What The Bible Says
“What The Bible Says - Vol. 7 / No. 4”
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What The Bible Says
Vol. VII - No. 4 / June 30, 2024
IF CHRIST HAD NOT COME
God sent His Son into the world (John 3:16) and we should be thankful for this great love. Things would surely be different if Christ had not come. If Christ had not come:
WE WOULD NOT KNOW GOD! God speaks to us today through His Son. “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;” (Hebrews 1:1-2).
WE WOULD HAVE NO CLOAK FOR SIN! In John 15:22 Jesus said, "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin." Jesus came to save us from the condemnation of sin (Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” ).
THERE WOULD BE NO ATONEMENT FOR SIN! From Hebrews 10:1-4 we can understand, that under the law of Moses, the blood of animals could not take away sin. Christ, therefore, took the old law out of the way and nailed it to His cross in order to establish a new law, the new testament (Colossians 2:14). Today, we are saved by the blood of Christ. "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matthew 26:28).
THERE WOULD BE NO GOSPEL! The gospel contains the good news of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). The gospel is the doctrine of Christ which we must abide in (2 John 9-10). It is the "power of God unto salvation”. (Romans 1:16).
THERE WOULD BE NO CHURCH OF CHRIST! Christ promised to build His church (Matthew 16:18). Because the church belongs to Him, it is to wear His name (Romans 16:16). Not only did Christ build the church, He also purchased it with His own blood. (Acts 20:28).
THERE WOULD BE NO RESURRECTION! Christ was resurrected (Luke 24:1-6). We, therefore, have that same hope. "Jesus said to her, “' am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.’" (John 11:25).
We learn from Ephesians 1:3 that "all spiritual blessing are in Christ". To be “in Christ", we must believe, repent, confess, and be baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27). Have you done what the Scriptures teach to be "in Christ". There's no other way to get in Christ other than doing His will. It is not a matter of what you believe, how you feel, or what someone else, including some preacher, might have told you. We must hear, believe, and obey the word of God.
If we can help you in your study of the Bible or assist you in obeying the gospel contact us and we would be willing to help you in whatever way possible. —E.R. Hall, Jr.
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
Picture the following situation: Two men are told to measure a board. The first man uses a yardstick which is three inches too short while the second man uses a yardstick which is two inches too long. The men would measure the board and get two different lengths for the same board. The obvious reason for the men getting the different measurements would be that both had used a different standard of measurement. Each man might think that he is right and confusion would probably result.
Today, in the religious world, there is much confusion. There are various reasons for this, but perhaps one important reason is that there are too many sources of authority being used. Most of the religious people in today's society believe, at least to some extent, that the Bible is to be our source of authority. However, these people may not accept the Bible as the ONLY source of authority. Further, even when they say they do, they will sometimes turn to other sources of authority when unable to justify something that they are practicing religiously. Let us consider some inappropriate standards of authority that are commonly used today to justify religious practices.
The Majority
Some people use the concept of the majority as a standard of right and wrong in religious matters. They feel that if a majority of the people are practicing a particular thing, then it cannot be wrong. They might say, "Why, there are millions in the religious group that I am a part of," or “there are many who believe as I believe." Does the fact that a majority believes a certain thing make it right? Is it correct to use the majority as our source of authority or to believe a certain way simply because so many others do?
It should be obvious that the majority is not to be our standard of authority, because, if it is, truth would change as we change locations. The beliefs of the majority about a certain matter may be different in the South than they are in the North. Also, the views of the majority may vary from country to country. Some countries, for example, consist of populations of people who do not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. If a person uses the majority as his standard, it would seem that he would need to change his belief every time that he changed locations when the majority of the people in the new location believed differently than the majority in his old location.
Consider a few Bible principles. Exodus 23:2 warns, "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil...." Also, Matthew 7:13-14 shows the great mistake of this standard as it says, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." In some situations, there is safety in numbers. However, this concept is not correct in spiritual matters. We must not use the majority as a source of authority.
Conscience
Others use their conscience as their standard of authority. This, however, cannot be a correct standard as it is possible for a person to have a good conscience and yet be in sin. Consider the case of Paul. Paul, previous to his conversion, was a persecutor of Christians. We are told that during this time he had a good conscience. Acts 23:1 says, "...I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." Also, in Acts 26:9, he said, "I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth." A conscience may be programmed incorrectly, and, thus, a person could have a good conscience and still be in sin. Surely, the conscience, by itself, is not a correct standard of authority. A conscience must be properly programmed according to God's Word.
Parents
There are others whose parents are their source of authority in religious matters. These will not accept the truth on certain subjects because their parents did not believe that way. Surely this is a wrong source of authority. We must always honor our parents. However, it is possible that they may have been wrong in their beliefs and practices. We must not reject truth simply because it is contrary to what our parents believed. Matthew 10:37 says, "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me…."
Feelings
There are still others who follow their feelings as their authority. Surely we recognize this as an unsafe guide. How many times have we felt that something would happen, and yet it did not happen? It is obvious that we cannot always trust our feelings. Nevertheless, some people will say, "I know that I am saved because I feel that I am saved." They will say this and ignore what the Bible teaches about salvation. These individuals might further say something such as, “I would not give up this feeling that I have in my heart for a whole stack of Bibles." Sadly, these individuals have their feelings as their authority. This is a most regrettable attitude. Proverbs 16:25 states a very important truth. It says, "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death." As we have previously noted, Paul felt that he was right when he persecuted Christians.
What Is To Be Our Authority?
Our authority is to be God's Word. The Bible is to be our guide; it is to be our source of authority. Consider a few passages. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 John 9 says that we must abide “in the doctrine of Christ.”
We must accept the Bible, and the Bible only, as our source of authority. These human standards will lead us astray.
—Mike Johnson
DO YOU ACT OR REACT?
I walked with my friend, a Quaker, to the newsstand the other night, and he bought a paper, thanking the newsie politely. The newsie didn't even acknowledge it. "A sullen fellow, isn't he?" I commented. "Oh, he's that way every night," shrugged my friend. "Then why do you continue to be so polite to him?" I asked. "Why not?" inquired my friend. "Why should I let him decide how I'm going to act?”
As I thought about this incident later, it occurred to me that the important word was "act." My friend acts toward people; most of us react toward them. He has a sense of inner balance which is lacking in most of us; he knows who he is, what he stands for, how he should behave. He refuses to return incivility for incivility, because then he would no longer be in command of his own conduct.
When we are enjoined in the Bible to return good for evil, we look upon this as a moral injunction - which it is. But it is also a psychological prescription for our emotional health. Nobody is unhappier than the perpetual reactor. His center of emotional gravity is not rooted within himself, where it belongs, but in the world outside him. His spiritual temperature is always being raised or lowered by the social climate around him, and he is a mere creature at the mercy of these elements. Praise gives him a feeling of euphoria, which is false, because it does not last and it does not come from self-approval. Criticism depresses him more than it should, because it confirms his own secret shaky opinion of himself. Snubs hurt him, and the merest suspicion of unpopularity in any quarter rouses him to bitterness.
A serenity of spirit cannot be achieved until we become the masters of our own actions and attitudes. To let another determine whether we shall be rude or gracious, elated or depressed, is to relinquish control over our own personalities, which is ultimately all we possess....The only true possession is self-possession. —Sidney Harris
SENTENCE SERMONS
Nothing is easier than saying words. Nothing is harder than living them day after day.
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Here’s a good test: Are you willing to act on the advice you give to others?
"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
