I've done a courtesy search for the term Pray For Others Lest You Sin.htm for you. See if you can find what you're looking for in the list below:

• Pray For Others Lest You Sin

  …ster WongMixxMySpaceNetvouzNewsvineoneviewOnlyWirePlugIMPropellerRedditSegnaloShoutwireSimpySlashdotSurphaceSphinnSpurlSquidooStumbleUponTechnoratiThisNextTwitterWebrideWindows LiveYahoo!Email This to a Friend  Link HTML:  Permalink:  If you like this then please subscribe to the RSS Feed.Powered by Bookmarkify™ More »Is it a sin to not pray for others?  When we think of sin I am sure a failure to…

• Acceptable Prayer

  willing to follow God to have his prayer considered. Please do not misunderstand.  One can truly repent and turn back to God even though in days gone by he had turned away.  Peter told Simon, a Christian, after Simon’s sin, to repent and pray (Acts 8:22 NAS), the prayer coming after the repentance.  The main point here is that one must be seeking God sincerely and be willing to obey him if he is to have hope that God will look favorably up…

• The Need to Preach on Sin

  There is a great need to preach on sin today.  I am not at all sure that sin is any worse or more prevalent today than in generations gone by for one can go back in history and find unimaginable sin.  Human sacrifice, cannibalism, idol worship, all forms of sexual debauchery, witchcraft, mass murderers (think Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot), you name it and you can find it in the history of the sins of mankind.  History teaches us just how bad man…

• Never Give Up

  When we learn the truth of the gospel message, come to believe it, and then sincerely obey it we sometimes expect more of ourselves than is humanly possible for us to deliver.  When we first come out of the water of our baptism we are determined that we will not sin, we are going to live sin free.  This attitude is to be highly commended but is also unrealistic. Many who obey the gospel do so when young and thus their own expectations about life…

• Lessons for the Church from Isaiah (Chapter 1)

  ection is the goal but while man can obtain maturity in the Christian life he cannot obtain perfection in the sense in which we use the word today.  The idea Isaiah presents to us is of a people who were practicing iniquity.  Sin was a way of life with them.  Hypocrites cannot please God nor worship him in a manner acceptable to him.  To worship God acceptably one must be making a sincere effort to obey God and live the life.  “One who turns away…

• The Prodigal Son–When He Came to Himself

  his heart.  As the text says (NKJV), “he came to himself.” To me there is a teaching in that phrase that has generally been overlooked or at least not talked much about.  It indicates that while the prodigal son was living in sin there was a sense in which he was not himself.  He was not the person he was meant to be; he was not the person he could have been; he was not the person he could respect; he was not the person who could see reality; he …

• The Christian, Politics, and the Government

  What role if any should the Christian play in politics?  All any man can know about the subject is what the Bible says and since it was written for the benefit and enlightenment of all men in all ages of time from the time it was first penned until the last day of this earth’s existence and for all cultures and under all the different kinds of governments under which men have lived it speaks to us not in specifics but in general statements on th…

• Does God Really Care?

  orrows and acquainted with grief.” (NKJV) We too must suffer.  I would like to read a paraphrase that I believe to be accurate in terms of expressing the meaning of Rom. 8:17 from the New Living Translation.  “And since we are his children, we are his heirs.  In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory.  But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.” I hope you got the last sentence, …

• God’s Willingness to Forgive–King Manasseh

  It is not unusual to find in religion, as it relates to Christianity, two extremes of thought.  There are those who feel God is so full of loving kindness that he will readily forgive us of any and all of our sins if we just ask him.  We may be kind of sorry that we  did whatever it was we did, sorry about the consequences at least, so feel we must ask God’s forgiveness but the truth is if the same set of circumstances were to arise again we wou…

• A New Creation in Christ

  lector.   I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.’” One could probably get u…

• Healing For the Brokenhearted

  rson one needs to repent, pray for forgiveness, and seek to live righteously henceforth.  For those who are faithful they need to believe the Lord is near them and will deliver them out of their affliction.  They need to pray sincerely that if the affliction cannot be removed it will at least be made bearable. James says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:16 NKJV) (2) In the second place God is n…

• More on Willful Sin—Can Anyone be Saved?

  In July 2008 I posted an article online entitled “Willful Sin – Can Anyone Be Saved?  Heb 10:26-27.”  Within the past couple of weeks I received a comment from a lady who was reading the article for the first time.  She took the position that there was no hope for a person who committed a willful sin after their conversion.  That was the way I read her comment and I was not the only one for not long thereafter another lady commented …

• Willful Sin–Can Anyone Be Saved?

  The text for this article is Heb. 10:26-27, “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.  But a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.” (NKJV) These verses have probably caused Christians about as much anguish as any you will find in the pages of the New Testament.  Make no mistake about it the verse…

• The Pleasures of Sin

  Is there pleasure in sin?  The Bible teaches that sometimes there is–that is for a time.  You are probably familiar with the passage in the Bible found in Heb. 11:24-25 that speaks of the “pleasures of sin for a season” (KJV) or “the passing pleasures of sin” as the New King James puts it.  “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God…

• Why Do Men Run From God?

  naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (Heb. 4:13 NKJV)  To try and run from God or win a battle against him is utter folly and only shows how foolish man can be to even consider such a thing. Since man cannot run from God why try?  While we may never know a particular individual’s thinking or motive for attempting to do so the Bible tells us of some who have tried to run from God in past history and gives u…

• Sin

  Honestly Deceived The Pleasures of Sin Better to Have Never Been Born Jesus and the Furnace of Fire Willful Sin–Can Anyone be Saved? More on Willful Sin–Can Anyone be Saved? Three Attitudes That Destroy the Hope of Salvation Disobedience to Jesus Must a Man Seek God Indifference – The Great Destroyer Looking Down Your Nose Ghost Hunting and Consulting the Dead Christianity, Homosexuality, and Gay Marriage The Wicked Shall be Tu…

• The Hardening of the Human Heart

  There are passages in the Bible that are frightening.  Heb. 3:12-13 is one such passage. “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘TODAY,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” (NKJV)  This is a passage addressed to Christians but the idea that the heart can be hardened by sin is appl…

• Repentance–How Can I Be Sure?

  31 NKJV) After his resurrection while meeting with his apostles Jesus said, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:46-47 NKJV)  It was thus essential then and essential now that repentance be preached.  We see the beginning of such preaching shortly the…

• The Church as the Family of God–Things Found in It

  or both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying:  ‘I will declare your name to my brethren; In the midst of the congregation I will sing praise to you.’” (Heb. 2:11-12 NKJV)  We are brothers and sisters in Christ for in Jesus’ own words he says, “whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matt. 12:50 NKJV) Paul wr…

• Why Men Do Not Believe

  ou do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?” (John 5:44 NAS)  This is the kind of man we are talking about, a man centered on achievement or acquisition in this world. Then there are men who simply enjoy sin which the Bible speaks of as the “passing pleasures of sin.” (Heb. 11:25 NKJV)  Jesus said, John 3:19-20, “And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rat…

• Weak, Defiled, and Seared Consciences

  …o catch up with his mind. On the one hand he felt he ought to eat the meat if an idol was nothing but on the other hand he could not do it and feel guilt free.  He could not yet do it without violating his conscience and thus sinning.  His conscience (one could say his faith that it was a thing he ought to do) was weak in the matter.  “But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from …

• The Sin of Being Unthankful and the Need for Thanksgiving

  When we are unthankful it tells a lot about our character.  It tells all who can see that we are unloving and uncaring.  Not only is it a sin to be unloving it is also a sin to be unthankful (actually the two are tied together).  In writing to Timothy, Paul by inspiration of the Holy Spirit lists a long list of sins in 2 Tim. 3:1-5, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:  For men will be lovers of themselves, lover…

• When did Obedience Become Legalism?

  urself a Christian, and God’s grace will cover you.  It is said it is what is in the heart (generally defined as the emotions) that counts.  Feelings and emotions are defined as love for God.  God’s grace will cover a life of sin just so a man believes in God in some abstract sense.  I might add if you doubt this just attend a few funerals and see if you can learn of any deceased who are not already in heaven based on the conversations you hear a…

• The Wicked Shall be Turned into Hell

  iked this particular place he attended worship because they did so much good in the community and did not condemn people.  People today are not interested in what anyone including God himself through his word has to say about sin.  They do not want to hear it.  Preaching about sin is the kind of preaching that will drive many away.  It has almost gotten to the point where people consider it sin to preach against sin. Yet, why did Jesus come to ea…

• God’s Hardening of the Human Heart

  ng that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV)  “He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.” (Lam. 3:33 NKJV)  God does not harden a heart willingly since a heart hardened against God represents a lost soul.  There must be a reason then that God hardens a heart. There are difficult issues involved in understanding this subject.  Whose hearts does God harden?  Why?  How d…

• Ignorance Does Not Excuse Sin

  God does not consider ignorance an excuse for sin and will not overlook a sin just because you or I were ignorant of the sin when we committed it.  The verse that teaches this is found in Lev. 5:17, “If a person sins, and commits any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord, though he does not know it, yet he is guilty and shall bear his iniquity.” (NKJV)  (See also Lev. 4:1-2, 13, 22, 27 and Lev. 5:2 and 5:…

• The Struggle to be a Spiritually Minded Man or Woman

  …r. 6:3 NKJV)  That is a pretty high standing. We were put here to glorify God.  “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I have created for my glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” (Isa. 43:7 NKJV)  The sin of the world after God made man could be summed up by saying, “although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened…

• The Joy and the Danger of a Clean Conscience

  …els with us.  We cannot lose it.  It is determined to give us no rest or relief. Rest can only be had at what is generally felt to be a hard price to pay.  That price is the shame and humiliation of admitting (confessing) our sin and making whatever restitution, if any, that can be made for it.  It is awfully hard to put oneself through that but that is exactly the price the conscience requires of us before it will let us go free. I know of a man…

• Sin in the Desert–Testing God at Massah and Meribah

  him and his ability. When we test God we are expressing doubt about either his word (is it good), or his love (does he really care), or his power (can he really do it), or his character (can you trust him).  To test God is a sin in part because it manifests a lack of faith.  “Without faith it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.” (NASB)  “F…

• Looking Down Your Nose

  t blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?  If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.  For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.  For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not m…

• Unhappy With the Church of Christ?

  …ent church.  It is sad we have come to that kind of thinking in our time but denominationalism is dependent on that line of thought and cannot survive without it. If the New Testament church was to exist on earth today with a single name, identity, belief, and practice then it would destroy denominationalism which is the very thing denominationalism cannot allow and will not accept.  If your faith and practice in your congregation was identical t…

• Christianity and Multiculturalism

  e topic.  For the purpose of this article I will define it as the idea that all cultures are of equal value, none to be judged as superior to another, that society should be oriented around groups versus a common concept of a single united “we” working as a unit, that diversity is more important than unity.  It is a desire not for assimilation and sameness but for difference.  One site I looked at used the term “the politics of …

• Regrets

  … destiny upon his children, that he was responsible for what they would have to go through, that he often looked back on how it once was and deeply regretted what he had done? Samuel was a great man of God.  I do not recall a single passage that speaks ill of Samuel.  He was God’s man and judged Israel all the days of his life (1 Sam. 7:15) and, furthermore, he was a prophet of God ((1 Sam. 3:20).  In the New Testament we find him listed in…

• Behold the Judge is Standing at the Door

  with God in heaven. If I could beg you to obey the gospel and it would do any good I would do it but that is not how it works for obeying the gospel to please me would do you no good.  Gospel obedience must be from the heart sincere in its desire to please God not man.  As Paul wrote to the Romans and said to them “you obeyed from the heart” (Rom. 6:17 NKJV) so it must be.  In Christianity it is folly to think of using force of any k…

• Christian Living

  Pray For Others Lest You Sin Is Church Attendance Essential for Christian Salvation? Are Works Essential for Christian Salvation? Willful Sin–Can Anyone be Saved? More on Willful Sin–Can Anyone be Saved? Ignorance Does Not Excuse Sin Never Give Up Does God Really Care? Three Benefits of Being a Christian in This Life – Hope, Love, Peace The Struggle to be a Spiritually Minded Man or Woman Fear God Regrets If Miracles Have Cease…

• He Feared

  …e and vice versa.  In Hebrews chapter 3 toward the end of the chapter the writer is discussing the children of Israel who came out of Egypt under the leadership of Moses.  He tells of God’s anger against them because of their sin and then says, “And to whom did He swear that they should not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?  And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.”  (Heb. 3:18-19 NAS)  A lack of a stro…

• A Good and Pure Conscience

  his word is based on that love.  Thus the conscience to be what it ought to be must be trained based on correct teaching–the word of God. That said the Bible teaches we must act in good conscience and to do otherwise is sin.  “But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.” (Rom. 14:23 NKJV)  Why is man condemned if he eats?  Because he doubts whether he ough…

• The Faithfulness of Jesus to God the Father

  … its surrounding context awhile back got me to thinking about the faithfulness of Jesus.  We seldom think about Jesus being “faithful,” that is in the sense of being faithful to God, even though we know he lived a sin free life.  I think there is profit to be had in looking into this subject in as much as Jesus is to be our example.  It is Jesus who said, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his…

• Misunderstanding the Grace of God

  .” (Matt. 4:4 NKJV)  Note the way he phrased that statement, he said “by every word … of God”, not just by the words of one’s choosing. In the second place it needs to be pointed out that I think every single person that makes the claim to be a Christian believes salvation is by grace through faith including myself.  Is there a person on the face of the earth who thinks he has always done the right thing and never ever sin…

• Demas Has Forsaken Me

  ine. We must remember that non Christians are often honest and hard working people respected in the community even if they are unwilling to give God the time of the day.  A worldly person is not necessarily indulging in every sin under the sun.  Most are quite respectable in their own communities.  Nevertheless, their love is for the world, not God. What do we learn from Demas? (1)  We learn it is easy to quit and lose everything.  Demas sacrific…

• Repent–How Hard It Is To Do

  …t, being unwilling to confess Jesus, as found in John 12:42-43.  Belief was not the problem but the joy of the things of this world, in their case the praise of men in the synagogues. The simple fact of the matter is we enjoy sin.  I do not say all sin is enjoyable but much of it is.  The writer of the book of Hebrews in speaking about Moses says he chose to “suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin” and…

• Keep Your Heart With All Diligence

  your mind that that is not normal, not normal for those who want to do what is right.  We get to the point where we question our heart.  Maybe we just have a bad heart.  Maybe we are just a little more depraved than others.  Since it is not possible to look inside another individual and see what they are inside (“For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?” 1 Cor. 2:11 NKJV) we doubt ourselves. As I have …

• Resource Sites

  Here are some links to what I consider to be some great sites I highly recommend. Christian Courier  (This site is owned and run by Wayne Jackson who does the writing found on it.  I don’t know where you would go to find more scholarly Christian articles on the web.  The man does his homework which means he does extensive research before he starts writing.  All of this will be readily evident to you once you read an article or two of his. …

• Which Denomination Did Jesus Build?

  …actice what you want, just believe intellectually that Jesus is the Son of God and that is all that matters. What a waste Paul writing all those letters to the church at Corinth trying to correct wrong practices (shall we say sin).  A waste because it did not matter; they believed in Jesus and were going to be saved anyway.  And Jesus too for there was evidently, according to denominationalism, no need for those 7 letters to the churches of Asia …

• Diotrephes Loves To Have the Preeminence

  all the various kinds of lusts man is subject to.  The desire to be boss, to rule over people, to be seen as top dog, the main man, to set rules and regulations for others, to strut our stuff, and be bowed down to is not only sin but it also turns people against us.  It has the exact opposite effect of that desired.  However, once a man gains such power his power in itself may be such as to shelter him from the knowledge of the truth as to how pe…

• The Parable of the Talents–the Sin of Fear

  … to him seemed to be to make sure that he did not lose what had been given him.  I have no reason to doubt his honesty in making such a statement.  We have to remember as a parable this was a made up story to make a point and since in the story the man’s honesty in speech is not questioned we should not question it either. Did you know fear was a sin that will send you to hell?  “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, a…

• One Church—A Thing Hard to Accept

  scriptures you show them.  They would flunk out of a high school or college class for they will not accept factual statements or any kind of sound reasoning.  Show them a passage like Acts 2:38 on baptism for the remission of sins (add to that Acts 22:16 and 1 Peter 3:21) and they will say the text cannot mean what it seems to be saying, that would be impossible from their point of view, for like the lady with O.J. it simply cannot be so.  It can…

• Jesus the Foundation of and the Builder of the Church

  eve the Catholic Church in what it teaches that Peter is the rock upon which the church is built or he can believe the Bible which makes it plain that Jesus is that rock.  What is impossible is to make a claim to believe both since they directly contradict one another. Yes, Peter is a stone in the church but so is every other Christian.  Peter tells us so.  “You also, (he says speaking to Christians–DS) as living stones, are being bui…

• Bible Contradictions on Salvation?

  … Martin Luther, New York: New American Library, 1950; 1978.) Martin Luther’s doctrine does indeed make Paul and James contradict one another.  That fact alone ought to tell you he was wrong in his theology no matter how sincere.  Any time your doctrine makes the Bible contradict itself this tells you, if you will listen, that your doctrine is in error, that you are wrong in your thinking, and need a new approach to understanding the scriptu…

• What Must a Man Believe to be Saved by the Gospel?

  which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (NAS) We learn from this passage two things found in the gospel and thus things that must …

• Christianity, Homosexuality, and Gay Marriage–What Do We Do With the Bible?

  this mean we will be another Sodom and Gomorrah?  God will decide that.  What it does mean is that we approve of the homosexual life. When Lot settled in the area of Sodom the Bible says, “the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.” (Gen. 13:13 ESV)  We know, because we are told, that Sodom would have been spared destruction had God been able to find as few as 10 righteous men there (Gen. 18:32).  He could not do it for they w…

• Deeper Spiritual Understanding–How do I Acquire It?

  A person who is a sincere Christian, a true believer from the depths of his/her heart, is a person who hungers and thirsts for righteousness (Matt. 5:6) desiring deeper spiritual understanding.  There is always a desire to know more and understand better.  There is an inner longing to draw nearer to God and feel closer to him and so the way is sought to do so. But the question is how do I do this or accomplish this which I so desire?  If I just …

• Non-Offensive Christianity

  would make in the world we live in today here in America?  Not many.  If he speaks up it is said he is making himself a judge and just causing trouble.  He is considered harsh and intolerant (as though God would tolerate the sin). If the Christian considers drunkenness to be sinful who is likely to be offended by that belief if not the one who likes to drink to drunkenness?  You can go right down the list of what the Bible calls sins, name them …

• Prayer

  Acceptable Prayer Pray For Others Lest You Sin Audio Sermons (by Waymon Swain) The Disciples Prayer …

• Jesus Defines Repentance

  …n without going into a long excursion on these passages.  If Jews are being addressed in a passage it is evident that before Jesus came to earth they had already believed in God.  What they needed to do was to repent of their sins against him and then believe in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God and the Savior of the world. The second comment I will make in passing is that the order of the wording does not necessarily imply that the one action …

• Faith, Works, and Baptism

  Many are the men and women who believe that since the Bible teaches justification by faith (Rom. 5:1) and not by works (Eph. 2:8-9, Titus 3:5) that baptism is excluded as an act essential to salvation despite many passages that teach the contrary (Acts 2:38, 22:16, 1 Peter 3:21, Titus 3:5, Eph. 5:26, 1 Cor. 12:13 compared with Eph. 5:23, John 3:5, Gal. 3:26-27, etc.).  They are greatly mistaken. In the first place the Bible clearly teaches that …

• Fornication–Take It Lightly at Your Peril

  elieves in him and his word period.  Man has always had to battle sexual desire and temptation and has often lost the battle but what has changed in the past few decades is that men and women are willing to openly flout their sin and no longer see themselves as doing anything morally or spiritually wrong. I went to a tiny high school in the early 60’s.  There were only 40 to 45 of us (the entire school) and the school was closed the year I gradua…

• Jesus and the Furnace of Fire

  will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” (Mat 13:41-42 NKJV) Many people who think they know Jesus would say, “No, he would never do that.”  Well, if not he is a liar.  If he is a liar you cannot depend on a single word he ever uttered for who would know when he was lying and when he was not?  But God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). Let us take a closer look and see who it is that will be cast into this furnace.  It is “those who …

• Abuse of the Old Testament

  ther’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (NKJV) Everyone readily admits that Jesus gave to man commandments to obey.  A commandment is nothing other than a law to be obeyed.  Disobey a law of God and you sin.  As the old King James puts it in 1 John 3:4, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law:  for sin is the transgression of the law.”  In our day the law that is transgressed bringing sin is the law…

• Israel’s Rebellion at the Red Sea

  The children of Israel that God sent Moses to bring out of Egyptian bondage into the Promised Land were a faithless group almost from the very beginning.  Their rebellion against God began before Mt. Sinai and even before the Red Sea crossing.  The Psalmist said, “Our fathers in Egypt did not understand your wonders; they did not remember the multitude of your mercies, but rebelled by the sea–the Red Sea.” (Psa. 106:7 NKJV)  It…

• Obedience of Faith and Justification by Faith–Opposing Doctrines?

  … him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.” (Heb. 11:6 NAS) Jesus said, in speaking of himself in John 8:24, “unless you believe that I am he, you shall die in your sins.” (NAS)  Jesus again, “he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.” (Mark 16:16 NAS)  We might say disbelieved what?  The gospel message (1 Cor. 15:1-4, Mark 16:15-16), the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (…

• Bible Authority, Foot Washing, the Holy Kiss, and Head Coverings?

  ol. 3:17 I do not know how they are able to take that position and still claim allegiance to the Bible.  However, I know of one who takes the position that we do not need Bible authority who says that if we do need it then we sin when we do not practice things like foot washing, the holy kiss, women having their head covered in worship, etc.  You get the idea.  He will bind anything and everything as practiced in the first century, another time, …

• Without Natural Affection and Covenant Breakers

  …sier for us. One such example is found in Rom. 1:31.  In Romans 1 Paul toward the middle of the chapter begins to talk about the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (v. 18) and then in the last few verses lists a series of sins into which mankind had fallen.  Verse 31 is a part of this listing and reads as follows from the New King James version, “undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful.” However, read this same verse fr…

• Is Church Attendance Essential for Christian Salvation?

  …ristians.  That being the case the next 6 verses should terrify the Christian who will not attend services (verses 26 – 31).  The passage is too long to quote in its entirety so let me just pick out a few phrases.  “For if we sin willfully…no longer remains a sacrifice for sins…fearful expectation of judgment…fiery indignation…trampled the Son of God underfoot…counted the blood of the covenant…a common thing…insulted the Spirit of grace…I will re…

• Disobedience to Jesus

  …#8217;s thinking that it seems it has driven out of men’s lives the sense of any kind of responsibility to obey God other than mentally assenting to the son ship of Jesus.  Disobedience to Jesus is thus not considered a sin that will damn you just as long as you believe. What does the Bible have to say on the subject?  In John 3:36 we find this passage, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son wil…

• Christ and Baptism in Colossians

  … it cannot be denied.  Saul, before he became Paul the apostle, believed error and acted in all good conscience (Acts 23:1) while persecuting Christ (Acts 26:14).  He believed error and was at perfect peace with himself while sinning continually–that is until the force of truth was exerted with power on the road to Damascus.  Sincerity will never change error into truth nor will it ever lead to a pardon for disobedience.  The fact that Eve …

• Fear God

  now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal.” (1 Cor. 3:1-3 NKJV) Did the Corinthians at this stage of their lives have anything to fear?  Were they guilty of unforgiven sin at the time Paul wrote the letter?  The book of First Corinthians is a book that lists sin after sin for which Paul rebukes them.  In the second letter to the church at Corinth Paul speaks of their repenting.  He says, “…

• Ashamed of Jesus and His Words

  …ds of Jesus.  How many denominationalists will ever preach what Peter preached, by means of the Holy Spirit, in Acts 2;38, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins”? (NAS)  They are ashamed of those words of Jesus and do not believe them and will not abide in them and will not teach them.  To them those gathered on that Pentecost day were saved the minute they repented and a…

• Spiritual Mirages

  pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, were well-off, and saw no trouble.  But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been consumed by the sword and by famine.” (Jer. 44:16-18 NKJV) Here is the spiritual m…

• Three Benefits of Being a Christian in This Life – Hope, Love, Peace

  e Bible means confident expectation, not an iffy “I hope so” the way we speak today.  “Hope does not disappoint.” (Rom. 5:5 NKJV)  It is the “anchor of the soul.” (Heb. 6:19 NKJV) (2)  Love When one becomes a Christian out of sincerity of heart in gospel obedience he can know that as a child of God that God loves him in a special way.  Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to hi…

• They Loved the Praise of Men

  Most of us given a choice would like to be well thought of and spoken well of for our life and beliefs rather than to be reviled, criticized, and despised.  This is natural and easily understood but there is danger that this natural desire lead us into sin.  When one gets to the point where he cares more about what people think than what God thinks and what God commands he is in trouble, in trouble with the Lord and Savior. In studying the subje…

• Paul’s Conversion (Justified by Faith)

  … thus as a result of Peter’s preaching on the Day of Pentecost faith was created, about three thousand (Acts 2:41) responded to the preaching, obeying Peter’s command to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), and were forgiven. Would God forgive Saul?  Most certainly!  Paul later says, “But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst si…

• Peter’s Second Gospel Sermon

  one issue–what did Peter tell those he preached to on this second preaching occasion that they needed to do in order to be saved?  The answer to that is found in Acts 3:19, “Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” (NAS)  The English Standard Version has, “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out.…

• Faith in the New Testament–Different Meanings

  17; it will be done.’” (NKJV) Another different use of the word faith is found in Rom. 14:23, “But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.” (NKJV)  Here the word refers to having a good conscience with regards to what you allow or do.  If you violate your conscience in doing a thing it is sin for one must act on the basis of faith with the belief tha…

• The Conscience as a Witness

  fully persuaded.  One can change without violating his conscience when fully persuaded he ought to just like Saul was.  No one can advocate violating one’s conscience when not fully persuaded for that in itself would be sin.  “Whatever is not from faith is sin.” (Rom. 14:23 NKJV)  We need to read and study God’s word with an open mind and heart and be willing to accept whatever we find written there. The conscience gives w…

• Abortion Luke 1 – All You Need to Know

  say the majority believe and are willing to accept–not with God.  God does not care. “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD.” (Isa. 55:8 NKJV)  To the sinner in Psalms 50:21 God says, “You thought that I was altogether like you.” (NKJV)  Mistake!  Big Mistake!!  Our Mistake?  So what did Luke say about abortion that makes God’s position on the subject cle…

• Cornelius’ Conversion–Final Thoughts

  …rust upon you (baptism of the Holy Spirit).  To say that obedience to the gospel (a command of God–2 Thess. 1:8, 1 Peter 4:17) equals Holy Spirit baptism and vice versa is to say in reality that there is nothing to obey since only Jesus could baptize one with the Holy Spirit.  Had Cornelius obeyed the gospel? Paul said, concerning the matter of salvation in Rom. 6:17-18, “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you …

• Are Works Essential for Christian Salvation?

  when he said, “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” (James 2:24 NKJV)  James goes so far as to say, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17 NKJV)  Sin is the thing that condemns us and keeps us out of heaven.  To do good (James 4:17) is to do works.  The faith that saves is a very active faith involved in the continual doing of good.  It …

• The Cleansing of the Church at Ephesus

  Many believe the church at Ephesus (the church being the membership) was cleansed from sin by faith based on the teachings of their denomination and the famous Ephesian passage found in chapter 2 verses 8 and 9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” (NAS)  Many, many passages of the New Testament teach that salvation is a matter of …

• Things God Cannot Do

  st me.” (Isa. 1:2 NKJV)  A little later he refers to them as a “sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who are corrupters!” (Isa 1:4 NKJV)  They were up to their necks in sin of all kinds and yet were still offering sacrifices to God (V. 11) and observing the assemblies (v. 13).  They were a people full of hypocrisy. What then is the teaching for men today as found in this passage?  Exactly t…

• Denominationalism’s Sin Against Peter

  of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do’” (Act 2:37 NKJV) Peter responded to them by saying, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” (Act 2:38 NKJV)  Their faith was evident by their asking the question. Denominationalists say Peter could not have meant what the words he spoke seem to be saying–that baptism is for the remission of sins….

• Confirmation Sunday–No Bibles Required

  Our local paper has an article in it this week by the woman pastor/preacher (call her whatever you want–she calls herself Rev.) from one of the nearby denominations entitled, “What is Confirmation?” which she wanted to explain since they have a confirmation Sunday planned.  Needless to say since I have never read of such a thing in the Bible and have known many people in this particular denomination over the years I ended up re…

• A Heart Right With God (Test Your Heart)

  d but I cannot prove it beyond doubt.  Be that as it may Psalms 119 depicts the attitude that a man after God’s own heart will have toward God’s word.  The Psalmist says, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalms 119:11 NKJV)  Do we worry about sinning or do we just take the casual attitude God will always forgive and so do not worry ourselves about any strict obedience that much?  While it is true God will …

• The Army of the Lord–the Church

  …rent New Testament passages that while the church is never called an army it is clearly described as an army in that each Christian is considered to be a soldier, outfitted with battle gear, a weapon, and engaged in warfare.  Since the church is made up of its individual members, each individual member to be a soldier, it follows that the church is the army of the Lord. In the book of Philippians Paul refers to Epaphroditus as his “fellow soldier…

• The Faith of Enoch

  ld, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.’” (Jude 14-15 NAS) What can we learn from these passages?  To be more specific what can we learn about the faith of Enoch?  The answer is more than is first apparent. The Hebrew w…

• The Kind of Faith in God That Destroys

  There is a faith, a so called Christian faith, which destroys.  Those who hold such a faith, while sincere, do not understand faith from a scriptural point of view.  Faith is all too often defined as “what I believe.”  There is more to saving faith than just believing in Jesus, believing he is the Son of God. If faith alone, defined as what one believes, could save by itself then even the demons could be saved for James says, “…

• For By Grace You Have Been Saved Through Faith Alone

  of works, lest anyone should boast.” There is no believer in his right mind who would discount the grace of God in man’s salvation.  You do not believe you deserve to be saved do you?  If you cannot count your own sins I suspect it would not be too hard to find someone who would be willing to do it for you.  And, I add, that is to say nothing of those internal sins that no man can see in another, those sins that only God knows about y…

• What Does The Phrase “Born Of Water And The Spirit” Mean? (The New Birth)

  er areas of life we are, how can it be truly said that we are godly?  By our refusal to obey the gospel we are saying we do not need God, Jesus did not need to die for me (his death was a waste, I did not need it), I am not a sinner.  The very fact we refuse to obey the gospel, a command of God, proves in itself we are in rebellion, in sin. This all being the case how is one born of water and the Spirit?  I say first of all that this is a single …

• Faith Based On Deception–Gen. 37:31-33

  hinks back on this account and take heed and learn from it. We can be misled by the very people we have the utmost trust in. In Jacob’s case it was deliberate but certainly one can also be misled by those who themselves sincerely believe error and propagate it. In the case of the first sin ever committed the Bible teaches that Eve was indeed deceived, “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your mi…

• Christian Wars–A Misnomer

  lly accept a perverted gospel as being the genuine thing.  Paul dealt with a perverted gospel in the book of Galatians but we seem to think that was a onetime historical event only and that the gospel has never been perverted since then. What I have said above is simply reason and common sense.  If you have ever read your New Testament you know these things are true.  Do you really think a true Christian could call for such wars and true Christia…

• The Church as the Body of Christ–Which Means What?

  ody and is needed. (1 Cor. 12:15-22)  With the physical body we readily see this need.  Remove any part of the body and to that extent we become handicapped. This is a lesson the church needs to learn–the value of every single member and the fact they each contribute in one way or another whether we see it or not.  Too often the member that has standing is the one with speaking talent, or the one who is a church leader in one capacity or an…

• Mary of Bethany–Doing What You Can

  live long enough, where we will be unable to obey one or more of the commandments of God.  People often get to the point physically where they can no longer assemble with the saints which would under normal circumstances be a sin for we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Heb. 10:25) but do we think God is going to hold that against those too frail and aged to attend, some even confined to nursing homes?  No, for they have do…

• The Washing of Water by the Word–Baptism and Salvation

  ?  If one thinks so it is equivalent to saying the Savior is not needed. Eph. 5:25-27 teaches that Jesus sanctified the body and cleansed it by the washing of water (baptism)–that is what it says; read it for yourself.  Since you and I are the church that is how we are sanctified and cleansed.  We are as living stones “being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Chris…

• Who Gets to Decide–God or the Church?

  ronies I see in denominationalism.  On the one hand they feel their differences on the issues are so great as to require separation and division from others, knowing the Bible clearly teaches that division among Christians is sinful (1 Cor. 1:10, John 17:20-21), but then on the other hand say the differences are so minor that it does not matter which denomination you belong to for we will all be saved despite our differences or which denomination…

• Ways into Christ–How Many Ways Are There?

  goes without saying that our love for one who is not walking in the light of truth cannot change truth itself.  No man is saved “unconditionally” which is to say saved regardless of belief, character, and conduct.  God saves sinners true enough but not while they actively engage in the practice of sin unrepentant. The fact remains that no matter how much we desire another’s salvation it is up to them to bring their life into accord with God’s wi…

• King Saul–As Long as It Glorifies God

  tement I here quote: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he also has rejected you from being king.” (1 Sam. 15:22-23 NKJV) The word “stubbornness” found in the NKJV he…

• Peter’s Preaching and the Apostle’s Preaching

  …ught to obey God rather than men.  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.  Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.  And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.’” (Acts 5:29-32 NKJV) Let us examine this sermon starting by talking about “obedienc…

• Are Paul’s Writings as Authoritative as Jesus’ Words?

  udice on his part.  That young lady many years later became a preacher (?) within her denominational body contrary to Paul’s teaching on the subject in 1 Tim. 2:12. Over the course of the many years that have transpired since that time I have heard the same or similar comments regarding things Paul wrote.  It seems many believe he lacked the authority of Christ.  Did he?  That is the subject I wish to pursue in this article.  I add that the…

• Things People Do Not Know About the Church

  ist, and members individually.” (1 Cor. 12:27 NKJV) (3)  Jesus purchased the church with his own blood (Acts 20:28).  It is by his blood that we will be saved.  “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Eph. 1:7 NKJV)  One is either in the church purchased with Christ’s own blood or he is outside it where the blood has purchased nothing.  “The Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:27 NK…

• Praying to God to Bless the Bread–Really?

  th not what thou sayest?  For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.” (1 Cor. 14:16-17 KJV) This is so simple as to be nearly impossible to misunderstand.  To bless in prayer means to give thanks. Since the word “bless” is only used 10 times in a total of 9 verses in the King James Version of the  New Testament it will not take long to run through those listings, check them out, and see what we can find, n…

• Moses, the Waters of Marah, and a Lesson for Today

  instructed?  Would the walls of Jericho have come crashing down without the marching around it?  You get the idea and you have the right idea exactly.  The answer is an emphatic no.  So it is with baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). I have asked the question before and never gotten an answer yet but I will ask it again.  If Jesus (God) wanted you to know baptism was for the remission of your sins how would he have had to phrase it to g…

• The Great Commission and Cornelius

  A great many people believe that Cornelius was saved the moment the Holy Spirit fell on him to which I disagree.  It seems to be a topic of interest so I have decided to write on the subject from a different vantage point than is usual. This is really, at its core, a discussion of whether or not water baptism is for the remission of sins as stated in Acts 2:38.  Since that is the basis of opposition every related subject such as conversion, the …

• Though He Slay Me

  same thing (Job 13:15).  We can trust in God no matter what comes and we can pray. I knew a lady once, a Christian woman, who said she prayed regularly, all of the time, and it did not do any good.  I am convinced she prayed sincerely and was telling the truth about her own supplications to God.  Do we get to feeling the same way?  Job did.  He was praying fervently and it did not seem God was answering him. One thing we can learn from Job’s exp…

• The Lord’s Supper as a Part of a Larger Meal–Right or Wrong?

  t I am and am not saying. I am not saying that first century Christians observed the Lord’s Supper in all its particulars like we do today. I am satisfied they did not have tiny communion cups as we do and it is likely no one single individual was responsible for preparing the supper. I have no problem at all in believing that each family and/or individual brought with them what was necessary which was then to be divided up among those assembled …

• The Parable of the 10 Virgins–7 Lessons

  thing I can for there are lessons here that I am persuaded that are often overlooked. (1)  Not every person who will be lost (have the door shut on them) is what we would call a bad person by human standards.  I do not know a single charge that could be brought against the 5 virgins who ran short of oil other than they were negligent in their lack of adequate preparation.  Nothing negative is said about their character or conduct whatsoever aside…

• Baptized For the Dead

  to find in most commentaries an extended discussion of the verse with much more space being devoted to it than there is to the average verse. I have no doubt that the verse is a reference to water baptism for the remission of sins (yes, I can hear my critics already).  Why do I say that?  In the very first chapter of First Corinthians Paul begins a discussion of the divisions in the church at Corinth.  To show the brethren the error they were fol…

• Gospel Obedience at Corinth

  Did Paul preach the same gospel at Corinth that he taught elsewhere?  Everywhere else he taught, as part of the gospel, baptism for the remission of sins.  One can go to Acts 16 and read two accounts, in the same chapter, of conversions made by Paul–Lydia and the Philippian jailer–in which in both instances those being converted were baptized.  Paul himself, in his conversion, was baptized.  You may recall the words of Ananias to him…

• What is it a Man Must Believe in Order to be Saved?

  st day.” (John 12:47-48 NKJV)  One will be judged not on the basis of what he believes about the word but by what the word says and that is a very important point that needs emphasis. What is the practical application?  Sincerity is secondary to belief and obedience.  One may sincerely disbelief who Jesus is or have doubts about a doctrine Jesus taught but sincerity in such a case will not matter on the last day, the Day of Judgment, for it…

• Parable of the Tares–No Middle Ground

  n slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.  But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.  So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’  He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’  But he s…

• Did Christ Rise From the Dead or is Faith Folly?

  Paul, in answer to the question proposed, would say faith is but folly if Christ did not rise from the dead.  “For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!” (1 Cor. 15:16-17 NKJV)  If Christ did not rise from the dead what hope do we have as we grow old and face the inevitable?  Are we but animals? The evolutionist would say yes we are only animals and talk l…

• The Heart of Man from a Biblical Perspective

  ccasion but is also ascribed to man’s heart, “Your heart should not be grieved.” (Deut. 15:10 NKJV)  The heart sorrows, “Even in laughter the heart may sorrow.” (Prov. 14:13 NKJV)  Joy resides in the heart, “My servants shall sing for joy of heart, but you shall cry for sorrow of heart.” (Isa. 65:14 NKJV)  Rejoicing takes place in the heart, “Your heart will rejoice.” (John 16:22 NKJV) In fact, all of the following emotions can be found in the he…

• If Miracles Have Ceased–the Implications

  21; (1 Cor. 12:7 NKJV)  He is talking about spiritual gifts.  Whatever your gift was (he gives a list of them in 1 Cor. 12:8-10, see also verse 28) it was to be used to profit everyone, not just yourself.  “Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.” (1 Cor. 14:12 NKJV)  Edification means to build up spiritually.  “Let all things be done for edifica…

• Lincoln’s Tomb and Jesus’ Tomb

  bodies just lay there. I heard a preacher a few years back who was about 70 at the time say that when one gets older he begins to look at death differently.  I am not 70 yet but I am old enough to begin to see what he meant.  You go to a place like this cemetery and you are reminded that it will not be that long until you too will lie there or in a similar place. We love life.  Very few people have a desire to die save for perhaps those few whose…

• Canaan and Heaven–How God Gives

  is voice.” (Deut. 9:23 NKJV) When men do not believe they do not obey.  Obedience then is a matter of faith, disobedience a matter of a lack of faith.  Why are men today who claim to believe not baptized “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38 NKJV) as Peter preached and commanded in the very first Holy Spirit inspired gospel sermon ever to be preached?  The answer is because disbelief leads naturally to disobedience.  The Hebrew writer sums it up…

• Saved by Faith or Saved by Holy Spirit Baptism–Which Is It?

  …arises.  People feel that when the Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius that saved him or, let me get this straight, did it mean he was already saved before the Spirit fell upon him for God would not place his spirit on an unsaved sinner? Thus my first question is which is it?  It makes a difference.  If the Holy Spirit falling upon Cornelius is what saved him, he being an unsaved sinner before that happened, then man is helpless.  It then becomes God…

• How Was Noah Saved Through Water?

  …by grace or by works (he did build the ark)?  There are a lot of questions.  Let us start from the beginning. We are all aware of the story of how the flood came about.  After God made man in due time mankind came to be great sinners before God.  “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen. 6:5 NKJV)  God determined to destroy man for his…

• Jesus as the Bread of Life (John 6:48)

  …V)  For you and I to eat of this bread, keeping in mind the language is figurative and spiritual, means simply that a man must be willing to take advantage of Christ’s death on the cross for the remission of man’s sins and by faith and obedience to the gospel surrender his life to Christ. It means we allow ourselves by following after Christ to be remade in the image of Christ.  “But we all (speaking to Christians–DS), wit…

• Honestly Deceived

  y eat bread and drink water” (1 Kings 13:18 NKJV) which was a lie.  The Bible says, “He lied to him.” (1 Kings 13:18) The man of God from Judah, a prophet, was lied to and swallowed the lie as the saying goes, hook, line, and sinker.  While eating, the word of the Lord came to the old prophet against the man of God from Judah saying, “Because you have disobeyed the command of the Lord, and have not observed the commandment which the Lord your God…

• Christian Circumcision

  which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.” (Rom. 4:12 NKJV)  This the majority of them did not do.  There is an important lesson in this that needs a little explanation. One must obey God.  Disobedience is sin and will condemn a man.  The question is not whether or not a man ought to obey for he must.  Many see an emphasis on obedience as being the same as trying to obtain heaven by works.  That is a misguided view of the matt…

• Christ the Savior of the Body but Which One–the Matter of Timing?

  ct what the Bible has to say about truth making ourselves out to know more about truth and its importance than the Bible does.  We also condemn ourselves in that if neither truth nor practice matter that much we are guilty of sin for not getting together as one body of believers.  If a Baptist, a Pentecostal, and an Episcopalian, as per my examples, are all going to be saved I guess that means we can be saved in sin for we remain divided when Jes…

• Ghost Hunting and Consulting the Dead

  …s of shows are suitable for viewing.  Not everything on TV is fit to watch or merely simple innocent entertainment.  With Pay Per View one can have access to even XXX rated videos which I am sure all Christians would agree is sinful to view.  Even without Pay Per View many of the movie channels are guilty of much the same kind of programming. Then there are some of the cartoon animation type programs where all kinds of vulgarity of speech, obscen…

• The Grace of God and the Parable of the Laborers–Is God Just?

  his family if he had one which is most likely.  If it is in my power to do good and make that possible for a man can I be righteous and fail to do it?  “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17 NKJV) Paul told Timothy to command the rich to “be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share.” (1 Tim. 6:18 NKJV) In Matt. 25 who is it that is going to be condemned in the last day?  “Then he wil…

• Mt. Sinai and the Day of Judgment

  What do the children of Israel coming to Mt. Sinai have to do with the Day of Judgment?  More than you might think.  The children of Israel reached Mt. Sinai in the third month after they left Egypt (Ex. 19:1-2).  They had had by this time many experiences and had seen God working actively on their behalf in miracle after miracle.  They had seen the plagues in Egypt from many of which they were spared.  They had crossed the Red Sea on dry ground…

• Forgiveness

  God’s Willingness to Forgive–King Manasseh Willful Sin–Can Anyone be Saved? More on Willful Sin–Can Anyone be Saved? The Need to Preach on Sin The Peace Found in the Forgiveness of Others Audio Sermons (by Waymon Swain) Forgiveness Contacting the Blood of Salvation No Condemnation Is Your Name Written There? The Goodness and Severity of God Are You Ready? …

• He Went Away Grieved

  his own heart is a fool”.  (Prov. 28:26 NKJV)  We lie to ourselves and become self deceived and it is easier said than done to see the truth of who we are.  We put ourselves in the best light until that point in time when our sin is so obvious that even we cannot deny it. One of the things that makes a heart set on riches so hard to detect is that it is so easy to lie to ourselves.  Have you ever known a man who confessed to being covetous, or co…

• Is Holy Spirit Baptism The Baptism That Saves?

  In an article I wrote some time ago I had a gentleman of the Pentecostal persuasion respond seemingly upset with me over the issue of baptism as I was emphasizing the importance of water baptism which he was discounting as being nothing more than a picture of salvation (whatever that means).  Of course, his emphasis was on Holy Spirit baptism.  In any case since I said I would respond I will do so here thinking I might as well make an article ou…

• The Chastening of the Lord

  People often have a misconception about God.  They cannot imagine that God would ever bring upon us trials and tribulations, punish us for our sins, or do anything in this life but bring us good–good as we measure it.  God is love, God is grace, and the very idea that God would ever send upon us anything but that which is most pleasant is abhorrent to their way of thinking. There is no doubt that when one looks at the big picture that God …

• Repentance

  Jesus Defines Repentance Repentance–How Can I Be Sure? Repent–How Hard It Is To Do Peter’s Second Gospel Sermon Willful Sin–Can Anyone be Saved? More on Willful Sin–Can Anyone be Saved? The Chastening of the Lord The Blessing of Affliction and the Goodness of God …

• If Baptism is Not Essential for Salvation

  ssential for salvation then Peter either lied or the Holy Spirit was in error when on the Day of Pentecost while preaching the first gospel sermon ever to be heard Peter commanded believers to be baptized for the remission of sins.  “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” (Acts 2:38 NKJV)  If baptism is not for the remission of sins one has to pick either Pete…

• How Does the Blood of Jesus and Baptism Tie Together

  I know of no one who claims to be a Christian but what believes we are saved by the blood of Jesus.  All believe that for the Bible clearly teaches it stating it plainly, “We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Eph 1:7 NKJV)  There are very few, however, who realize where God has placed that blood spiritually speaking.  Christianity is a religion of the spirit.  No man is saved by coming into physical contac…

• Saved by Jesus Outside the Church?

  It is not uncommon to hear people express their opinion that organized religion (the church) has nothing to do with salvation.  All that matters it is said is whether or not one has a personal relationship with Jesus. I do not know where this “personal relationship with Jesus” language came from for if you type in the phrase in any online Bible concordance you will not get a single return for the phrase is manmade and not found in sc…

• Be Faithful to the Lord (The Conversion of Lydia)

  Lydia resulting in a sort of forced conversion, one of which she had no way of resisting, and God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34 KJV), shows no partiality (Rom. 2:11, Eph. 6:9, Col. 3:25), and teaches us that it is a sin to show partiality (James 2:9), then God did the very thing in converting Lydia that he says, through his word, that he does not do and that he condemns in us.  None of us believe that.  Lydia’s heart was opened by…

• Indifference – The Great Destroyer

  about God, about his will, about going to heaven, if you are disinterested in living a faithful Christian life what joy do you bring to God? Grief and sorrow yes but joy no. A lot has been made of the fact that salvation from sin is a free gift from God. This while true when properly understood is seldom understood properly because seldom taught properly. Men have gotten it into their heads that their soul’s salvation is solely dependent on…

• Hypocrites in the Church

  pretends that which is not true, he pretends to be what he is not, he is a pretender and deceitful.  Well, what is the opposite of that?  The antonyms for hypocrisy given by the Merriam Webster Dictionary are genuineness and sincerity.  Thus every time your Bible commands honesty and sincerity of heart it condemns hypocrisy. One needs to read no further than Matthew to get Jesus’ take on hypocrisy.  He calls the Pharisees and scribes hypoc…

• Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come For You?

  saved?” (Acts 16:30 NKJV)  In Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost when the first gospel sermon ever to be preached was preached by Peter many who heard were “cut to the heart” (convicted of the truth and of their sin) and the Bible says they say to Peter and the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37 NKJV) What shall we do about what?  The answer is, obviously, what do we do about sin, about forgivenes…

• Must a Man Seek God?

  into eternity over which God also rules. What does the Bible have to say about seeking God?  It condemns those who fail to do so.  Paul says, “For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.  As it is written:  ‘There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.  They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who d…

• The Silence of the Scriptures

  here people would get a black cross put on their hand or wrist to symbolize their decision to become bondslaves of Christ, repentance windows during communion where you would write your name on a board as a confession of your sin and then have it pronounced that your sins were forgiven and your name would be erased from the board, gift flags made during worship to symbolize your desire to offer your gifts to God, and on and on it goes.  The fanta…

• Word of God

  Are Paul’s Writings as Authoritative as Jesus’ Words? Are the New Testament Scriptures Alone a Sufficient Guide to Heaven? The Need to Preach on Sin I Can Do All Things Through Christ If Miracles Have Ceased–the Implications Audio Sermons (by Waymon Swain) What a Preacher Must Preach The Power of the Word of God to Change Lives False Standards of Authority What the Word of God is Like Some Great Bible Questions …

• The Truth So Called Christians Will Not Accept

  in the denominational world?  Does it not mean that what is considered to be religiously correct is in fact error?  Yes, it does. Does it not mean that those teaching salvation by faith apart from baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), teaching that baptism is not essential to salvation, are actually teaching that it makes no difference whether one is in Christ or is outside him, makes no difference whether one is a part of his body or no…

• The Blessing of Affliction and the Goodness of God

  , as just another bit of knowledge to be stored in the mind, but another altogether different thing to experience it and thus understand it deep down in your soul, in your inner being, to feel it, and be conscious of it every single day of your life.  We are not in charge of our lives.  “Fool!  This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?” (Luke 12:20 NKJV) It would be good to read the ver…

• Must the Christian Keep the Sabbath?

  kept?  Let us see what the Bible has to say about the matter. The first time one finds the word “Sabbath” in the Bible is in Exodus 16:23.  The children of Israel had come out of Egypt but had not yet reached Mt. Sinai.  The events that transpire in Exodus 16 occur in the second month of their journey (Exodus 16:1).  This is the time when the children of Israel were grumbling against God (see Ex. 16:2-3, 7), complaining about food, a…

• Religious Titles Forbidden in Christianity

  8221; (NKJV) and it would have no effect upon him either. Not only are men accepting religious titles, contrary to Jesus’ teaching, but the general public is just as guilty in granting these titles.  I have never seen a single instance in my lifetime of a Catholic priest being interviewed on TV without the interviewer calling him Father.  Indeed, I suspect any interviewer who tried to do so would lose his job.  There is little doubt his sup…

• Baptism

  ism (The Sprinkling Hoax) Baptized For the Dead Peter’s Preaching and the Apostle’s Preaching Is Holy Spirit Baptism the Baptism That Saves? The Truth So Called Christians Will Not Accept Denominationalism’s Sin Against Peter Audio Sermons  (by Waymon Swain) Baptism The Necessity of Water Baptism Questions About Baptism Baptism’s Uniqueness and Dignity …

• Abel’s Sacrifice by Faith versus Cain’s Sacrifice

  mediately afterwards in conversation between God and Cain.  “So the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?  If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.’” (Gen. 4:6-7 NKJV)  It doesn’t seem like a lot to go on, these few verses, but there is more here than meets the eye when one b…

• The Need to Sing in Worship

  I am not sure I ever heard a sermon on just singing.  Often I have heard it discussed in a second hand sort of way when the subject of instrumental music is under discussion but I don’t think I ever heard a sermon on just singing. Almost without fail no matter how small a congregation gets you will find some brethren not singing.  If it was just a matter of having a bad cold, a sore throat, or something along those lines there would be no …

• Salvation (Becoming a Christian)

  Sufficient Guide to Heaven? Three Attitudes That Destroy the Hope of Salvation Audio Sermons (by Waymon Swain) What Must I Do To Be Saved?  (Part I) What Must I Do To Be Saved? (Part II) Factors in Salvation Salvation From Sin Conditions of Salvation Forgiveness Contacting the Blood of Salvation The Gospel of the Grace of God When One Obeys the Gospel Things That Happen With Gospel Obedience What if I Miss Heaven? The Three Fold Nature of the …

• Was Cornelius Saved Before Baptism? (Cornelius’ Conversion)

  …it, why did Jesus die on the cross, why the great commission?  You can read 2 Thess. 1:8-9 to see what will happen to those who do not obey the gospel.  Cornelius needed the gospel.  He was a man in need of salvation from his sins for no man is so perfect as to have never sinned.  Peter in reporting what had happened at Cornelius’ house once he gets back to Jerusalem throws more light on why Cornelius, by the angel’s direction, had be…

• Parables

  The Parable of the 10 Virgins–7 Lessons Parable of the Tares–No Middle Ground The Parable of the Talents–the Sin of Fear The Prodigal Son–When He Came to Himself   …

• Children of Israel

  Israel’s Rebellion at the Red Sea Moses, the Waters of Marah, and a Lesson for Today Faith, Manna, and Grumbling Against God Sin in the Desert–Testing God at Massah and Meribah Mt. Sinai and the Day of Judgment Canaan and Heaven–How God Gives The Chastening of the Lord …

• Assorted

  Understanding Things God Cannot Do Without Natural Affection and Covenant Breakers The Christian, Politics, and the Government Why Men Do Not Believe Did Christ Rise From the Dead or is Faith Folly? Denominationalism’s Sin Against Peter Which Denomination Did Jesus Build? What Does the Phrase “My Name” Mean in the Bible?   Audio Sermons (by Waymon Swain)    The Burden of Life The Pot of Gold at the End of God’s Ra…

• God’s Plea–On Christ’s Behalf be Reconciled to God

  ll we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way.” (Isa. 53:6 NKJV) We are or have been, depending on where we are at now in our standing with God, like the prodigal son.  We left God when we chose sin over him.  “There is none righteous, no not one.” (Rom. 3:10 NKJV)  “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23 NKJV) The gospel message is God’s call for the prodigal to come home.  It is the messag…

• How Does One Get Into the Church Christ Built?

  Not a single denominational church was built by Christ for he built his church, one and only, in the first century hundreds of years before any denominations came into existence.  The New Testament scriptures after the gospels and Acts chapter 2 all refer to the church as a then existing institution.  Paul wrote to various churches in some of his epistles.  Jesus in the book of Revelation instructs John to write concerning the 7 churches of Asia…

• The Book of Ecclesiastes

  …anded” (1 Kings 11:10 NKJV).  He worshipped idols, foreign Gods, and built high places (places to worship these gods by sacrifice). Whether he ever repented or not we are not told.  We do know God spoke to him about his sin. (1 Kings 11:11)  One does know that the book of Ecclesiastes had to be written in or near his old age for he had already experienced all the things he wrote about and thus, perhaps, he did repent.  We cannot know.  We c…

• The Peace Found in Forgiveness of Others

  ying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25 NKJV)  This forgiveness must be “from his heart” (Matt. 18:35 NKJV) which means, of course, sincerely. If Jesus could have a heart of forgiveness toward those who were crucifying him, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34 NKJV), then surely no one has done such evil to you as that do…

• God the Father, Christ, and the Holy Spirit

  Does God Really Care? Things God Cannot Do Jesus as the Bread of Life Jesus and the Furnace of Fire Behold the Judge is Standing at the Door The Need to Preach on Sin What Does the Phrase “My Name” Mean in the Bible? Audio Sermons (by Waymon Swain) Wonderful Jesus Who Is Jesus? Born To Die The Appearance of Jesus All Spiritual Blessings Are in Christ Enemies of Christ The Holy Spirit (Part I) The Holy Spirit (Part II) The Holy Sp…

• The Mysterious Eloquent Evangelist

  …sion and through Peter on the day of Pentecost?  No, nor was he baptized after learning the truth from Priscilla and Aquila.  He had already been baptized with John’s baptism which itself was “for the remission of sins.” (Mark 1:4 NKJV)  When one’s sins are remitted they are remitted. Read Heb. 10:2 from several translations.  The passage has reference to sin offerings under the Law of Moses but it also has direct applicat…

• Faith, Manna, and Grumbling Against God

  to a man who does not trust in God for salvation. After the end of the crisis at the Red Sea they came to be in want of drinking water at Marah and the Bible says, “the people grumbled at Moses.” (Ex. 15:24 NASB)  Since Moses was merely God’s man and had no inherent power of his own a complaint against Moses was in reality a complaint against God as Moses will make clear a little later.  But, again God comes to their rescue and …

• Who Governs the Church if We Follow the Bible?

  … that a little–we can but if we do we are in rebellion against the head of the church and against the one whom God the Father gave all authority to.  We disrespect him and his word when we do so and involve ourselves in sin by supporting such a set up. Christ did provide for government, oversight would probably be a better word, within local congregations of churches of Christ (Rom. 16:16).  As just stated, in the prior paragraph, those who…

• The Church Christ Built–Marks of Identification

  of the Son of his love.” (NKJV) Peter used the keys of the kingdom (the keys being the gospel message with its requirements) on the day of Pentecost.  When the 3,000 that day heard the message, believed it, repented of their sins (as instructed to do–Acts 2:38), and were baptized for the forgiveness of sins (as instructed to do–Acts 2:38) they were then translated into the kingdom of God by God himself.  It is in that kingdom, not ou…

• Better to Never Have Been Born–Why?

  ting sorrow to think about what is to become of those we care about and love deeply if somehow or another they do not get their lives turned around before death takes them.  It is better to never have been born than to die in sin and spend eternity in hell. I do not understand how it is that some do not seem to understand that they are not in charge of their lives.  Everyday people die unexpectedly, suddenly, without warning whether from acciden…