Month: January 2021

Foy E. Wallace, Jr.

The idea that one is first saved by some mystical or mystified. unintelligible or intangible process, and afterwards joins some church” is a common religious delusion. Yet, there is no truth more plainly emphasized in the Bible than the fact that the process of being saved is the process of entering the church (Acts 2:47).

1. It is affirmed in Acts 4:12 that salvation is in Christ. Then, to have salvation, one must get into Christ. But Paul, by analogy, in Ephesians 5:30, teaches that as husband and wife are one, so Christ and the church are one. “I speak concerning Christ and the church,” he said. Christ and the church being one, how can one be in Christ and out of the church?

2. Paul makes the fact that Christ is “the saviour of the body” (5:23) the ground of his exhortation to the Ephesians concerning the church as the bride of Christ (5:25). He washed it and sanctified it, cleansed and saved it, purchased it with His blood and redeemed it, reconciles us to God in it, and adds all the saved to it. Therefore, out of the church there is no cleansing, no blood, no redemption, no reconciliation to God, no salvation.

3. The relation between Christ and the church is the same as that which exists between God and Christ. Christ is the “fullness” of God (Col. 1:19), and the church is the “fullness” of Christ (Eph. 1:22). Therefore, no man can come to Christ and ignore the church for the same reason that no man can come to God and ignore Christ.

We exhort the unsaved to come to Christ, “gladly receive the word,” be “baptized into Christ,” and the Lord will add you to His church.

Via Bulletin Gold

By David Bragg

A condemned house filled with junk in St. Cloud, FL was being demolished in April 2014. Clearing the debris, they realized that the crumbling chimney was in danger of collapsing. That’s when a worker heard a metallic sound. The ensuing investigation quickly turned into a hectic treasure hunt as jar after jar stuffed with old coins were pulled from the rickety chimney. In the end they had recovered over 2,000 coins that had been stored for decades in old glass pickle jars. The oldest of the coins dated back to 1917. (Orlando Sentinel)

Who would have thought that an old dilapidated house, an unstable chimney, and dusty glass pickle jars would contain anything of value?

That’s how many look at the Bible. To many people today, some who may have never opened the cover to look inside, the Bible is an old, outdated book that has nothing to contribute to our modern, enlightened society.

They see God’s Word as out-of-touch as those who believe it. They fail to realize that the Bible is just as relevant today as it was on the day it was written. The Bible is … Eternal (Isaiah 40:8); Truth (John 17:1); Saves (1 Corinthians 15:2); Inspired (2 Timothy 3:15-17);: Living and powerful (Hebrews 4:12); Implanted in the heart (James Enduring 1:21); (1 Peter 1:22-2:3).

You may never find an old chimney filled with a pickle jar treasure trove, but you can hold in your hand God’s inspired and saving Word. By reading it you will be blessed. By living it you will become better. By following it you will be saved.

Via Bulletin Gold

Ron Thomas

The greatest battle a Christian has to engage in is the battle with self; it’s never-ending. There is knowledge about what to do, how to do it, but weakness in making it happen.

The Christian knows what to do because the Lord revealed it, the Christian also knows how to get it done because, again, the Lord revealed it. Yet, the application is difficult when the person engaged in the battle struggles with the weakness of the flesh, it’s such a powerful warrior. When Paul used the expression he counseled the preacher, Timothy, to prepare himself for the battle ahead. Herein was how he was to engage.

First, he had God’s gift (1:18).

Second, the faith he had was to be fully in place with a good conscience (1:19).

Third, he was renminded of those who threw away their first love, using their failure as an example of what not to do (1:20).

We can learn from this.

Via Bulletin Gold

Richard Bartanen

What will we be facing in this new year? Will it be a year of good health, or of illness? Will there be a stabilizing economy or a stock-market crash? Will there be an increase of unity as a nation or an increase of chaos, looting, burning and physical violence? As individuals, will we learn to cope with life’s illnesses and failures or will we collapse under the stresses of life? We don’t know all the answers to the situations we must face. As our fears mount up, it becomes more and difficult to cope.

 

Even those who are people of faith find it difficult to national and global problems face personal, confidently. We need daily to be reminded of the words of Jesus: “In this world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world” (John 1’6:33).

Our ability to cope begins with faith in Jesus. The apostle Paul wrote, “We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Romans 8:37). Is your trust in Him who died for you, and was raised again? Have you, in faith, repented of sins, confessed faith in Christ, and been baptized? (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; 22:16). Are you faithfully following Him? (Revelation 2:1’0) When united to Him who died for us, we are encouraged and strengthened by His Spirit to cope with the problems of life, and to rejoice in the new life He has promised those who follow Him.

Via Bulletin Gold

By Steven B. Cloud

…Though even thinking on the subject of time may prove discomforting, it is not a bad idea-especially at the beginning of a new year.

As we look into 2020 we look at a block of time. We see 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes, 31,536,000 seconds. And all is a gift from God. We have done nothing to deserve it, earn it, or purchase it. Like the air we breathe, time comes to us as a part of life.

The gift of time is not ours alone. It is given equally to each person. Rich and poor, educated and ignorant, strong and weak-every man, woman and child has the same twenty-four hours every day.

Another important thing about time is that you cannot stop it. There is no way to slow it down, turn it off, or adjust it. Time marches on.

And you cannot bring back time. Once it is gone, it is gone. Yesterday is lost forever. If yesterday is lost, tomorrow is uncertain. We may look ahead at a full year’s block of time, but we really have no guarantee that we will experience any of it.

Obviously, time is one of our most precious possessions. We can waste it. We can wworry over it. We can spend it on ourselves. Or, as good stewards, we can invest it in the kingdom of God.

The new year is full of time. As the seconds tick away, will you be tossing time out the window, or will you make every minute count?