An Acrostic of the Word “Church”

        

C

Stands for Christ’s. The church belongs to Christ by right of purchase, Acts 20:28. “Take heed unto yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with His own blood.” The church is peculiarly Christ’s.

 

H

Stands for Head. The we read about in the Bible has only one head – that head is Christ. Ephesians 1:22f, “…and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body….”

 

U

Stands for Unity. The church must be found in unity – Christ prayed that “…they may all be one…” (John 17:20ff). Compare: Acts 4:32; I Corinthians 12:20; 1:10; 12:13. Unity!

 

R

Stands for Revealed. The kingdom the prophets wrote about and foretold was made known, hence revealed in Acts 2 – a fulfillment of Daniel 2 and Isaiah 2 and others. Acts 2:16, “This is that….”

 

C

Stands for the Cross. We have noted that Christ paid the price. He died on the cross for the sins of the world – Romans 5:8; Galatians 5:24; John 3:16. Song: “I Gave My Life for Thee,” “He Paid It All.”

 

H

Stands for Haven. The church is a haven for the saved. The Bible tells us that Christ is the Savior of the body (Ephesians 5:23); that means the body is made up of the saved. Acts 2 tells us “…the Lord added to the church those that were saved….” It is our haven now; our hope for the future in a place reserved for the faithful in Christ, our Heavenly Home. Haven – Hope – Heaven!

Jess Whitlock

"That Ye May Know"

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God (I John 5:13). Confidence (John 5:14) and assurance (I John 3:19) are products of the above verse. They are the birthright of the faithful (Hebrews 12:14–16). Radiating from confidence and assurance is hope. It means:…favorable and confident expectation. It has to do with the unseen future, Romans 8:24,25. Hope (a) the happy anticipation of good (the most frequent significance) e.g., Titus 1:2; I Peter 1:21; (b) the ground upon which hope is based, Acts 16:19; Colossians 1:27, “Christ in you the hope of glory;” (c) the object upon which the hope is fixed, e.g., I Timothy 1:1 (W.E. Vine, An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, p. 232).

We may conclude that, if one cannot know his salvation, it is then impossible to have confidence, assurance, and thereby hope. Without these we are no better off than the alien sinner (Ephesians 2:12).

How sad when men are so self–willed, contentious, and hard–hearted that they will deny the simple and plain teaching of I John 5:13. Assuredly it is pride and willful ignorance gone to seed! But, as if denying these spiritual blessings were not enough, some must publicly teach contrary to I John 5:13. Lamentably, they must be marked for the false teachers they are (II Thessalonians 3:14–16).

We understand better why some are always troubled, perplexed, and distraught. They are sure of nothing and trust not the promises of Christ. Such is nothing less than refusing to take Christ at His Word. It is disbelief! Assuredly, the “eternal life” of I John 5:13 for the earthly pilgrim is in promise. It is yet to be and it is conditional (Revelation 2:10), but we have no more evidence what will be than we do of that which has been. It all rests on the truthfulness of Christ’s Word. We know our alien sins are forgiven by the same evidence that gives us knowledge pertaining to our eternal inheritance (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; I Peter 3:21; I John 1:7; 2:3–5, 29; 3:19–21; 5:11–14; II Timothy 1:12; I Corinthians 15:58). How then is it possible to know the one and not the other? We might as well declare that one cannot know he is lost as to teach that one cannot know he is saved! The evidence for knowing either one comes from the same divine standard—the Bible (II Timothy 3:16–17; II Peter 1:3–11). To all the doubters, we say with James and Peter:

“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.… Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator” (James 1:21; I Peter 4:19).

With these sentiments in mind, we can, with confidence, sing:

I know that my Redeemer lives, and ever prays for me;
I know eternal life He gives, From sin and sorrow free.
I know that unto sinful men His saving grace is nigh;
I know that he will come again to take me home on high.

Any Christian (?) singing the preceding song, and at the same time declaring that we cannot know we are saved, is not aware of his inconsistency, is hypocritical or mentally unstable. In any case, the Lord’s Word has little or no effect on his thinking.

A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself (Titus 3:10–11).

David P. Brown

“That Ye May Know”

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God (I John 5:13). 

Confidence (John 5:14) and assurance (I John 3:19) are products of the above verse. They are the birthright of the faithful (Hebrews 12:14-16). Radiating from confidence and assurance is hope. It means: “favorable and confident expectation. It has to do with the unseen future, Romans 8:24,25. Hope (a) the happy anticipation of good (the most frequent significance) e.g., Titus 1:2; I Peter. 1:21; (b) the ground upon which hope is based, Acts 16:19; Colossians 1:27, ‘Christ in you the hope of glory;’ (c) the object upon which the hope is fixed, e.g., I Timothy 1:1” (W. E. Vine, An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, p. 232). 

We may conclude that if one cannot know his salvation, it is then impossible to have confidence, assurance, and thereby hope. Without these we are no better off than the alien sinner (Ephesians 2:12). 

How sad when men are so self-willed, contentious and hard-hearted that they will deny the simple and plain teaching of 1 John 5:13. Assuredly it is pride and willful ignorance gone to seed! But, as if denying these spiritual blessings were not enough, some must publicly teach contrary to I John 5:13. Lamentably, they must be marked for the false teachers they are (II Thessalonians 3:14-16). 

We understand better why some are always troubled, perplexed, and distraught. They are sure of nothing and trust not the promises of Christ. Such is nothing less than refusing to take Christ at His Word. It is disbelief! 

Assuredly, the “eternal life” of I John 5:13 for the earthly pilgrim is in promise. It is yet to be and it is conditional (Revelation 2:10), but we have no more evidence what will be than we do of that which has been. It all rests on the truthfulness of Christ’s Word. We know our alien sins are forgiven by the same evidence that gives us knowledge pertaining to our eternal inheritance (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; I Peter 3:21; I John 1:7; 2:3- 5, 29; 3:19-21; 5:11-14; II Timothy 1:12; I Corinthians 15:58). How then is it possible to know the one and not the other? We might as well declare that one cannot know he is lost as to teach that one cannot know he is saved! The evidence for knowing either one comes from the same divine standard—the Bible (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:3-11). To all the doubters, we say with James and Peter: “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the ngrafted word, which is able to save your souls.… Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator” (James 1:21; I Peter 4:19). 

With these sentiments in mind, we can, with confidence, sing: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and ever prays for me; I know eternal life He gives, From sin and sorrow free. I know that unto sinful men His saving grace is nigh; I know that he will come again to take me home on high.” 

Any Christian(?) singing the preceding song and at the same time declaring that we cannot know we are saved, is not aware of his inconsistency, is hypocritical, or mentally unstable. In any case, the Lord’s Word has little or no effect on his thinking. “A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself” (Titus 3:10-11).

David P. Brown

A Song Of Hope

He lives in my heart and guides me all along, 
He bathes me in Mercy and gives me a Song
In a world of darkness He's my Shining Light, 
When I'm out of strength, I then turn to His Might!!!

He is the Answer to the questions men ask, 
And though my strength fails, He is up to the task; 
When gloom o'ertakes me He Lighteth my Way, 
And His Light's brighter than this world's brightest day!

"This simply cannot be done," says learn'ed man, 
But filled with His Might I affirm that I can! 
What man cannot see he simply disavows, 
But there is more here than our wisdom allows!

If all men will but know His Wonderful Love 
Then all might enjoy His Bright Homeland Above! 
For He'll live in them and guide them all along, 
He'll bathe them in Mercy and give them a Song!

In darkness they stumble, hearts rotted within, 
Their steps ever trodding the paths of lost men… 
Their darkness dispelling He'll Bathe them in Light, 
He'll fix their ill hearts, and set their steps aright!

H. L. Gradowith

Life With a Purpose

Our life upon this earth is of few days and full of trouble. Some days are the best of times; some days are the worst of times. There are moments that look like the spring of hope; others look like the winter of despair. Through it all we need to live a life with purpose and meaning. We all seek happiness as the world lashes about us.

Something to Do 
Paul wrote:

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Phi. 3:13-14).

Paul says he was pressing toward the mark. The pursuit is no groping after something undefined. He was pressing on with contentment. He had learned in whatsoever state he was in to be content (Phi. 4:11). To be happy in life we all need something to do; we need a mission to fill. As preachers we blow the trumpet clear so people will know the battle for truth is on. Do not be disarmed by the smiling tolerance of the new school of peaceful coexistence. Let us stand for the right and not lose sight of our duty to serve the Lord, do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God. 

Someone to Love

 “We love him, because he first loved us” (I John 4:19).

It brings happiness to love God. We are to love the Lord with all our heart. He first loved us and we should return our love. We also need our family and friends to love. To visit with friends and enjoy good times together brings sunshine into our days. 

Something to Hope For 

“In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began” (Titus 1:2).

The hope of heaven keeps us going through sickness, pain, disappointment, suffering, and hardship. In fact these present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed. God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain. On that fair shore we shall serve the Lord with perfect bliss. There we shall be with and know (I Thessalonians 2:19) our loved ones whom we have known in this life.

J. Noel Meredith