Be Diligent…

Yeah, why?  Why do some churches insist that baptism is, and can only be, immersion?  Why is sprinkling or pouring not just as good?  After all, they are a lot more convenient, and…Woah!  Are we trying to please ourselves, or are we trying to please God?  If we choose to please ourselves, then we are no more saved by baptism than is the kid playing in the kiddie pool in the summer. BUT…if our aim is to please God, and that should always be our aim, then we need to look at the Bible and see what God has told us to do and how He has told us to do it. Doesn’t that make sense to you?  Okay, then let’s look at what the Bible says and the example it gives us. Please note that this article is not intended to demonstrate the necessity for baptism. We are looking only at the method to be used.

1. Let’s look at the word itself. The word baptizo is a Greek word which, according to Thayer means to dip or plunge, to immerse. It carries with it the idea of something being completely submerged, with no parts not being so submerged. Vines says that, as a noun, it consists of the process of immersion, submersion, and emergence. He goes on to say that, as a verb form, baptizo is a “frequentative form of bapto, and means to dip or to overwhelm.”  Thus, by definition, to be baptized, one must be submerged completely in the water.
2. What about the examples given in the New Testament?    Since I am sure I can explain this no better than Vines, I am going to quote him:
   “In the early chapters of the four Gospels and in Acts 1:5, Acts 11:16; and Acts 19:4, it is used of the rite performed by John the Baptist who called upon people to repent that they might receive remission of sins. In Acts 22:16, it is used in the Middle Voice, in the command given to Saul of Tarsus, “arise and be baptized,”  the significance of the Middle Voice being “get thyself baptized.”  The experience of those who were in the Ark at the time of the Flood was a figure or type of the facts of spiritual death, burial, and resurrection, Christian baptism being an antitupon, a “corresponding type,”  a “like figure.”  (I Peter 3:21)

If you look at the evidences of baptism given in Acts, it is easy to see that  baptism was not a simple “pouring of water” over the subjects. The story of the Ethiopian eunuch is especially illustrative in that they come to water, the eunuch asks why he can’t be baptized, and “they went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water…” (Acts 8:38-39)

Think of it this way:  In Romans 6:4, we are told, “We were buried therefore with Him through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we might also walk in newness of life.”  So?  What does that mean?  Just this:  If we are to be “in Christ,” we need to go through a  likeness of His death, burial, and resurrection. I don’t know about you, but I personally have no desire to be buried, even for a little while, as long as I am still alive. But I need to experience something that represents that. God planned a perfect way for me to do that. In baptism, a full and complete immersion in water, I die to my old sins as they are forgiven by Jesus’ blood shed on the cross;  I am then buried with Him in baptism; finally, I rise from the watery grave to walk in “newness of life,”  a person who has, at that point, no sins to my credit, for they have been forgiven and washed away by Jesus Christ.

I do not know why some wish to have things their own way, and to subvert the will of God. God has no desire for any to be lost, but Jesus Himself said that many will perish (Matthew 7:13; Matthew 7:21-23). It would seem to me that, if I wish to escape being lost, I need to study the Bible and to try to do everything I can to follow the teachings therein. I also know that Man likes to have his own way. And I know that many do not agree with this teaching and will not agree with it. If you are one of those, then you must think that I am teaching error. If that is your thought, please help me by showing me, from the Bible, where I am wrong.

Posted on March 5th, 2010 by doc
Filed under: Word study, baptism | 14262 Comments »http://fbgtxchurchofchrist.org/blog/2010/03/why-immersion/Why+Immersion%3F2010-03-05+23%3A09%3A28doc

No related posts for this topic.

There is much diversity today concerning the Lord’s Supper, or Communion.  Really, there should not be.  The Bible teaching is plain.  If three different groups practice taking the Lord’s Supper in three different ways, they cannot all be doing it correctly.  Therefore, we need to carefully examine the Scriptures to see what God has told us on this subject, and we need to agree that whatever the Lord has said is the correct way to do things.  It does us no good at all to say, “Yes, that is what the Bible says, but we believe it is better this way.”

Paul was a man inspired by God.  Whatever Paul wrote, we can know is from God, and is what God wanted us to know and to do.  In Romans 14:23, Paul tells us that “whatever is not of faith is of sin.” And how do we know what is of faith?  Again, Paul tells us in Romans 10:17 that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ.” In simple terms, whatever we do as a part of our religion should be something required or authorized by the Word of God…the Bible, and particularly the New Testament.

Most every group I know concurs that the correct items of the Communion are unleavened bread and wine or grape juice.  These were the items given by Jesus at the Passover Supper He celebrated just before His death.  There were other items at the Supper, but Jesus chose the bread and the wine to symbolize His body and blood.  (Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22;  Luke 22:19)  The emblems were there as part of the Passover Supper God had told the Israelites to eat in Egypt (Exodus 12:1-20).  So far, we are in agreement, right?  Then, where is the controversy?

Mainly, the controversy comes in the frequency of the Lord’s Supper.  Some celebrate once  or twice a year, some once a quarter, some once a month, and some every Sunday.  Some “take Communion” on a Saturday or a Thursday.  It is logically impossible for all of these to be correct.  So, what does the Bible say?

Luke 22:19 teaches the taking the Lord’s Supper is done in remembrance of Jesus.  Whenever we take communion, we do it to remind us that Jesus died because I (and you) have sinned and cannot go to Heaven unless we are washed clean by Jesus’  blood.  It was His blessed sacrifice that allows us to approach God as His children.  Therefore, we ought to be interested in what the Bible tells us about the frequency of our “remembering” Jesus’ sacrifice.  In Acts 20:7, Luke records that “upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread…” There are several things we need to understand about this.  They met on the first day of the week, Sunday, and they partook of the communion on the first day of the week, Sunday.  It was their custom to meet on the first day of the week and the taking of the communion items was the main focus of their meeting.  Today, many think the preacher or the choir are the main attraction, but to the Christians of the first century, the communion was the main reason of their meeting.  Yes, that should be our main focus, also.  We ought to gather each and every Sunday to commune with the Lord in memory of His sacrifice to save us.  We ought also to listen to the preacher as he tells us about God, and to sing and edify each other as we praise God in song.  We need to praise God both in song and with prayers.  The offering is another part of the service each Sunday, also.  However, according to the Bible, the main  purpose of our meeting is to remember Jesus, and we do that through the Lord’s Supper or the Communion.  That being said, why do some continue to observe the Lord’s Supper only at Christmas or Easter, or other widely spaced times?

Posted on February 27th, 2010 by doc
Filed under: Authority of Scripture, Lord's Supper, New Testament, Obedience | 1421No Comments »http://fbgtxchurchofchrist.org/blog/2010/02/the-lords-supper/The+Lord%27s+Supper2010-02-27+19%3A04%3A40doc

No related posts for this topic.

I had told you about my teacher whom I did not like, and what she had taught me (“My Body Is a Temple”).  There is another lesson I remember from her that I will share with you.

We sing a song that talks about time:

Time is filled with swift transition.
Naught of earth unmoved can stand.
Build your hopes on things eternal.
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

The little poem I had to memorize went:

Sixth seconds make a minute;
How much good can I do in it?
Sixth minutes make an hour;
I’ll do the best that’s in my power.
Twenty-four hours make a day;
Time to work and rest and pray.

It’s all about time, isn’t it?  We can easily say, “I don’t have time to go to church this Sunday night or this Wednesday night.  I’m too busy.”  But are we really?  Don’t we find time to eat physical food on Sunday night or Wednesday night?  And, really, isn’t spiritual food more important?  When we die, the physical body will perish…it will return to the dust from which it was made.  However, the spiritual body…the soul…will endure for all eternity.  If it has not been nourished with spiritual food, it may also perish, in the sense that it will not be in Heaven with God but rather in Hell with Satan.

I admit, in one sense, to being somewhat superstitious.  The thought has occurred to me, “If Jesus returns during the Sunday evening or Wednesday evening service, and I am not there where He expects me to be, when I could have been there if I had made the effort, what will He think?  If I have deliberately absented myself, will He look for me where I had rather be?  Or will He take the faithful who are there, and leave without me?”  (Of course, I know this is just a fantasy thought, but I think you will get my meaning.)  Think, my friend.  If you had rather watch TV or visit with friends, or any of the numerous other excuses we have for not being with the church on Sunday night and Wednesday night..if those things mean more than serving God, why should you even want to go to Heaven?  I do firmly believe that what we love most here, and how we spend the little time we have here, will, in large measure, determine where we will spend eternity. 

Remembering that we have no idea when will come our turn to die, or the time of the return of the Lord, I urge you to take to heart Hebrews 10:25:  “…not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the day drawing nigh.”  Yes, brothers and friends, we need to pay close attention to how we spend what little time we have before we have eternity to regret what we have not done.

Posted on February 24th, 2010 by doc
Filed under: "In" not "of", Christian life, Obedience | 1416No Comments »http://fbgtxchurchofchrist.org/blog/2010/02/time/Time2010-02-24+19%3A44%3A46doc

No related posts for this topic.

You know, it really is funny the things you remember.  When I was in the second grade, I had a teacher with whom I formed a mutual dislike attraction…I could not stand the woman, and she heartily returned the emotion.  But, you know, she really did teach me a few thngs.  This was a public school, but she required our memorizing several Bible verses and patriotic tunes.  One of her poems stuck with me:

My body is a temple;
To God is does belong.
He bids me keep it
For His use;
He wants it pure and strong.
The things that harm the body,
I must not use at all:
Tobacco is one harmful thing,
Another, alcohol.
Into my mouth,
They shall not go:
When tempted
I will answer, “NO!”
And every day,
I’ll watch and pray,
“Lord, keep me pure and strong,
Alway.”

Now, I freely admit that I did not like the teacher, but, you know, several times, when I was a teen, I was tempted to drink a beer or smoke a cigarette, and every time, that little poem flashed into my mind.  The result is that I never began drinking or smoking.

There is no Scripture resource for this article.  All I want to do is ask a question:  If a woman I didn’t even like could prevent my picking up two bad habits by a little verse she “forced” me to memorize, what have I done to prevent that sort of thing in my children?  What have YOU done to put something in the memory of your children to help them overcome the temptations they face daily?

Posted on February 22nd, 2010 by doc
Filed under: "In" not "of", Christian life | 1413No Comments »http://fbgtxchurchofchrist.org/blog/2010/02/my-body-is-a-temple/%22My+Body+Is+a+Temple%222010-02-22+19%3A42%3A19doc

No related posts for this topic.

That is a very important question, isn’t it?  I constantly hear people say, “Well, you need to pray about that,” or “Just pray for what you need.”  There is no doubt at all that a Christian should do just that, but what about those who are not, in the strictest sense, Christians?

All blessings…forgiveness, sonship, eternal life in God…that are sought and needed by alien sinners (those who have never obeyed the Gospel) are promised on conditions other than prayer. (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3-4; Romans 10:9-10).  Forgiveness is available only in Christ (Ephesians 1:7;  II Timothy 2:10;  II Corinthians 5:17;  Galatians 3:26-27).  Furthermore, to be “in Christ,” one must have believed the Gospel, have repented, have publicly confessed faith in Jesus Christ, and have been baptized.  Prayer alone does NOT put one into Christ.  A person becomes a member of the family of God by being “born again” into the new family (John 3:3-5).  The “new birth” is the same as “being saved,” and is obtained by being born of water and the Spirit.  You remember, in geometry, that things equal to the same thing are equal to each other?  Then it follows that to be born of water and the Spirit is to obey the Gospel.  It is an abomination in God’s sight for anyone to pray for pardon contrary to His Will.  (James 4:3; Proverbs 28:9)

Let’s examine this a bit further:

1. Every blessing needed by the alien sinner is obtained by specified conditions, not including prayer.  There is no place in Scripture where an alien sinner is told to pray for salvation; likewise, there is no place in Scripture where an alien sinner is promised salvation on the condition of prayer.  Hence, the “Sinner’s prayer,” which some recommend, is, by the Scriptures, of no avail, and does no good.
2. Saul of Tarsus is the only case we are given in the New Testament of an alien sinner praying for forgiveness.  He prayed for three days, and was not yet forgiven.  In fact, when Ananias, a Gospel preacher, was sent to Saul by  the direct command of the Lord, the very first thing Ananias did was to stop Saul’s praying, and tell him what he really needed to do, and we can find that in Acts 22:16.
3. Cornelius is not contrary to this; he was not an exception.  When Cornelius sought salvation, the Gospel had not yet been offered to the Gentiles.  In fact, it took a miracle presented to Peter to convince Peter that God really wanted the Gospel presented to the Gentiles.
4. Jesus does not intercede with the Father on behalf of alien sinners, but only for “them that draw near to God through Him” (Hebrews 7:25).  We need to remember that “to draw near to Him” carries with it the idea of coming to God in humble and unquestioning obedience to His commands.
5. God is not the Father of alien sinners.  Although He created them, and all men, He is the Father only of His children, and only those who are of His family are His children (I Timothy 3:14-15).  An alien sinner cannot begin to pray, “My father in heaven…”  Indeed,  his father is not in Heaven (John 8:44; I John 3:10).
6. Many argue that John 9:31 is not proof that God does not hear alien sinners because the man who said that was not inspired and what he said applied strictly to Jews, who were not aliens at that time.  True, he was not inspired, but John was, and it is inconceivable that John  and the Holy Spirit would have included that remark and left it unchallenged if it were not true.  There are several instances in the Old Testament support this truth (Psalm 34:15-16; Psalm 66:18; Proverbs 15:29).  The blind man’s statement was unchallenged because it was true.

So what is the answer?  Simply this:  It is very comforting to pray in times of trouble, but, although God is aware of all that goes on in the world, He does not respond to the prayers of those who are not His children.  If one who is not a child of God is given the privilege  of  the assurance that God respects His prayers, then what is the purpose of being a child of God?  No, my friend, if you expect God to heed and attend to your prayers, you must be a child of His.  That is the only way.

I am sure there are those who disagree with this.  I would love to hear from you.

Posted on February 15th, 2010 by doc
Filed under: Authority of Scripture, Prayer | 14062 Comments »http://fbgtxchurchofchrist.org/blog/2010/02/whose-prayer-is-heard/Whose+Prayer+Is+Heard%3F2010-02-15+16%3A22%3A41doc

Related posts:

1. I Forgive You

I recently heard a Christian say, “I cannot judge that. It is a sin for a Christian to judge anything.” You know, I went home and really thought about that. It sort of bothered me, yet I, too, remember Matthew 7:1. Did Jesus mean that we are never to judge anything wrong? If so, a Christian could never warn a brother that he was in danger, could he? Well, I think we need to see what the Bible says about the subject, don’t you?

Although Jesus said not to judge (or seemed to) in Matthew 7:1, the same Jesus said in John 7:24 that we are to “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” This points out at least three things:

1. Judgments coming from civil courts,if they do not violate God’s higher laws, are to be accepted and obeyed. (Romans 12:1 and following)
2. Jesus said that a tree is known by its fruit (Matthew 3:16-20). So, also, can we judge men by their conduct (I Corinthians 6:2). We have the approved example of John, the apostle, who judged Diotrophes (III John 9), and Paul, who told Titus to refuse those who were sinning (Titus 3:10-11), which he could not do unless he judged them by their works.
3. The church, in particular, is told to withdraw from those who walk disorderly (II Thessalonians 3:6-12). Obviously, this requires that we observe their “fruits” and judge according to whether the fruits are good or bad (Romans 16:17).

Also, there are times when it is definitely necessary to speak out against men and movements within the church itself if those movements and/or men threaten the purity and sanctity of the church. (I Timothy 1:3-4; I Timothy 1:18-20; I Timothy 6:3-5; II Timothy 2:16-18; II Timothy 4:14-15). If we fail to do this, if we fail to stop those who would destroy the purity of the Word, then we have been faithless to the charge God has given us.

Paul instructed positively that we must “judge” those within — that is, within the church (I Corinthians 5:12) — which obviously requires us to critically look at the actions and character of those involved. When Jesus said, “Judge not,” He forbade us to make unkind, superficial, unjustified judgments without the proper examination of the situation, and never to judge the intent of the heart, which we cannot, as humans, know. Jesus went on to warn, “For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged, and with what measure you measure, it shall be measured unto you. (Matthew 7:2).” People who use kindness and forgiveness in judging usually receive the same in return. Those who are extremely “judgmental” and harsh can expect the same in return.

So what is the answer? We are appointed, by God, to be “fruit inspectors.” That is, we can, and, indeed, must, look at the character and actions of others, and base our “judgment” of them on the visible proof of their fruit. We must never seek to judge the inner heart of another, because only God can read the heart of a man. If a brother is displaying “bad fruit,” it is our duty to go to him and help him, but we cannot read evil intent into the action of anyone, as we cannot know their hearts.

Posted on February 9th, 2010 by doc
Filed under: Authority of Scripture, Word study | 13991 Comment »http://fbgtxchurchofchrist.org/blog/2010/02/to-judge-or-not-to-judge/To+Judge+or+Not+To+Judge2010-02-09+21%3A33%3A13doc

No related posts for this topic.

Well, let us examine the Bible teaching on that subject.

First of all, the Gospel was once preached to every nation under Heaven (Colossians 1:23), so nations now heathen once knew the truth but chose to forget it (Romans 1:18-24).  Since they willingly gave up the knowledge of God and His Word, God, in turn, has given them up.  But, you say, those who are alive today have never heard the truth themselves, so they cannot be lost.  Why, then, did Jesus command us to “go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15-16) ?” This would seem to indicate that every person, no matter what time period, from Pentecost to now, needs to hear the Gospel and obey if they are to be saved.  Another point against this argument is that, if the heathen is saved because he has never heard the Gospel, and we know he is lost if he hears and turns away and does not obey, would it not then be better for him if we never took the Gospel to those who have never heard?  Baloney!  If that is the case, then why did Jesus command us to go when He knew that it would be better if we did not?  No one who thinks clearly could ever think that was correct.

Another argument against the idea that the heathen is saved because he has never heard the Gospel is that, if that were true, then Jesus shed His precious blood in vain because there are those who will be saved without it.  That, too, is entirely foreign to the teaching of the apostles in the New Testament.

However, there is teaching in the New Testament concerning degrees of punishment and reward.  It is entirely possible that those who have never heard the Word of God may receive lighter punishment than those who have heard, but failed to repent and accept God and do what He has commanded us to do. (I Timothy 2:3-4).

Finally, look at Acts 17:30-31: “The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now He commands men that they should all everywhere repent; inasmuch as He hath appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man Whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead.”

So, what is the conclusion?  From the Scriptures, it is apparent that there is no way to Heaven except obedience to God’s Word.  All people alive during the apostolic age heard the Gospel.  If a country is heathen today, it is because that country chose to turn away from God at some point in the past.  We, that is you and I, are commanded to take the Gospel to all points of  the globe today, but those who do not hear our teaching are not excused from its judgment.  Never think that anyone who is not in accordance with God’s will is going to be pleasing to Him.  So?  We need to busy about the Lord’s work.  We need to get the Word to all nations, because they are lost if they do not hear and heed.  What are you doing about this?

Posted on February 3rd, 2010 by doc
Filed under: Authority of Scripture, Bible study, Evangelism | 1393No Comments »http://fbgtxchurchofchrist.org/blog/2010/02/will-those-who-have-never-heard-the-gospel-be-lost/Will+Those+Who+Have+Never+Heard+the+Gospel+Be+Lost%3F2010-02-03+21%3A42%3A55doc

No related posts for this topic.

Great!  I congratulate you!  But what are you sincere about?  Are you sincere about the Word of God?  Or are you sincere about what you want?  I know there are some who believe that you are all right with God as long as you are sincere about what you believe.  BUT…is that the truth?  Let’s investigate.

The Apostle Paul was sincere about his belief before he became a Christian.  Paul, himself, acknowledges this in Acts 23:1.  He says that his conscience had never bothered him.  He says that he had always had a good conscience before God…that is, he had always, even when persecuting Christians, believed that he was doing the will of God.  In Acts 26:9-11, Paul presents the defense that  he had always done what he thought he should do.  He was quite sincere in his persecution of Christians, believing sincerely that he was doing the will of God.  Paul confesses to the younger Timothy that he had sincerely been a “blasphemer,” when he persecuted Christians (I Timothy 1:12-16), but his sincerity was in the wrong thing.  As proof of Paul’s mistaken sincerity, he had held the garments of those stoning Stephen, and had acted as the official witness for that act (Acts 7:58-8:1).  Paul was sincere, but his sincerity was in the wrong thing.  He was not pleasoing to God until he directed his sincerity into the channel God desired, until he had repented and turned to the will of God.

Cornelius is another example of misplaced sincerity.  Cornelius was a devout man who gave much alms to the poor and prayed to God (Acts 10:1-2).  It was necessary for Peter to go to Joppa and teach Cornelius about the Will and the Way of God before Cornelius could have a sincerity that pleased God.

Peter sincerely believed in the way of the Old Testament…to such a degree that God had to perform a miralce to convince Peter that it was no longer taboo to eat certain meats (Acts 10:9-16).  Of course, this was done to show Peter that it was now proper for the Gentiles to join the Jews as the chosen of God, but it serves, also, to show that Peter’s sincere belief in the Old Testament was not correct any longer.

Have you read Proverbs 14:12 lately?  The wise man Solomon tells us there that  even if a way seems right to a man, even if he sincerely believes that that way is the right way, if it is not the way God has chosen, it leads only to death or Hades.  This means, simply, that it is not what man thinks that is important, but rather what God tells us.

Through Isaiah, God has told us that we do not think as He does (Isaiah 55:8-9).  Therefore, we cannot rely on our own sincerity, but must investigate and obey God’s Word, the Bible.

Finally, let us look at Luke 16:15.  God has very clearly told us here that what we think, no matter how sincere we might be in that belief, if it is not in keeping with the Bible, it is an abomination to God.  If our sincerity is misplaced, it will only lead us to eternal punishment.  Misplaced sincerity, no matter how sincere, will not save.  Only a strict adherence to the Word of God can save us in the end.

Are you sincerely following the Word of God…or are you sincerely wrong?

Posted on January 28th, 2010 by doc
Filed under: Authority of Scripture, Bible study, Obedience | 1390No Comments »http://fbgtxchurchofchrist.org/blog/2010/01/im-sincere/I%27m+Sincere2010-01-28+21%3A58%3A17doc

No related posts for this topic.

WRONG!!!  I hasten to say, I am not gay.  This is, instead, a comment heard in many pulpits, and among many circles.  However, no matter who says it, it is  emphatically wrong.  I think we need to examine the issue on several  fronts.

1. Homosexuality is evil, and is a sin.  Many verses prove this: Romans 1:26-32, which also tells us that to approve of such things is a sin;  I Corinthians 6:9-11, wherein are named other sins we easily recognize as sins; even in the Old Testament, which we are no longer under, it was a sin (Leviticus 18:22); and, finally, remember the men of Sodom and Gomorrah who were destroyed because of the sin of homosexuality (Genesis 19:1-28).
2. God does NOT tempt a man to do evil or to sin (James 1:13).  The urge to do what is against the will of God NEVER comes from God.  However, God will allow Satan to tempt man to sin, as when He allowed Satan to afflict and tempt righteous Job (Job 1:6-12, and Job 2:1-7).  In both of these sets of verses, God allows Satan to harass Job, and to tempt him to do evil by disobeying God, or even, as his wife suggests, in Job 2:9, “Curse God and die.”  This temptation to sin came from Satan, not from God.
3. In spite of what some believe today, there is absolute truth.  That absolute truth is the Word of God…the Bible.  II Peter 1:3 assures us that we have all things we need to know that pertain to life and godliness.  That being so (and it is), we can know that whatever the Bible praises is good, and whatever it condemns is not good.  Since the Bible condemns homosexuality (see verses in #1), we can know that it is not good…and whatever is not good is evil.
4. The fact that a person has a propensity toward homosexuality is no excuse for following through.  I have a great love for food, but gluttony is not a Christian virtue; therefore, I am not free to gorge myself at every meal as I might like to do.  My father truly loved the taste of alcohol, but that was not an excuse for drunkenness.  I might find a younger woman more attractive than my wife of 40 years, but I am not free to divorce my wife and marry the other (Matthew 5:31-32; Mark 10:11).  God gave me an appreciation of beauty, but I am not free to enter your house and steal your paintings or jewelry.  And I could go on and on.  It is easy for us to understand these things.  Why is it so hard to understand that homosexuality is a sin?
5. We live in an age where “tolerance” is a great keyword.  We are taught that we must be tolerant of others, and of anything they do.  NOT SO!  We are appointed by God to be “fruit inspectors.” (Matthew 7:20)  Jesus repeatedly tells the seven churches of Asia that He knows “their works.”  (Revelation 2:2, Revelation 2:9,  Revelation 2:13, Revelation 2:19, Revelation 3:1, Revelation 3:8, Revelation 3:15)  We, too, can “know” a person by the works of that person, which we can compare to the Word of God to determine if the works are good or evil.  If the absolute Word of God says that something is a sin, then it is a sin, and my opinion or yours does not make it right.

The above discussion is why I believe that homosexuality is wrong.  I DO, however, believe that there will be homosexuals in Heaven.  They will be men and women who had a tendency toward homosexuality, but realized it was wrong, repented, and changed their way of life.  Those who have done that…repented and changed…are just as acceptable to God as anyone else.  The blood of Jesus washes away their sin just as it does yours and mine.  But if they do not repent, if they do not change their style of life, then they are NOT forgiven, and cannot enter the Heaven God has prepared for His children.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that some will read this and not agree.  Why not take a few moments to leave a comment?

Posted on January 23rd, 2010 by doc
Filed under: Authority of Scripture, Bible study, Christian life | 13852 Comments »http://fbgtxchurchofchrist.org/blog/2010/01/god-made-me-gay-so-im-ok/%22God+Made+Me+Gay%2C+So+I%27m+OK%222010-01-23+17%3A16%3A21doc

No related posts for this topic.

I am hearing things today that truly amaze me. I am hearing people say that there is no absolute truth. I am hearing that we cannot know for absolute certainty that any given thing is absolutely right or absolutely wrong. I am hearing that many, including those who claim to be Christians, no longer believe in an absolute God Who has given us the truth in absolute terms. We are being told that each separate situation determines whether a thing is right or wrong.

Many in today’s world think that truth is relative or unknowable. Also, many people say you just can’t know the absolute truth or you can’t understand the Bible without an expert professional. My God said, “You shall know the truth (John 8:32).” My God said that even a fool could follow His path to Heaven (Isaiah 35:8). Many people wonder if we really have all of God’s message. My God said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall never pass away (Matthew 24:35).” He said He would guide His apostles into “all truth (John 16:13)”, then He did (II Peter 1:3-4).

Therefore, I can know the truth God wants me to know and be sure I have “all the truth” I need to be pleasing to Him. I don’t need a clergyman to explain it to me or give me some new “key” to the Scriptures. The reason for this is that my God created man and, therefore, completely understands him. He knows what we need and provides us with everything we need to know to live a life that is pleasing to Him.

Additionally, my God is powerful, so powerful that He can preserve His Word through the ages and nothing or no one can destroy or change that Word, even though many have tried, from Roman emperors to Communists. It is even tried in some pulpits today where preachers tell their congregations that there is no absolute truth, or else pervert the truth in order to be “politically correct.”

If you have doubts about the truth, please study the Truth my God gave in the Bible. It provides everything one needs to know to get to Heaven to see Him for yourself.

Posted on January 18th, 2010 by trp
Filed under: Authority of Scripture, Faith | 1380No Comments »http://fbgtxchurchofchrist.org/blog/2010/01/is-your-god-dumb-or-just-weak/Is+Your+God+Dumb%2C+or+Just+Weak%3F2010-01-18+14%3A00%3A53trp

No related posts for this topic.