What The Bible Says
“What The Bible Says - Vol. 2 / No. 5”
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What The Bible Says
Vol. II - No. 5 / August 11, 2019
"GOD'S CONCIOUSNESS"
A truly godly man is one who lives with a constant realization of God's divine presence. He is God-conscious. When he awakes in the morning, there is God. As he dresses for work there is God. As he goes in to breakfast with his family, as he drives to work, as he works through the day, as he drives home, as he spends the evening hours, as he lies down on his bed at the close of the day, there is God.
Enoch was a man who was God-conscious, for he "walked with God" (Genesis 5:24). He enjoyed constant companionship with God. Wherever Enoch went, God went with him, and Enoch was always aware that He was there. He could not flee from God's presence (Psalm 139:7), nor did he seek to do so. He was a godly man.
How fortunate is that man who has developed within himself this God-consciousness. It is easy for him to pray, for God is to him a close, ever near, companion whose "ears are open unto his prayers" (1 Peter 3:12). His talking with God is as natural as his talking with any companion.
He does not fear, for he just places his hand in God's in his times of trouble. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear..." (Psalm 46:1, 2). Even when walking "through the valley of the shadow of death," he can "fear no evil," for God is with him.
The power of temptation is greatly reduced, for he never forgets that "all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do" (Hebrews 4:13). His desire to please his ever present God is greater than the power of temptation.
He is thankful, recognizing God, with whom he walks, to be the source of “every good gift and every perfect gift". (James 1:17)
He loves God. He talks to God. He walks with God. He is always conscious of God's presence. He is never without God. Yet, this relationship never degenerates into a "buddy-buddy" relationship, for he reverences God; he recognizes His awesomeness; he gratefully acknowledges his own personal unworthiness of such a relationship with Almighty God.
This is the very essence of godliness. Someone, years ago, observing the similarity between "godliness" and "God-like-ness," assumed that the two words meant the same. That false assumption was passed on to others, and has now gained a strong foothold in the thinking of a great number of people. W. E. Vine says that godliness "denotes that piety which, characterized by a godward attitude, does that which is well pleasing to Him." A godly person, then, is one who has a godward attitude, and whose constant consciousness of God leads him to be obedient to Him.
While visiting in a hospital, recently, we observed this sign, “Have you said, ‘Thank you, God' today?" A godly person probably would have done so. Have you said, “Thank you, God" today?
—Bill Hall
"HOW DOES ONE BECOME A FRIEND OF CHRIST?"
One cannot become a friend of Christ by going "to the altar and praying through to salvation." Advocates of the "praying through" theology never give a Scripture that teaches that alien sinners can be saved from their past sins by going to the altar and praying. No where in the Scriptures do we find where any alien sinner was ever told to "come to the altar and pray.”
Neither does one become a friend of Christ by “picking out some good church" he likes and joining it. Every denominational church is destined to "be rooted up." (Read Psalms 127:1 which says, "Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it," and Matthew 15:13 which says, "Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be rooted up").
A religious "experience" does not make one a friend of Christ. There is no Scriptural evidence that one is a friend of the Lord just because he may have had a religious "experience." Giving so-called "testimonials" about how good the Lord is and how much one loves Him does not make one a friend of Christ.
The fact that one lives an upright moral life does not necessarily mean that he is a friend of the Lord. In John 15:14 Jesus told His disciples: "Ye are my friends IF ye do whatsoever I command you." It is quite obvious from this statement of Jesus Christ that one can not be, and thus cannot become a friend of His unless he does what Jesus commands.
To do what Jesus commands one must learn and believe what Jesus says. Only then can he truly do what Jesus says. The source of information must be the Scriptures. As we study the Scriptures we learn that FAITH, REPENTANCE, CONFESSION, and BAPTISM are conditions set forth by the Lord that we must meet in order to become His friends.
Please read and study carefully Heb 11:6; John 20:30-31; Rom 10:17; Acts 17:30-31; Rom 10:9-10; Mark 16:15-16 and Gal 3:26-27. Do you believe what these verses say? If so, you will become a friend of the Lord when you obey them! To continue to be His friend, you must continue to learn, believe and obey whatever Jesus commands. This is how one becomes and remains a friend of Jesus Christ.
—Carrol R. Sutton
"ACCEPT THE GIFT"
This was spotted on the marque of a denominational church whose preachers teach that if ANYTHING is done to have forgiveness of sin, salvation is no longer a gift. The idea is that if you have to do anything to receive a gift, it is no longer a gift but is earned.
In view of their teaching, I find this statement on their marque to be contradictory. Is not to "accept the gift" doing SOMETHING and if we do something it is no longer a gift but something we've earned? If not, why not?
Indeed, salvation is a gift. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) but is it free in that it demands or costs nothing of us? The gift of our salvation cost the Father His Son. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..."(John 3:16). The gift of our salvation cost Jesus His life. "...while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8). The gift of our salvation came at a high cost to both the Father and the Son.
There is also a high cost for us to "accept the gift". We must "deny self". "And he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:23). We must deny self and follow Him (do as He says). And He says, "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." (John 15:10). Was Jesus EARNING anything from His Father? No, no more than we are EARNING anything when we do what He tells us to do. That is what it means to deny self and follow Him! Therefore when we do what He tells us to believe in Him (John 8:24), repent of sin (Luke 13:3), confess Him (Matthew 10:32), and be baptized into His death (Mark 16:16; Romans 6:4) we are NOT EARNING anything. We are simply denying self and following Him.
What cost God and Christ such a supreme price, does not come cheap to us. Jesus must be Lord (Ruler) over ourselves, our lives, and all that we have.
—E.R. Hall, Jr.
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--- E.R. Hall, Jr.
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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
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WBSA 93.5 FM/1300 AM ………………………….. 11:15 AM
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