Month: February 2025

Ron Thomas Via Bulletin Gold

In our Bible class discussion on Wednesday night, I gave
attention to forgiveness and the Law of Moses. Let me elaborate
on that a little more. Forgiveness is always a matter of God’s
declaration; it is His gift to those who obey Him. Since it has
always been the case that one is justified by faith, then those
justified by the Lord receive the forgiveness of sins.

But, in the context of the Levitical setting, there is something
much different. The Lord brought a nation (Israel) from out of
another nation (Egypt). The new nation formed by the Lord was
to be to all people God’s kingdom of priests (Ex. 19:6). The Lord
brought them from Egypt and placed them in Canaan (Palestine)
to be His shining light in a dark world. Before He led them to the
land of promise, He gave Israel His covenant law, the foundation
being the Ten Words (Commandments). As a nation they lived
according to that, and all other laws were built upon that
foundation.

From Hebrews 10:4, we learn the blood of animals can’t
remove sins, but in Leviticus we learn the men (males) offered
blood sacrifices, a sweet aroma to the Lord. Women did not do
this. In fact, regarding women, when they offered sacrifices, this
was in relation to childbirth and their menstrual cycles. Were the
men only ones forgiven? Not hardly! If that were so, then in what
way was there atonement (Lev. 1:5), or forgiveness (the word
“forgive” is only used 10 times in the book of Leviticus (ASV),
and it is always in relation to sacrifices)?
Since the blood of animals could not remove sin, but one was
forgiven with the blood of animals in specific sacrifices, what
gives? The forgiveness granted was not a personal application,
but one that was “corporate”, or, in other words, forgiveness was
granted to the individual family through the head of the house.
With this being the case, sacrifices in the national context
perpetuated the nation of God’s people, meeting the principle of
Exodus 19:6.


When the nation was loyal to the Lord, they were effective
in their mission work. When they were not loyal to the
Lord, the Lord warned them His protective barrier was
going to come doWn. They refused to listen, and they paid
the price for their disobedience. Finally, the Lord brought
Israel to an end (Mt. 23:37-39; Rom. 15:8) and established
a new Israel, the church of Christ (Rom, 9:6).

Bill Brandstatter Via Bulletin Gold

Too many folks look upon church attendance as being
secondary to anything else on their schedule. They are not
opposed to religion. They may even look upon it as a vital part
of life; but they have no conscience against neglecting it. Perhaps
the attitude is: “Ill go to church if nothing comes up, or if I am
not too tired.” But to stay away because we have so many other
engagements or because we have so little strength left is like
staying away from the dinner table because we are too hungry to
go to the table. The Bible tells us that this was not uncommon in
the first century. The writer of HebrewS notes “not forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some…”
(Heb. 10:25a).


What then does the church have to offer that a person cannot
get anywhere else? One man said, “I do not go to church anymore
because I can get what the church has to offer in better form
elsewhere.” When the church gets into the business of offering
the world what the world already has, it is in the wrong business,
and is not the church of the New Testament. The mission of
God’s church is to save souls (Luke 19:10; Markl6:16; Acts 8:4).
God’s power for saving souls is in the gospel of Christ (Rom.
1:16). It is the mission of the church to preach the gospel.

The church offers a family atmosphere to believers not found
elsewhere. The early church was said to be “together and had all
things common.” (Acts 2:42) Each member of the church is
important. The church is to offer assistance to the believer in need
(1 John 3:17). The church is where the saved are (Acts 2:47).

Their names are enrolled in heaven (Heb. 12:23). Where else can
men have fellowship, communion with God and associations that
they have in the church? In what other institution can we find the
same assurance? Where else is offered the hope of everlasting
life?

It is with heavy hearts that we share that Betty Ann Gray, a founding member of our congregation and wife to a beloved school principal, Cecil E. Gray Middle School’s namesake, passed away February 8th.

Mr. and Mrs. Gray left a legacy of love and kindness, especially towards the students of Cecil E. Gray Middle School.  The family is requesting that in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to the Gray Family Student Needs Fund.

Gray Family Student Needs Fund

Bill Brandstatter Via Bulletin Gold

There are times in our Iives when we must trust other
people. As a small child, I trusted my parents to provide for
my needs. When I started working, I trusted my employer
to give me a paycheck. When I have medical needs, I trust
a health care professional. Sometimes, I may question a
decision that is made. I might decide not to take a
recommended procedure. I might decide to refuse treatment:
but, ultimately, I have to put my trust in someone else.

What about our spirituality? I must trust what God says.
I might not like what He says. I may decide not to do what
He says, but, ultimately, we will all stand before Him (2 Cor.
5:10). We will be judged by what we knew and what we
obeyed (John 12:48). Many people trust themselves for
spirituality. They make up their own rules and ideas about
what it means to be spiritual.. Often those ideas are far from
God’s. The apostle Paul described some who “Became
futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were
darkened” (Rom. 1:21). He also mentioned that they did not
like to retain God in their knowledge (Rom. 1:28).

I must trust God for any information about heaven. God
is the source of all information about Himself, Jesus, the
Holy Spirit, Christianity, Heaven, and Hell. God says not
everyone is going to heaven (Matt. 7:21-24). God says just
professing Him will not get a person to heaven (Matt. 7:21).
God indicates that just prayer will not save (John 9:21; Isa.
59:1,2). God tells us that baptism is a must to be saved
(Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:2). God tells us that
baptism is a burial (Rom. 6:3). Whom do you trust regarding
these matters?

By Bill Brandstatter Via Bulletin Gold

I was talking to a lady once about the second coming of
Christ. She stated, “I am not ready yet.” I thought about
what that statement revealed and what it can tell us.st
First, being ready is not on my terms, but on Christ’s.
I must do what He wants me to do. His word will be the
basis for judgment (Jn. 12:48). I cannot get ready by my
own merit or standard. Jesus warned us to be ready and
on the alert. To be ready means I have made the proper
preparation. Preparation requires effort. To the
persecuted Christians in the first century, Peter
encourages them to “add to your faith (2 Pet. 1:5).


Second, being ready being watchful. The Bible uses
the term “watch” to describe the day of the second
coming of Christ. He will only come back once. We
don’t know when, only the Father knows. If I am
watchful in anything, I am on guard. I watch those items
which will damage me. I watch to make sure the items
I need are the ones I have. Watching for the second
coming of Christ works the same way. Jesus used this
term. Watch means to be on the lookout or to be aware
of what is going on around us.

Third, being ready doesn’t mean we wait till the last
minute. Too many people have a lot of “baggage” they
want to get rid of before Christ comes back. I am
convinced that if the Bible gave us an exact time the
Lord would return, there would be some who would
wait untila split second before to get things right; but
we are not told the time; therefore, any minute we wait
could be the last minute.