What The Bible Says

Vol. III - No. 13 / November 22, 2020

CAN A CHRISTIAN HELP SUPPORT THE SALVATION ARMY?

    Every year there are many who help support the Salvation Army, not knowing it is a religious denomination. Every Christian I know, who has given to this denomination in the past, has stopped helping as soon as they learned what they were supporting.

    Why did they stop? Because John said, "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds" (2 John 10-11).

    The Salvation Army is a denomination which split off from the Methodist Church in 1861. They preach their doctrines in 89 countries, and have one and one-half million members. Their denominational headquarters in the United States is in Verona, New Jersey.

    Notice carefully some of the many doctrines this denomination teaches. In doing so, you will be able to easily see why members of the Lord's body cannot support this cause. Yes, they do a lot of good, but yes, they also teach a lot of error to those they help.

    This denomination teaches that men are born sinners. Article 5 of their creed book (Handbook of Doctrine) says all men are totally depraved, and have become sinners as a consequence of Adam and Eve's fall. Page 83 states man is a sinner by inheritance. Page 85 teaches man is born a sinner. The Bible teaches, "They are all gone out of the way" (Romans 3:12). God does not say, "They are born out of the way." Jesus said. "Except ye be converted, arid become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3).

    The Salvation Army teaches no one can understand the Bible without the direct help of the Holy Spirit (Handbook of Doctrine, pp. 2, 133-134). However, in no place does the Bible teach men must receive the direct help of the Holy Spirit in order to understand and know the truth. 

    The Salvation Army teaches those they help that salvation is at the point of faith. Their creed book devotes nine whole pages, trying to prove baptism is not essential to salvation (pp. 180-188). Page 188 of their creed book teaches baptism and the Lord's Supper should not be practiced at all today. Their members are not to speak against those religions which practice baptism and the Lord's Supper, unless those religions teach these are essential. But, of course, the Lord's church does teach baptism is essential. Why? Because the Bible says: "Repent, and be baptized ... for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). We also teach the Lord's Supper is essential in the life of a Christian. Why? Because Jesus said do it “in remembrance of me” (I Corinthians 11:24-25). We are told to show the Lord's death till He comes (I Corinthians 11:26).

    The Salvation Army also teaches that a Christian can be sanctified, so as to never sin. Their creed says a sanctified Christian will be tempted, but as Jesus never sinned, so we will never sin. It says the sanctified Christian can be mistaken in judgment, but even that is less likely to happen (pp. 145-165).  In contrast, sanctification in the Bible means a Christian is set apart as holy to God. Never does it mean a Christian has reached the point of never sinning (I John 1:8-10), The church at Corinth was sanctified (I Corinthians 1:2). But as one reads 1 Corinthians, he will read of several sins committed by these sanctified Christians.

    These are just a few of the many reasons why Christians should not support The Salvation Army. 
—Danny Pettus

REACTIONS TO THE TRUTH

    In the Bible we see different reactions to the truth. We would like to think that all people's reactions would be to ACCEPT truth and, indeed, we read of those who did. Those three thousand Jews on the day of Pentecost did. "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." (Acts 2:41). Yet, this is not the reaction found throughout the Scriptures.

    When some heard the truth, they DELAYED. Such was the case when Paul preached the truth to Felix. "And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee." (Acts 24:25).

    Yet, there were those who outright DECLINED and IGNORED the truth. After Jesus told the rich young ruler what to do to have eternal life, the Scriptures reveal: "But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions." (Matthew 19:22). When Agrippa heard the truth preached to him, he said to Paul, "...Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." (Acts 26:28).

    As if it is not bad enough to delay, decline, and ignore the truth, we find where some were ANGERED and HATED the truth. Paul asked the Christians in Colossi "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" (Galatians 4:16).

    Some even set themselves up to OPPOSE the truth. "And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith." (Acts 13:6-8)

WHAT ABOUT YOU? What is your reaction to the truth revealed in these verses? "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21). "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:16). "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Hebrews 10:25).
—E.R. Hall, Jr.

***SENTENCE SERMONS***

 I asked, “Why doesn't somebody do something?” Then I realized that I was somebody!
***
A man is known by the company he keeps – and also by the company that he avoids.
***
Be content with what you have, but never with what you are.

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"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

What The Bible Says

Vol. III - No. 12 / November 8, 2020

THE SINNER'S PRAYER

    Quite often in reading religious material or engaging in religious conversation with others, the reference is made to the 'sinner's prayer'. What is being referred to is the parable Jesus taught in Luke 18:9-14. By referring to this parable, many people would have you believe this is what a person must do to be saved. However, what was Jesus attempting to teach by means of this parable? Was it, what to do to be saved or was there another lesson He was teaching?

    Verse 9 says, "And he spake this parable UNTO CERTAIN WHICH TRUSTED IN THEMSELVES THAT THEY WERE RIGHTEOUS, AND DESPISED OTHERS:". Jesus concluded the parable in verse 14 by making the statement: "...for everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." We, therefore, learn that Jesus is using this parable to teach humility. Humbleness will avail far more in God's sight than a high and haughty attitude.

    All of us stand before God having sinned. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23). "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:8,10). Realizing we have sinned, we must never approach God in any manner other than that of humility. Also, realizing that sin is the common lot of us all, we must not despise others.

    Jesus said that both the Pharisee and publican had went up to the temple to pray. What is to make us believe that the Pharisee was a child of God and the publican was not? Nothing in the parable states this to be the case. In fact, from the parable it would be no injustice to conclude that both these men were children of God. Though publicans had the reputation of being greedy because of their profession of being tax collectors, this is not to conclude that all publicans were ruthless and covetous. One of Jesus' apostles was a publican: Matthew (Matthew 9:9). Neither let us forget Zaccheus who was chief among the publicans (Luke 19:1-10).

    There is nothing in the parable to teach us that the Pharisee was saved and the publican was lost. Both men were obviously children of God for both had went to the temple and both were praying. The point of the parable was that the Pharisee's prayer was unacceptable to God because he exalted himself, he trusted in himself that he was righteous, and he despised others. The publican, on the other hand, was justified in his prayer for he had not exalted himself but rather realized he had sinned and always stood in need of God's mercy.

    Friends, this is not a prayer that alien sinners must/should pray in order to have their sins forgiven. Saul of Tarsus was praying when Ananias came to him to tell him what to do to be saved. However, the record does not reveal that Ananias told Saul to continue to pray until he had "prayed through" to salvation. Instead, Ananias said, "And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16).

    In addition to people being told today to pray the sinner's prayer, they are being told to pray their sins away. Friends, we do not find, in the Scriptures, where one alien sinner was ever told to pray their sins away but we do read where they were told to "wash away thy sins" by the act of baptism. Baptism is the final step which one must take in order to have their sins washed away and to be "in Christ" (Galatians 3:27).

    Many teach sins are already taken away before baptism and a person is in Christ without ever being baptized. However, to find the basis of such teaching we have to turn to the doctrines of men for these are not things we can find taught in the Bible.

    There is no 'sinner's prayer' that an alien sinner can pray and have their sins forgiven. As sure as "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God", God has one plan of salvation for all."He that BELIEVETH and is BAPTIZED shall be saved; but HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT SHALL BE DAMNED." (Mark 16:16). "...REPENT, and be BAPTIZED every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,..." (Acts 2:38).
—E. R. Hall, Jr. 

GOD EXPECTS MAN TO UNDERSTAND HIS WILL!

    In Matthew’s account of the Great Commission, Jesus said, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations...“  Why would Jesus, the Son of God, tell his apostles to go and teach people if what they were going to teach could not be understood? Did not Jesus, in the command, necessarily imply that the material to be taught was simple enough to be understood and that those to be taught were capable of understanding?

    One of the answers to our present-day situation was given by Jesus a long time ago in Matthew 13 :15: “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and l should heal them.”

    Jesus placed the blame for not understanding squarely at the feet of those who heard the teaching. They closed their own eyes, stopped their own ears, and hardened their own hearts so that they did not understand!

    Incidentally, had you thought about the fact that if a thing is understood by two individuals, they necessarily will understand it alike? If two people disagree on something, one or the other (or both) did not understand!

    If one person “understands” baptism to be sprinkling, and another “understands” it to be pouring, then neither of the two really understands what the New Testament teaches. Even the Greek word for baptism means “immersion.”

    In other words, it is impossible to “understand” baptism incorrectly. So if you and I disagree over something the Bible teaches, we both need to keep studying. When we both really understand we will agree.
—Audie McKee

***SENTENCE SERMONS***

You'll never get ahead of anyone as long as you try to get even with them.  
***
Maintaining the right attitude is easier than regaining the right attitude.
***
“Always do more than is required of you.” - Gen. George Patton
 

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"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

What The Bible Says

Vol. III - No. 7 / August 30, 2020

INTOLERANCE

    Listening to the various television and radio news and talk shows, it doesn't take long to realize the only "sin" today's society recognizes is intolerance. To speak against homosexuals is to be intolerant. Nearly all "Christian" religions are branded as intolerant. Even in the religious arena, to speak and insist only for what the Bible teaches is to labeled as intolerant to other beliefs and practices. Intolerance is quickly equated with hate and bigotry. So, no one wants to be even remotely speaking in such a way as to be considered intolerant.

    Was God intolerant when He commanded Israel: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3)? Today, our "multi-cultural society" would have us to accept all religions whether they worship God or not. We must not attempt to teach a Buddha or some other idol worshiper like Paul did in Acts 17:16-33. This would show our intolerance of their beliefs. When verse 16 says, "Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.", there would be those who would accuse Paul of hate and bigotry. The solution for today is simply set aside our belief in the One True God and accept a plurality of gods.

    Was Jesus intolerant when He said: "...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me."(John 14:6)? There are those who would never be guilty of intolerance and are ever on guard to quickly chastise others who are. They would insist that we dare not teach the Jew or the Islam that Christ is the Son of God because we will be committing the sin of intolerance! The solution is for us to lay aside our belief in "one mediator" (1 Timothy 2:5) and accept others. Even among the "religious" there are those who would have us to accept the virgin Mary, the Pope, or a priest as an intermediary between us and the Father. To speak or teach against any of these will cause others to accuse us of intolerance.

    Are the Scriptures intolerant when it teaches that those who commit "...adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:...shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21)? We must sit by and let the fornicator, drunkard, and the person who practices witchcraft do all they can to influence others to their lifestyles but we must not say one thing against it. If we do, we've committed that unpardonable sin of intolerance. We are branded as being full of hate and bigotry. If standing for what the Bible says makes me intolerant and a bigot, so be it. I'll take my chances on the Judgement Day.
—E.R. Hall, Jr.

GOD DOESN'T NEED A LABEL

Someone wrote, “God doesn’t have to put His name on a label in the corner of a meadow because nobody else makes meadows.” Ethan the Ezrahite wrote in Psalm 89, “The heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints. For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord? God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be held in reverence by all those around Him. O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty like You, O Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You. You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, You still them. You have broken Rahab in pieces, as one who is slain; You have scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm. The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; the world and all its fullness, You have founded them. The north and the south, You have created them; Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name. You have a mighty arm; strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand” (Psalms 89:5-13).

    Man has been able to accomplish some spectacular things in the generations since Eden. Pyramids stand today that are thousands of years old. Great buildings testify to the architectural prowess of ancient man. Medicine and science is an increasing field of growing knowledge. Space yields small secrets with each adventure by man into the darkened world. Technology has shrunk the world to within the space of cell-phone. What man has accomplished is remarkable yet still pales in comparison to what God created in six days. “You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, the seas and all that is in them, and You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You” (Nehemiah 9:6).

    Man cannot make a meadow nor create a mountain as majestic as Everest (Matthew 6:28-29). The beauty of the hummingbird can only come from the hand of God. A baby’s cry is borne by the hand of angels from the mouth of God. The starry host is without number and yet the Lord God has a name for each one (Isaiah 40:26). Can man create a force as powerful as the sun or soothing as the moon?

    To feel small before God consider His words to Job in Job 38-41. We need to feel small before the beauty and the power of God’s creation - because we are small. The meadow bears the mark of God because nothing else has the power to establish the divine nature but Jehovah God. Who are we to argue with God and pretend He does not exist? How can we stand in a world of testimony and suggests there is no God? “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalms 19:1).

    Who is like God? What can man do that would even compare to the mighty works of God? “Inasmuch as there is none like You, O Lord (You are great, and Your name is great in might), Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For this is Your rightful due. For among all the wise men of the nations, And in all their kingdoms, There is none like You” (Jeremiah 10:6-7). “Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, Praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord From this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its going down The Lord's name is to be praised. The Lord is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, Who dwells on high” (Psalms 113:1-5).    
—Kent Heaton 

" I STUDY MY BIBLE LIKE I PLOW MY FIELD"

    A farmer explained: “I study my Bible like I plow my field. Oftentimes when I’m plowing or breaking new ground, my plow will get hung under a root, and if I’m going at a pretty good clip it will really jar me. But I don’t get mad and beat my mule and burn my plow. No, I just back up a little, ease over the root and get on with my plowing. Next time around I’ll probably hit that root again and it still shakes me up, but I don’t quit farming. I just back up, ease over the root and keep on working. Pretty soon I have hit that root so many times that it’s loose and the first thing you know I plow right through it and don’t even notice it. I’ve got it shook loose. That’s the way I study the Bible. When I come upon a hard passage, it might shake me up a little bit, but I don’t throw away my Bible and quit the Lord on that account. I just ease over it and keep on studying. The next time I read that passage I jar it a little bit more. I keep on doing this until finally, because of information that I have gathered from other parts of the Bible I am able to jar the passage loose. I understand it.”
—Selected

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HAVE A BIBLE QUESTION YOU’D LIKE ANSWERED?

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"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

What The Bible Says

Vol. III - No. 6 / August 16, 2020

IF THEY WERE DOING IT THEN, WHAT ABOUT NOW?

    "For we are not as many, which CORRUPT THE WORD OF GOD: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ." (2 Corinthians 2:17). "But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor HANDLING THE WORD OF GOD DECEITFULLY; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." (2 Corinthians 4:2).(Emphasis Mine, ERH)

    If God's Word was being corrupted and handled deceitfully nearly 2000 years ago, what about today? Yet you would think not. To hear people talk, everything that is taught in religion is OK. "You believe it your way and I believe it mine" are the replies often heard. One preacher preaches this way about a matter and another preacher preaches entirely different but "that's your interpretation" is the excuse given. "Join the church of your choice." "Attend church somewhere, today." "One church is as good as another." "We're all going to Heaven. We're just traveling different roads."

    While people might not ACCEPT EVERYTHING they hear religiously, they are willing to TOLERATE EVERYTHING that is taught religiously. While they do not accept every church and its teaching, they are willing to tolerate every church and its teaching. The question that really needs answering is: WHAT DOES GOD TOLERATE? Can we know what God tolerates?

    The God who created us and the universe also gave us His inspired Word to reveal His will. Yet, we have "another revelation of Jesus Christ". Does God tolerate anything but His word or is this "another revelation" one of our modern day corruptions? "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:6-10). There is but one gospel and it was revealed by Christ and His apostles. Any other gospel is perverted. Would we do well to believe and practice a perverted gospel?

    In Matthew 24:35 Jesus said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." If "another revelation" of Jesus Christ was discovered by Joseph Smith in the late 1800's, what about all those generations from Paul and the apostles until Joseph Smith? They were without the complete revelation of God's will! We must believe Jesus over the claims of Joseph Smith or any other "latter day" prophet. Jesus revealed ALL TRUTH to the apostles as He promised in John 16:13 and not to someone else 1800 years later. All such claims are only a corruption of God's word.

    "Another revelation” is not the only way to corrupt the Word of God. Much of the corrupting and deceitful handling occurs from those who claim to believe in the Bible. God's Word must be "rightly divided" (1 Timothy 2:15). It is possible to think of men above that which is written. "And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another." (1 Corinthians 4:6). When this happens, doctrines and commandments begin to be taught that have originated with man and not God. The result: they corrupt the word of God and are handling the word of God deceitfully.

    "Accept Christ as your personal Saviour". "Faith only." "One church is as good as another." "Everyone's entitled to their own interpretation in religion." "There's nothing in a name." "Baptism has nothing to do with saving you." These are examples of doctrines and commandments of men. Why? There is no scripture that teaches these statements. These are statements that can only be found in the written and spoken creeds of man.

    Corrupting and deceitfully handling God's Word is not without consequences; grave consequences. "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you." (Deuteronomy 4:2). "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." (Revelation 22:18,19).

—E.R. Hall, Jr.

"NEW DELIGHT"

    "...and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”  (Eph. 4:23,24).

    If it's important to hate sin, it's even more important to love righteousness. The love of God involves not only being repulsed by the idea of disobedience: it means being attracted by the opposite idea: the idea of obedience.  Living within our Father’s love must come to be, among other things, delightful.

    In Eph. 4, Paul discussed the two sides of godliness.  Whereas we used to take delight in disobedience, "you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus" (vs. 20,21).  So we must "put off, concerning (our) former conduct, the old man" (vs. 22). But that is only half the battle. On the positive and more important side, we must "be renewed in the spirit of (our) mind" (v. 23).  We must make the choice to "put on the new man" (vs. 24).

    If we've been satisfying our desires in unlawful ways for a long time, it will not be easy to learn a new set of delights. It can be done, though, and making the commitment to do so is the first step. If we want to be people who take deep delight in pleasing God, we must get past our what ifs, our maybes, and our yes buts and make an actual commitment to be renewed in our thinking.

    The good that awaits us is so much more joyful than the counterfeit pleasures we've been accustomed to, our main regret will be that we didn't delight in God sooner. We'll scold ourselves for having been so foolish for so long. What were we thinking?

    Counterfeits can be quite convincing, it's true. The things we used to enjoy were really enjoyable, or we wouldn't have spent so much time with them. But whatever pleasures may have come from satisfying ourselves unlawfully, the lawful satisfaction of those same desires is so much deeper and more genuine that the comparison defies description. The "new delight" we can have in God is the real thing. It's what we were made for. It's everything we've dreamed of and then some. And the main thing about it is that it centers on God Himself. He, finally, is all we really desire. 
—E.R. Hall, Jr.

***SENTENCE SERMONS***

If not you who? If not now when?
****
He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else." - Benjamin Franklin
****
"In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." (Proverbs 14:23)

Live Video Streaming Of The Bible Study 

SUNDAY 9:30 AM and Wednesday 7:00 PM WWW.EASTALBERTVILLE.COM - click on “Live Feed”
or
Go To East Albertville church of Christ on YOUTUBE/FACEBOOK

Live Video Streaming Of The Bible Sermon

SUNDAY 9:30 AM and 5:00 PM WWW.EASTALBERTVILLE.COM - click on “Live Feed”
or
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"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

What The Bible Says

Vol. III - No. 4 / July 19, 2020

IS AGREEING IMPORTANT?

    When using the scriptures to show God’s authority, or the lack thereof, for some act or practice, it has been my experience that people often become annoyed and usually want to completely stop discussing whatever the subject. To bring a close to the conversation and let it be known they don’t wish to continue the discussion, they often say, "Well, that’s just the way you see. We can’t all agree on everything. Some things are just too hard to understand. We just have to do what we each feel is right." I even had a friend once say while discussing the use of mechanical instruments of music in worship, "Well we can agree to disagree on that. I don’t think that should keep us from fellowshipping". Agreeing to disagree is the basis of a false and absurd doctrine often referred to as "unity in diversity", which teaches we can somehow be united while all believing differently concerning God’s word. Try meshing this teaching with Jesus’ prayer in John 17:11,20-21 and with Paul’s exhortations to the Corinthians in I Cor. 1:10 and you’ll see why its false and absurd. It seems that agreeing on the teaching found within God’s written word simply isn’t important to many people. Since we supposedly "can’t all agree on everything" there is no real need to try to do so, right? Let’s just all agree upon disagreeing and we’ll all get to Heaven. We’ll just take different routes. Is this indeed true? Is agreeing important or can we all just believe the way we desire and be pleasing to God?

    First let us examine the statement "We can’t all agree on everything". Is this really true? Why can’t we agree? Isn’t this exactly what Jesus was praying for and what Paul was pleading to the Corinthians concerning in the above mentioned verses. In John 8:31-36, Jesus told those that believed on Him that if they continued in His word that they would know the truth and the truth would make them free from sin. What is truth? The word that they were to continue in, God’s word (v. 28), was truth according to Jesus. In John 17:17 we again find it specifically stated that God’s word is truth. So by the very fact that there is truth, there must be error or false beliefs, doctrines, and concepts. Concerning God’s word/truth, Paul told Timothy in 2 Tim. 3:16, that "All scripture is given by the 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." Since it is God’s word/truth that thoroughly furnishes unto all good works and makes one free from sin why can’t we agree on its meaning? Jesus very plainly said that if we continue in his word we would know the truth. Now certainly there are things contained in God’s word that "are hard to be understood" (2 Pet. 3:16), but does this mean they can’t be understood and understood alike? Are we saying that the omnipotent and just God of the universe that created all things couldn’t or didn’t create a book containing His word that we could all understand and that alike? Is this "non-understandable" word still going to judge us in the last day (John 12:48)? I, for one, do not intend to make such statements or even imply such. However, when we make statements such as, “We can’t all agree", we are boldly inferring just that!

    There is a growing push toward not "overly" concerning ourselves with trying to know and agree on the truth but instead just making sure our hearts are right and we are sincere in what we believe and teach. Certainly having the right kind of heart and being sincere in our beliefs and teachings is critically important (Mt. 5:8; 13:15; 15:19). If our hearts are not right and we are not sincere, why would we even have beliefs or care enough to teach them? Having the right kind of heart and being sincere is but the first step in knowing and agreeing on the truth. Even though, many men are leading others away from the truth and telling them that our interpretation of the Bible and therefore how we establish Bible authority has very little to do with our salvation, instead it is our hearts that matter. This kind of doctrine breeds disagreement in its followers and teaches that it is okay as long as we are each sincere. While indeed this may seem to be a warm and fuzzy doctrine that no doubt brings great comfort to many who are practicing and living in sin while sincerely believing they are living godly lives, it is false and will cause many to lose their eternal soul. We read that the first century Christians "were of one heart" (Acts 4:32). How can we possibly be of one heart if we all don’t believe the scriptures alike?

    How we interpret the scriptures and how we establish Bible authority for all that we do as Christians is of utmost importance. And, therefore agreeing is of utmost importance as well. Our souls depend on it because we will be judged by God’s word (John 12:48). We are told that whatever we do "in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Col. 3:17). How can we do something in someone’s name for which they gave us no authority? The apostle Paul said in 2 Tim 2:15, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." What a preacher says, what our loved ones believe, nor what we sincerely but mistakenly thought the Bible said is going to approve us before God. It is study that will approve us unto God. It was those at Berea who where more noble than those at Thessalonica because "they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11). Recall from John 8 that it is Christ’s word/truth that shall makes us free, but only on the condition that we continue in it (v.31). This is how we learn or know God’s will. This is how we are freed from our sins. This is how we agree on God’s word and become of "one mind" (Rom. 15,16; 2 Cor. 13:11; Phil. 1:27; 2:2; 1 Pet. 3:8). We must continue in the scriptures that are by God’s inspiration and that thoroughly furnish us. We must have a sincere, open and receptive heart and study God’s word in light of it (Acts 8:30-35).

    Disagreement, at its root, is the result of man’s will conflicting with God’s will. Whether we admit it or not, it starts as man’s desire to do something for which God’s word has given no authorization. Thus men go about twisting and perverting scripture, lifting it from its context to prove their positions (2 Pet. 3:16). Or perhaps sometimes they even seek to "find" authority through some other means than the Bible (the Pope, church creeds, etc), or maybe they just all together do away with the need for authority (at least in their own minds) and let their heart be their guide. After all, it is to them a "sincere" effort to serve God, even though it is as they so desire and not necessarily as God would have it. Then disagreement comes full circle when someone questions someone else’s actions or practices based on scripture or perhaps sometimes even their own false belief. As we can see, the problem is that we let our desires and wishes take precedence over God’s desires and wishes. God certainly has desires and wishes (I Tim 2:4). The pages of His word are filled with His will for man and give “us all things that pertain unto life and godliness" (2 Pet 1:3).

    Sadly, there is not an easily executed solution to resolve disagreement. Yet, just to avoid discussing it and take comfort that we are somehow pleasing to God when we mutually agree to disagree is a terrible mistake. It is a mistake that will lead to more division and more souls being lost. As before stated, it requires sincere and continual study of God’s word to "know the truth" (John 8:31). It means studying the Bible to establish God’s will, not searching the Bible in an effort to prove our own (Acts 17:11). This involves putting aside our emotions. This is never a simple task when the beliefs that we may hold so strongly and feel so deeply about come under attack. Yet, it has to be done to see and accept the truth. Was it easy for the children of Israel to see and accept the truth? Certainly not, they killed the Messiah and many others whom taught the truth (Acts 2:36; 7:54-58). Was it easy for Saul/Paul to see and accept the truth? Apparently it wasn’t because it took Christ’s appearing unto Him while on his way to Damascus to persecute more Christians to change his life (Acts 9:1-3). Was Paul sincere in his persecuting of Christians? Did he think he was doing God’s will? Unquestionably he did and even said so (Acts 22:3-5). Did his sincerity make it right and justify him before God? Certainly it did not. It may seem that it would be much easier for us today to see, accept, and agree on the truth if we had a personal encounter with Christ as Paul, but keep in mind we don’t need that. We, unlike Paul, have God’s inspired word in its entirety and neatly contained in one bound book at our disposal (I Cor. 13:12; 2 Tim 3:16,17). It’s just a matter of actually using it. Let’s earnestly use it and learn the truth so that we can all agree in our beliefs. It is vitally important because God’s truth is absolute. It does not change in meaning depending upon the person, neither the situation, nor from generation to generation (2 Pet. 1:20; Psa. 100:5). If you and I each hold to a different belief it means that at least one of the beliefs is erroneous. So let us search the scriptures to insure that our belief is indeed truth and then hold fast to it (Prov. 23:23).
—Ruben Hall

Live Video Streaming Of The Bible Study 

SUNDAY 9:30 AM and Wednesday 7:00 PM WWW.EASTALBERTVILLE.COM - click on “Live Feed”
or
Go To East Albertville church of Christ on YOUTUBE/FACEBOOK

Live Video Streaming Of The Bible Sermon

SUNDAY 9:30 AM and 5:00 PM WWW.EASTALBERTVILLE.COM - click on “Live Feed”
or
Go To East Albertville church of Christ on YOUTUBE/FaceBook

HAVE A BIBLE QUESTION YOU’D LIKE ANSWERED?

HERE’S YOUR CHANCE…

BIBLE CROSSFIRE
A CALL-IN RADIO PROGRAM
WBSA
93.5 FM & 1300 AM
also
SIRIUS XM CHANNEL 113
SUNDAY NIGHTS @ 8 PM CT

PREVIOUS SHOWS AVAILABLE AT:

BibleCrossfire.com

IMPROVE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIBLE...

FREE ONLINE BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSE

http://EastAlbertville.org/course

"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