What The Bible Says
“What The Bible Says - Vol. 7 / No. 9”
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What The Bible Says
Vol. VII - No. 9 September 15, 2024
Living for Jesus, a life that is true,
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.
O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,
For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me;
I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne;
My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.
—Thomas Chisholm
THE BLIND SPIES
Twelve men walked the length of Canaan for forty days spying the cities, the land, and the people. They witnessed a place of great beauty and produce. One cluster of grapes had to be carried on a pole between two men. The land impressed them as a land that “flows with milk and honey” (Numbers 13:27). What troubled the hearts of most of the spies were the people that lived in this place of bounty. Of the twelve men sent to spy the land, ten feared the strength of the cities and the people. The cities seemed impregnable. The descendants of Anak (giants) filled the land. The ten spies reported they felt like grasshoppers in the sight of the people. By their words they discouraged the people of Israel (Numbers 13:28-29, 31-33). Joshua and Caleb were the only spies who believed the land could be conquered. They begged the people to reject the counsel of the ten spies and go at once to take possession of the land (Numbers 13:30). With God's power they did not need to fear the people because the Lord would fight for them. The seeds of doubt had settled in the hearts of the people, and they refused to listen (Numbers 14:1-4). For their rebellion Jehovah God caused the people of Israel to wander in the wilderness for forty years (Numbers 14:34).
Why did ten men see fear and two men see victory? The ten spies did not see what Joshua and Caleb saw. Their hearts were blinded by what they saw with their eyes rather than what they could see with God’s power. Moses had instructed the twelve to see how strong the people were and how difficult the cities would be to conquer (Numbers 13:17-20). The twelve spies were leaders among the people yet ten were blinded to the things they had witnessed in the past few months. Had they forgotten the power of God in Egypt when the Lord brought the plagues upon Pharaoh? How could anyone fail to remember the crossing at the Red Sea? If the Lord was victorious over the nation of Egypt how difficult would it be to conquer this new land? Joshua and Caleb saw the same giants and fortified cites the ten spies saw but they viewed them as weak because they knew what God could do. “If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, 'a land which flows with milk and honey.’ Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them” (Numbers 14:8-9).
We can be like the ten spies when we fail to see how God can work in our lives. The giants of doubt and fear will stand before us, and we shrink back with worry and fear, not believing that we can overcome. Paul reminds us that nothing is impossible for us if we trust in God. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”. (Phil. 4:13; Rom. 8:31-39) —Kent Heaton
THREE GOOD RULES FOR BIBLE STUDY
RULE ONE: PROPERLY DIVIDE THE BIBLE.
"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15. The Bible is divided into two major divisions - the Old Testament and the New Testament. (The word “testament" means "covenant" or "will".) The Old Testament is a history of man's fall into sin and God carrying out His promise to send a Redeemer. The New Testament is the fulfillment of that promise and it is the law of Christ for you and I to live by. The Mosaic law, which began with the ten commandments, was given only to the children of Israel (Deuteronomy 5:1-3). The Mosaic law was fulfilled by Christ and was nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14). The Old Testament, as such, is no longer binding upon man. The New Testament is God's law for men today. See John 1:17; 6:68; 12:48; 14:6; Hebrews 1:1,2; 8:6,7.
RULE TWO: STUDY THE CONTEXT OF EACH PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE AND INTERPRET EACH DIFFICULT PASSAGE IN THE LIGHT OF EASILY UNDERSTOOD PASSAGES.
The Bible is truth and truth agrees with itself, so do not place an understanding upon one passage which contradicts another passage.
RULE THREE: STUDY ALL THE BIBLE TEACHES ON EVERY SUBJECT.
Consider all that God says on a subject before drawing a conclusion. Failure to do this will lead to a misunderstanding of Bible truths.
AN APPLICATION:
When we apply these rules to the question: "What must I do to be saved?", we find our salvation depends upon several things and not just upon one alone.
WE ARE SAVED BY:
• GRACE. Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 2:11.
• FAITH. Romans 5:1,2; Galatians 3:26,27.
• OBEDIENCE. Matthew 7:21; Romans 6:16-18; Hebrews 5:8,9; James 2:17-26.
TO BE SAVED, WE MUST:
• BELIEVE ON JESUS. Mark 16:16; John 8:24; Hebrews 11:6.
• REPENT OF SINS. Luke 13:3,5; Acts 2:38; 17:30.
• CONFESS FAITH IN CHRIST. Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:10.
• BE BAPTIZED. Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38: 8:38,39; 22:16; Romans 6:3,4; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21.
—E.R. Hall, Jr.
"What The Bible Says” is e-mailed twice a month. If you know of others who might benefit from the articles contained in this bulletin, we would be glad to have you submit their e-mail addresses and we will include them in the next mailing. If you are receiving this bulletin and do not wish to continue to do so, please e-mail us with your desire to be removed from the mailing list and you will be removed promptly. Continue to the bottom of this page for further instructions as to how you may contact us.
--- E.R. Hall, Jr.
SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
For The East Albertville Church Of Christ
meeting at
4777 U.S. Highway 431
Albertville, AL 35950
Sunday
Bible Classes …………..….…………… 9:30 AM
Morning Worship ……..…….….……… 10:30 AM
Evening Worship …………………........ 5:00 PM
Wednesday
Bible Classes …………..………........... 7:00 PM
Radio Program
Sunday
WBSA 93.5 FM/1300 AM ………………………….. 8:30 AM
Monday - Saturday
WBSA 93.5 FM/1300 AM ………………………….. 11:15 AM
Website: www. EastAlbertville.org
