make laws where God has made none, it is unscriptural. Consistent with the statement of Jesus cited above (Matt. 16:19 and 18:18), it is unscriptural to bind law when such has not been bound in heaven (and thus recorded in the New Testament). In this case, all who believe in and submit to the supreme authority of God’s word are anti-legalists! That is to say, we are opposed to making and binding laws not bound in heaven. This type of legalism is a form of unbelief in that it assumes that God’s laws do not go far enough.

(3) If legalism is depending on works of merit in order to be saved, legalism is unscriptural. This meaning of legalism is closely connected to the second, but not entirely the same. One might depend on added law for salvation (as with circumcision in Acts 15 and the Galatian letter), or one might regard the New Testament as a book of rules which one must keep perfectly in order to earn salvation. In both cases this type of legalism is firmly denied in the New Testament. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8, 9). See also Acts 15; Gal. 2:16 and 3:21; and Rom. 8:3.

At this point many become confused. Realizing that we are saved by “the free gift of God” (Rom. 6:23), it is assumed that any conditions would nullify grace. Thus the assumed principle: any free gift is received apart from any effort. This is both unreasonable and unscriptural. Think about it the next time you submit an application or agree to a ‘trial offer’ in order to receive a ‘free’ gift. You have not earned that gift but have merely availed yourself of a favor. So it is when we obey the gospel.

Again, those who believe what God’s word sets forth on the matter of grace, are anti-legalist in this third sense. We object to the idea that man can earn his salvation. Such a doctrine makes void the cross of our Lord. However, at the same time we must affirm that God’s grace is received by man’s obedience. Thus Peter wrote: “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth . . .” (1 Pet. 1:22).

The subject of ‘legalism’ needs our careful investigation. We need to be as precise as possible when we employ terms that might have varied meanings. As in all things, tell us exactly what you mean, then we can search the Scriptures to see if these things are so. Will the real anti-legalists please stand up-and tell us what you mean?

– by Warren E. Berkley

When Jesus was asked about marriage, divorce, and remarriage in Matthew 19:4-6, Jesus quoted from Genesis 2:24 and, in essence, said that it means the same thing today: “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female,  and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?  So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” Jesus’ “therefore” draws a conclusion that every Jew living since Moses penned (“quilled”?) the passage and every Christian should draw.

Peter does a similar thing in Acts 3:22-23 when he quotes from Deuteronomy 18:15. Moses wrote: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.” Roughly fifteen hundred years later, Peter preached that this passage was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. That’s what the text meant when Moses wrote it and that’s what the text still means today.

In Colossians 4:16, Paul told the Christians in the church of Christ at Colossae and the church of Christ in Laodicea to exchange letters he had written to each congregation. It is unlikely that the situation in one congregation was an exact parallel to the situation in the other congregation. But the principles and doctrine taught in one letter would still be relevant to the situation in the other congregation.

In Isaiah 7:14, Israel famously wrote: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” While the application of the word “virgin” (‘almah) to Isaiah’s audience might be perplexing today, when Matthew applies the passage to Jesus in Matthew 1:23, we learn once and for all what the text was intended to convey.

In Hebrews 10:1, the Hebrew writer is speaking of the superiority of Jesus over the appurtenances of the temple and, more specifically, the tabernacle. He writes: “For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.” While the Law of Moses was “substance” to the Jews who lived under its precepts, it has now become a “shadow” pointing to the real substance who is Jesus Christ.

When we sit down to study God’s holy word, we should always ask what did it mean to the people who first received the writing? With certain events, we should even ask what the message was to the audience who saw the event happen, and then ask what the event meant to those who read it for the first time. Stephen’s preaching in Acts 7 had a message for the Sanhedrin who were in front of him, then a slightly different message to Theophilus for whom Acts was written, and finally, a message for those beyond Theophilus who read Acts. I’m not suggesting the message is different but we need to ask the question for sure.

Paul Holland

The main focus of chapter 13 is the concept of “repentance.” God has given humanity His word, His promises, His commands, and His instructions. But too many people are either ignorant about His commands are they simply don’t want to take His commands seriously.

But one thing I do want to emphasize here is that ignorance of God’s commands is not going to be an excuse. In Leviticus 5:2-5, God requires Israel to offer sacrifices for sins they have committed in ignorance and have become aware of them. In Leviticus 5:17, God states: “Now if a person sins and does any of the things which the Lord has commanded not to be done, though he was unaware, still he is guilty and shall bear his punishment.”

Jesus tells us the same thing in Luke 12:47-48. So mankind must come to know God’s will, embrace God’s will, and obey God’s will if men or women want to be saved.

“Who can be saved?” The one who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ.

In verse 22, Luke makes reference again to Jesus’ plan to go to Jerusalem, which he introduced at 9:51. It is in Jerusalem that Jesus will complete God’s mission for Him, dying for the sins of mankind. During this journey, Jesus is asked by someone in the crowd if few people will be saved or many (ver. 23). Jesus challenged His audience to “struggle” or to “agonize” in order to enter heaven because the path to heaven is narrow (ver. 24). Many will seek to enter the door but will not have the strength to enter. Why? Because obedience to God requires mankind to put himself or his family last and too few people are willing to serve God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. “Repentance” (ver. 1-5) is a hard behavior to practice for too many people.

Then Jesus gives a parable (ver. 25-27). Jesus makes the spiritual application more clear at the end of verse 27 when He gives the reason for the rejection as the fact that they were “workers of unrighteousness.” These individuals did not serve God according to His teachings. In Matthew’s account (7:21-23), Jesus says they practice their religion without authority from God (the definition of “lawlessness”).

In verse 28, Jesus warns the Jews that many of them will be locked out of the Messianic Kingdom when it is established and, contrary to the Jewish leaders’ expectations, Gentiles will be in the kingdom. This verse anticipates the “Messianic banquet” which will occur when the kingdom is established and Jesus has relationships with those who trust and obey Him. He also describes hell as a location of intense pain and suffering (“weeping and gnashing of teeth”). The patriarchs will enjoy the banquet with the Messiah and so will the prophets whom the Jews (and their forefathers) killed: 11:47-51. The Jews (those who refused to accept and obey Jesus as the Messiah) are already being excluded: the participle “are being cast outside” is in the present tense.

Just because someone practices a form of “Christianity” does not mean God is pleased with it. Only God can define what true Christianity is, which is found in the pages of the New Testament. If a practice is not found in the New Testament, it is a counterfeit Christianity. In this paragraph and in its parallel in Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus defines the practice of rituals without His authority as “lawlessness” and “unrighteousness.” It is extremely important for us to compare our beliefs and practices with what is found in the New Testament and repent of practices which are not found there. While there can be no obedience without sincerity, there can also be no sincerity without obedience. God never changed His commands or His expectations because humanity sincerity disobeyed.

Enter the narrow gate! Jesus’ rewards will be worth it.

Paul Holland

In the early 1800’s, as our new nation was going through its development, the men of the restoration movement were also struggling with how to return to the scriptures. Barton Stone in Kentucky, with six other ministers, broke away from their Presbyterian “section” and began the Springfield Presbytery, which began to grow “in strength and size daily.”

Now, bathing in the light of the scriptures, free from outside authorities, they soon realized the organization they had begun was itself unscriptural. So, in 1804, they penned the now famous “Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery.” They declared, “We will, that this body die, be dissolved and sink into union with the Body of Christ at large…We will, that our name of distinction, with its Reverend title, be forgotten…We will, that our power of making laws for the government of the church forever cease.”

Twelve items in total were in this document, spelling out in detail their return to the scriptures and desire “that all our sister bodies read their Bibles carefully.”

May we today be as brave, to urge a reliance on the inspired scriptures alone.  Let us unashamedly proclaim to the so-called religious authorities of the world: “Let God be true, and every man a liar” (Rom. 3:4).

-Dennis Doughty

If you were to ask the generic Protestant if one can go to heaven without being a member of their respective group, they are most assuredly going to say “Yes.” And, of course they are right.

But if you were to ask, “Can you go to heaven without being a member of Christ’s church,” then the answer would be “no.” A resounding “no.”

The church of Christ matters because…

THE LORD’S SUPPER MATTERS:

The Lord’s Supper is to be observed at the Lord’s table and His table is in His kingdom. Luke 22:29-30.

The Lord’s Supper is to be observed by the Lord’s church every Lord’s day… Consider these verses and their cumulative message: Hebrews 10:25; 1 Corinthians 11:20; Revelation 1:10; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; Acts 20:7.

THE CHURCH AND THE KINGDOM:

If the church does not matter, then the Messianic Kingdom does not matter. But it does, because Christ shed His blood for the kingdom / church: Acts 20:28; Revelation 1:5-6.

THE CHURCH AND GOD’S FAMILY:

Being a child of God is important, right (John 3:3)? To be a child of God is to become a new creature in Christ: 2 Cor. 5:17. Forgiveness of sins is by virtue of the blood of Christ: Hebrews 9:22.

THE HOLY SPIRIT’S WORK IS IMPORTANT:

In Joel 2:28-32, the prophet predicted the coming of the Holy Spirit so that mankind would know the teachings of God. In Ezekiel 36:26-27, the prophet reiterated the same idea. Jesus said the promise (Holy Spirit) would come with power (Luke 24:48-49) and then in Acts 1:4-5, He said that power would come when the disciples were assembled in Jerusalem. These verses show that the promises of the kingdom / church / coming of the Holy Spirit were all fulfilled on the first Pentecost after the ascension of Christ in Acts 2.

CHRIST – THE LORD – IS HEAD OF THE CHURCH:

The church has an infallible king, Jesus (1 Timothy 6:15). Jesus is the head of the church: Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18; Matt. 28:18-20

Love and respect and encourage the church. We will be stuck with each other forever.

Paul Holland

The book of Job is one of the five books of poetry in the OT (sometimes referred as books of wisdom), along with Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon. In this two part study we will consider just a few very significant concepts within chapter one. Read chapter 1.

We learn from Job 1…

1. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BEING RIGHTEOUS

Job is described by inspiration in verse one as: “blameless and upright, a man who feared God and turned away from evil.” For inspiration to commend Job in this way shows the significance of being righteous. It is not our purpose to deeply explore the meanings of these terms at this time, as the basic thrust is simple to understand. But consider the following…

First, could this be said of us? Not by a member of the church or our spouse, but by God? Seek to be righteous in the sight of God. While we certainly have a responsibility to be who we ought to be in front of our fellow man, ultimately we are seeking to be righteous before God who sees into lives and our hearts. When we leave God’s perspective out of our view of righteousness, we can easily become like the Pharisees (see Mt. 6 and 23). Live, think, act, talk righteously before God.

Consider also that while in one sense we can only be counted righteous through Christ and His atoning sacrifice (see Rom. 3:20-21;1 Jn. 2:2), we need to beware of using this principle to dismiss a personal responsibility to live in righteousness (see Titus 2:12). In fact, notice how Peter ties together what has been done for us to be righteous, along with our own responsibility. He says in 1 Peter 2:24: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” The love and grace of God ought to drive us to living righteous lives and never be used as an excuse for sin and disobedience! (See Rom. 6.) Don’t underestimate your responsibility to be righteous!

We also learn from Job 1…

(2)  THAT SATAN IS ON THE PROWL (1:7)

In verse seven the Lord asked Satan where he had been. Of course, God did not need to ask him, but seems to have done so for our benefit and learning. Satan responded saying, “From going to and fro on the earth” (v. 7). My thought is that he didn’t just go on a site-seeing tour. If that is the case, we ought to beware of living too casually as well!

This evil being is called “Satan.” Satan means “accuser or slanderer.” And in this very text he is desirous of accusing Job before God. He wants God to change His assessment of Job. Surely the devil was plotting this kind of evil as he went “to and fro on the earth” (v. 7). Surely he has not ceased!

It should not be overlooked that Satan targeted a righteous man. It is not our intent to deeply explore how Satan works today, but surely he continues seeking to use calamities and suffering to shake the faith of the faithful. Remember, the Bible warns again and again of the lies, deceitfulness and craftiness of Satan (see Jn. 8:44; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; 2 Thes. 2:9-10; 2 Cor. 11:3-4). In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter warns, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Brethren, be on guard, the devil is always lurking. “Put on the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:11).

Know this… Though the devil is seeking to accuse us before the Father, we can indeed live lives that please our Father. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 16:13, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

We will plan to finish this short, practical study of Job 1 next week.

Daren Schroeder

Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian declared war on establishments which wished to decline services to those of the LGBT community. Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of Sweet Cakes bakery, were driven out of business by a lawsuit in the wake of their refusal to bake a wedding cake for a lesbian couple. According to Todd Starnes,

They faced boycotts and picket lines and other wedding vendors were threatened with similar action if they did business with Sweet Cakes. The family’s young children received death threats and the store’s  social networking platforms were overrun by militant LGBT activists posting obscene and profane messages (read here).

On top of that, they were ordered by the court to pay the couple $135,000 in emotional damages.

The Kleins refused on the grounds that it violated their “deeply-held religious beliefs” (ibid.). Anyone familiar with the Bible could understand the roots of their conviction, even if those ones don’t agree with the Bible (Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; 1 Tim. 1:8-11). Unfortunately for the Kleins, “tolerance” was not extended to them. Freedom of religion did not cover their attempt to freely practice their religion in their daily lives.

We have seen forces within our country, in politics, education, the media, and the like, pushing a moral agenda that is often cloaked under the guise of creating tolerance for absolutely everyone. But such is a logical impossibility. For those who see the Bible as their unalterable, unchanging guide, there are moral, ethical, and doctrinal absolutes. Nothing, be it culture, situations, or moral shifts, can alter and change God’s commands. In other words, killing the unborn does not become morally acceptable just because our nation passed a law. We do not want our money to fund what we deem sinful. Fornication, adultery, homosexuality, and any other sexual relationship the Bible identifies as sinful does not cease to be so just because the culture embraces it. We don’t want to be forced to accept what we believe, from Scripture, to be unacceptable to God. Yet, the very articulation of such conviction is increasingly rejected. That seat at the table of civil discourse has been removed and stuck in the corner (if not thrown into the yard).

For some, tolerance has come to mean acceptance of their world view and philosophy. It is not extended to those who disagree or who advocate a divergent point of view (isn’t that what tolerance means?). But, such is inevitable. There is no such thing as absolute tolerance. Immorality and morality, biblically defined, cannot peacefully coexist. Paul says, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm” (Eph. 6:11-13). It is a struggle against powers and forces. It requires a firm stand and a resistance. Not a physical, literal fight (cf. 2 Cor. 10:3-5). It’s a battle of the mind. It depends on the rank and file of people having properly trained, sharpened consciences, formed and spurred by God’s truth as revealed in Scripture.

Jesus says this is to be expected (John 15:19). Peter (1 Pet. 4:12) and John (1 Jn. 3:13) echo it.  Our task is to find the honest hearts and minds (Luke 8:15) who are seeking truth amid the cacophony of cultural noise. And, no matter what it costs us, hold onto truth and teach it to our children (cf. Deut. 6:1ff) which every way the cultural wind blows. Jesus did not call us to be tolerant (Rev. 2:2,20), but rather teachers of truth in love (Eph. 4:15). May we never lose sight of that.

Neal Pollard

When something out-of-the-ordinary happens, many people say, “Everything happens for a reason.” What do they mean by that statement and is that true? Is it a biblical idea? Whether or not one realizes it, that statement comes from the idea that all actions are controlled by “fate” or “predestination.” Here is the definition of “fate” or “fatalism.” “Fatalism is the belief that events are predetermined by fate or destiny, and that humans cannot do anything to change them.” One might also express that idea this way, “Fatalists believe that everything that happens has already been decided by some higher power, and there is nothing we can do to change it.”

The Basic Error

The basic error of the idea expressed above is that it means no human has free will. First, why would God make humans and put them on earth if all their actions were already determined to happen? This view attacks God’s nature of love. Can it be said that God loves one when He has predetermined that this person will do something contrary to God’s love? This view violates God’s nature of justice. “Justice” means that everyone is treated fairly. Is it fair that God determines that someone will do something that is contrary to God’s standard and then God punish that person because he or she has violated His standard? That is not even acceptable for humans to treat other humans in that way, much less for a loving God to treat people that way.

Human Freewill Is Taught in the Bible

Everyone who has ever lived or who will live, will stand before Jesus Christ, the judge (Acts 17:31). Why have a judgment if one does not have the ability to choose his or her action? The Bible teaches that everyone will be rewarded or punished based on his or her own deeds or actions. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Foreknowledge of God

One of the great attributes of God is His ability to know all things. The question then comes, “If God knows all things, and He does, does that mean He determines all that a person does? If that is the case, then God does make everyone do whatever one does. Again, that violates God’s loving and just nature. Can He know what is going to happen without making it happen?

Can a person know what is going to happen without causing it to happen? If one has a teenage daughter and a preteen boy and two gifts are brought for them. Can the buyer put both gifts before them and let them choose which gift each wants and yet know ahead of time which gift each child will select? Yes, parents can know their children so well that they know ahead of time which gift each will choose. Did the parents make each child choose the gift each chose? No, foreknowledge does not have to include predestination.

If you are standing at the top of a mountain which has a one-lane road to the top and you see a car going down and a car coming up around a curve, and they are about to run into each other, did you make them crash? No, but from where you are standing you can see into the future and know what is going to happen, but you did not make it happen. From where God stand and sees, He know what is going to happen, but He does not make it happen. To foreknow something does mean to foreordain.

Speaking of the death of Jesus Peter explained, “This man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death” (Acts 2:23). Because God is omniscient did not mean that He made those involved in putting Jesus to death take the action they took.

Everything for a Reason

Based on evidence that has been presented, the conclusion must be that because something happens does not mean that it had to happen. Thus, it did not happen for a reason. It happened because of circumstances where people had free will.

Lesson: Rather than saying that everything happens for a reason, one ought to say, “What lesson can I learn from what has happened. That idea looks to the future whereas the idea of “everything happens for a reason” looks to the past. Some like to say “everything happens for a reason” to avoid being held responsible for what he or she did. We are accountable for our actions.

Wayne Burger

First, the Bible: “I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord” (Phil. 4:2). At least part of the context of Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi is this disagreement or discord that was happening among these two sisters in Christ within that congregation. Let’s apply this statement: “live in harmony” to our parenting practice.

Here’s my point: mom and dad need to be on the “same page” when it comes to parenting style as well as how and when they will use rewards and punishments. The closer your backgrounds are when you marry, the more likely you will parent with a similar style. Rachel and I had a similar style. Even so, it is important to come to a unity of parenting style preferably before you start having children. However, your style might change and evolve even after having children. And, as the children mature, you will be faced with new choices.

Talk about what you want to do and how you want to do it with your spouse. I would strongly urge you not to disagree about parenting in front of the children. They don’t need to see or experience disagreement between the parents relative to discipline. I tried hard when our girls were young that if I disagreed with something Rachel was saying or doing to the girls not to disagree with her in front of them. I never wanted the girls to “see any daylight” between the two of us when it comes to their training. I would wait until we were “behind closed doors” to share my opinion about how things might be done differently.

It is also important for the husband to make sure he enforces the rules and discipline laid down by the wife. Children, especially boys, can be rebellious toward Mom when they would not be toward Dad (I was that way a few times). So Dads need to make sure they are training the children to respect Mom’s authority.

What is important is for Mom and Dad to talk about these things, the rules and the reasons you want those rules, and why you believe what you believe. The consistency and the unity between parents will help make a happy, safe, thriving, loving, and Christ-honoring home.

Paul Holland