Truth Makes Christians

A perverted gospel cannot save. Jesus declared that it is the knowledge of Truth, not the belief of error, that makes men free (John 8:32). Though a perverted gospel may have in it all the elements of the true Gospel, its power to save is lost inperversion. Bread is God’s power to quell the hunger, but the admixture of a poisonous element — a spoonful of arsenic, for instance, in a loaf of bread — would destroy its power. Water is God’s power to quench the thirst, but the admixture of salt will destroy the quenching power of water.

The Gospel is God’s power to save the soul, but its admixture with error — the doctrines and commandments of men, when heard and believed — destroys its saving power. Hence, Paul’s alarm concerning the perverters at Galatia: “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” (Galatians 1:6–7).

Error preached, error heard, and error believed cannot result in the Truth obeyed. No man can accidentally obey God. The Truth preached, the Truth believed, and the Truth obeyed makesa Christian. Nothing else does. How careful then men should be in their handling of it!

Foy E. Wallace, Jr.

How to Kill a Congregation

Let False Teaching Go Unchecked. Tolerate error in the name of “fairness” or “broadmindedness.” Let doctrinal problems fester until they defy solution.

Do Nothing to Stop Gossip and Back Biting. Let rumors circulate without restraint about members of the congregation, especially its leaders and their families. Believe everything you hear—that way, no one will want to lead for fear of being picked to pieces.

Place a Low Estimate on the Need for Congregational Unity. Allow the contentious to divide the church into camps that do not have anything to do with each other. Drive a wedge between members, fragmenting the strength and influence of the body. A good fuss will set the congregation back at least an entire generation.

De-Emphasize Mission Work. Reason that there is no cause to be alarmed with somebody halfway across the world when there are so many good works at home—that way, the church is isolated and loses sight of its higher purpose.

Tolerate Sin in the Church. Do nothing about worldly members whose lives bring shame to the church and indignity to the name of Christ.

Foster a cold, spiritless, uncaring atmosphere in the Worship Services. Make no effort to make visitors feel welcome.

Soft-Peddle the Subject of Giving. Offer no bold challenges requiring sacrifice for fear of offending the stingy.

Offer Young People Recreation and Entertainment but No Help with their Spiritual Lives. Offer them no opportunities to serve others—to flex their spiritual muscles. Tacitly suggest that the sacrificial, cross-bearing life that makes Christianity come alive is for grown-ups; let them be content with an endless succession of wiener roasts.

Put Programs Above People. Make it necessary for a good idea to go through countless channels before it can every get off the ground. This insures that whatever enthusiasm exists in the church will be killed by forcing it through the organizational meat-grinder.

Did you read the above thoughtfully and carefully? Let none of us become guilty of trying to kill the congregation!

Author Unknown

“Provoke One Another”

Hebrews 10:24

How talented many of us are in provoking one another. Many times we speak before thinking. We fail to consider how our actions and words will affect others. We act or speak at the expense of others. We provoke hurt in others by our words or perhaps sometimes by our failure to speak.

There have been some people with great capabilities in the Lord’s church devastated in spirit because of the malice, anger, hostility, and bitterness of others. People who could have accomplished great works in the Lord’s kingdom have been ruined in their effectiveness because of the attitudes of others. Sometimes motivated by jealousy or resentment, a few have been able to replace the optimism and zeal of good workers in the kingdom with frustration and a sense offutility. Often due to carelessness and a failure to consider the effect of our behavior on others, we have caused no little grief in the hearts of some of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

If we read the entirety of the twenty-fourth verse of Hebrews 10, we find that we have an obligation to provoke others to “love andgood works.” We should guard our motives and activities to insure that what we say and what we do encourage others to do more good works and promote an atmosphere of love and good will. The command we find here can no more be disregarded than any other command. Let the spirit of mutual concern and encouragement prevail.

You are the real loser if you provoke others, but not to love and good works. Your heart is not right with God!

Lester Kamp

The Mirror of God

The Word of God is a mirror (James 1:23). If we wish to see ourselves as God sees us, we must look into His Word. A day seldom passes that we do not look into a mirror to see what we look like. As we look, we often see deformities -- spots and wrinkles we would like to remove. Cosmetics will help the physical form, but no amount of makeup can cleanse the soul.​

When we look into the Word of God, we see ourselves as God will see us. It is no wonder that we read the Bible so little that we forget what manner of men we are, rule out the necessity of repentance, and thus deceive our souls. We need to "look into the perfect law of liberty" and continue therein and not be a "forgetful​ hearer, but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed" (James 1:25).

A little boy took the bible off the table in his home and said, "Daddy, is this God's book?" "Yes," replied the father. "That is God's book." The boy said, "Daddy, I think we better send it back to God, because we never read it." The bible is not just a book which to keep the family record and old letters. It is designed to make us wise unto salvation​ (2 Timothy 3:15). By the Word of God, we are sanctified (John 17:17). It is God's begetting power (1 Peter 1:23). It is "lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path" (Psalms 119:105). Have we looked into God's mirror today? If not, why not?

G. K. Wallace​

Strengthened By His Spirit

Paul promised the Ephesians that they would be built up or strengthened by the Word of God’s grace (Acts 20:32). Paul also prayed,on behalf of the Ephesians, that the Father “would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man” (Ephesians 3:16). How is this strengthening accomplished, and what is the relationship of the Word and the Spirit in this process? Paul explained this in detail in Ephesians 6, part of the near context of chapter3.

The Admonition
Paul began by admonishing Christians: “be strong in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:10). This is parallel to “be strengthened” (Ephesians 3:16). He went on to speak of “the power of his [God’s] might” (Ephesians 6:10). This is parallel to “with might” (Ephesians 3:16). How does the Holy Spirit strengthen the saint with might in the inner man? Paul answers by saying that the Christian must “put on the whole armour of God” (Ephesians 6:11).

The Ability
Four times in four verses Paul stated that this “armour of God” will give the Christian the ability to “stand.” First, he said that this armour will make him “able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). Paul then proceeded to list the devil’s wiles: (1) “against principalities,” (2) “against powers,” (3) “against the rulers of the darkness of this world,” and (4)“against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). Second, Paul stated that God’s armour will make saints “able to withstand in the evil day”(Ephesians 6:13). Third, Paul exclaimed that, by taking this armour, children of God will be able “having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13). Fourth and finally, Paul commanded Christians to “stand therefore” (Ephesians 6:14).

The Armour
Paul next launched into a detailed description of the “armour of God.”First, we are to be “girt about with truth” (6:14). Second, we are to have“on the breastplate of righteousness” (Ephesians 6:14). Third, we are to be “shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). Fourth, we are to take “the shield of faith” (Ephesians 6:16). Fifth, we are to “take the helmet of salvation”(Ephesians 6:17). Sixth, we are to take “the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17). These are the things that Paul says can strengthen us so we can stand. But “the Truth” is the Word of God which sanctifies (John 17:17, 19). Righteousness refers to the commandments of God (Psalms 119:172) as revealed in the Gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16-17). The “Gospel of peace” is the “Gospel of grace” (Acts 20:24) or the Word of God’s grace which builds up and sanctifies (Acts 20:32). “The faith” is the “word of faith” Paul preached (Rom.10:8) and which was once delivered unto the saint (Jude 3). The Gospel of Christ is God’s power unto salvation (Romans 1:16). Finally, the “sword of the Spirit” is the “word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). All six of these pieces of Christian armour and weaponry relate to the Word of God.How does the Holy Spirit help saints to stand? How does the Holy Spirit help saints to be strengthened? How does the Holy Spirit help saints to be sanctified? How does the Holy Spirit save saints at last? According to Paul, He does so through the Word of God (coupled with general/indirect providence). Do we need more than the Bible to be saved at last? According to Paul, we do not.

David B. Watson