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• The Need to Sing in Worship

  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 »I am not sure I ever heard a sermon on just singing.  Often I have heard it disc…

• Singing and Playing in Christian Worship

  I have learned over time that no matter how familiar you are with a subject given enough time you are bound to hear something you never heard before.  It is a historical fact that instrumental music was never used in Christian worship until well over 600 years after the establishment of the church.  A simple Google search on the topic with the word “history” added will get you all the information your heart could desire. This is a historical fac…

• Instrumental Music in Christian Worship–Is it God’s Will?

  I am sure there are millions of people who call themselves Christians who have never given the subject of instrumental music in Christian worship a thought.  It is just taken for granted that it is a part of acceptable worship to God.  I suspect even most of us who were raised in a religious setting where instruments were never used in worship wondered about it at one point in time or another.  Was it really wrong to use them in worship and if s…

• Is Church Attendance Essential for Christian Salvation?

  very easily answered if one will accept the word of God as being the one and only and final authority on deciding the question.  The answer is no; one cannot be saved if he will not attend church by which is meant the church worship services.  Hear God’s word on the subject. (1) “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one…

• The Silence of the Scriptures

  then pretty much anything goes.  In searching the internet I actually came upon a church site that has a “music and arts” page.  The page states that this church “has a long tradition of outstanding musical worship and offers a variety of musical opportunities for those who would like to share their talents as an offering through musical worship.  …musicians celebrate the Lord with voice, instruments and drama.”  Can you …

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

  Should the Lord’s Supper be incorporated as a part of a larger meal in the worship of God in the Christian religion? Some are today arguing for such a practice. All any of us can know about what we should or should not do is found in the Bible, at least that has been the traditional view of conservatives. Today there is a liberal element in Christianity who feels they no longer need Bible authority for what they do. That being the case they feel…

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

  Does Bible authority matter or is man free to do as he sees fit in the Christian religion?  Most have come to the conclusion today that it does not matter.  The result is that there are more unheard of things going on in Christian worship today than ever before.  You name it and it is being done somewhere.  Every type of special service the mind can imagine (and many that you cannot) is being held.  The idea is that anything we do in worship wit…

• Faith Comes by Hearing the Word of God–the Implications

  aring God’s word. But things are often said to be matters of faith which clearly are only matters of opinion.  Many years ago I knew a man that wanted to build–expand the physical building where local Christians met for worship (whether the church needed it was the big question).  To objectors he would say where is your faith?  His assumption was that God would be with this work for it would please God and thus God would see to it that the …

• The Church Christ Built–Marks of Identification

  found in 1 Tim. 3:8-13.  Some feel the 7 men chosen to supervise the daily distribution in the church at Jerusalem as found in Acts 6:1-6 were the first deacons.  They certainly filled the role deacons might well serve. (7)  Worship of the church.  The church Jesus built never prayed to saints departed or otherwise.  Peter would not allow himself to be worshiped but when Cornelius attempted to do so, “Peter lifted him up, saying, ‘Stand up; I my…

• Worship

  The Lord’s Supper as a Part of a Larger Meal–Right or Wrong? Praying to God to Bless the Bread The Need to Sing in Worship Instrumental Music in Christian Worship–Is It God’s Will? Singing and Playing in Christian Worship Confirmation Sunday–No Bibles Required Bible Authority, Foot Washing, the Holy Kiss, and Head Coverings King Saul–As Long as it Glorifies God Audio Sermons (by Waymon Swain) The Lord’s…

• Can one be Just a Christian in Christ’s Church without being in a Denomination?

  ne reason for it in lands where the Bible is readily available–men love their denominations and would rather have them and their creeds and councils and governing bodies than just the simple New Testament church and its worship regulated by the word of God alone. Let us be honest.  If we take the New Testament, the word of God alone, as our guide a lot of things will have to be given up.  One does not read in his New Testament of, as exampl…

• Abuse of the Old Testament

  lso gives us much the same.  But, my main interest is making an application as to how all of this affects us today as Christians and believers. The idea seems to be prevalent today that the Old Testament gives us authority to worship in ways we please if we can find an example for our practice in the Old Testament.  But, does it? Paul says of certain Galatians, Gal. 5:4 (NKJV), “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be j…

• Confirmation Sunday–No Bibles Required

  cular denomination over the years I ended up reading the piece all the while knowing that the silence of the Bible on a subject has never stopped a denomination from its own inventions and desires as pertains to its faith, or worship, or religion. After reading the article I went to my e-sword concordance and did a search on the word “confirmation.”   I did find it in 2 locations.  Paul spoke about “confirmation of the gospel…

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

  One thing that is often overlooked is the value of being a Christian and living the Christian life in the here and now, not just for the benefit of the afterlife to come.  There is nothing as important as where you are going to live in eternity but there are enormous benefits to living the Christian life aside from those benefits to come when this life has ended.  I list but three of those benefits here. (1)  Hope When one takes hope away from a…

• Lessons for the Church from Isaiah (Chapter 1)

  day God had been forsaken and despised (Isa. 1:4 ESV) for what he had taught no longer mattered.  A person or a group’s attitude toward the word of God can tell you a lot about them. (2)  People who reject God may still hold worship services but do so in vain.  If one will read Isa. 1:11-15 it becomes clear that the people were still offering sacrifices, burnt offerings, incense, holding to the appointed feasts, observing the Sabbaths, etc.  The…

• Does God Really Care?

  Over the course of time just about all of us are confronted with the reality of suffering and abuse not just on newscasts but in our own personal world where we live day by day and experience life up close.  Why are small precious children abused?  Why do many of them from all outward appearances not have a chance from the get go due to the circumstances they were born into?  Why do old people often get in such horrible conditions as you find th…

• Christianity–Who Rules Reason or Emotions?

  criptures like these do not matter.  We will do what we desire word from God or no word from God and we will say whatever it is we are doing is to God’s glory and he will be pleased.  Jesus said, “God is spirit; and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24 NAS)  “Thy word is truth.” (John 17:17 NAS)  We say it doesn’t matter for our word is also truth as much as his.  (Now we do not really say that but that is the net e…

• Non-Offensive Christianity

  No doubt we would add humility (1 Peter 5:5), mercy and meekness (Col. 3:12), thankfulness (Col. 3:15), and truthfulness (Eph. 4:25) to our list and our list would still not be all inclusive of the good things to be found in Christian character at its best. It is hard to look back over this list and see anything that should offend anyone.  It is certainly not the Christian’s desire to offend.  The word of God teaches the Christian to ̶…

• 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…

• Which Denomination Did Jesus Build?

  ow the teachings of the New Testament and do what they did in the first century to become Christians (there are many examples of conversions in the book of Acts), then join together in a congregation of like minded people and worship doing exactly what they did way back in the days of the apostles, no more, no less, organize the congregation as they organized theirs–elders leading the congregation with deacons serving–and just try and…

• Unhappy With the Church of Christ?

  obedience.  However, as the Bible clearly teaches we must as Christians follow God’s commandments and walk in truth.  Can that be done in a denomination? I know of no denomination that does not use instrumental music in worship but even secular history itself tells you it was no part of first century Christian worship.  There is no command for it, no example of it, and no authority for it in the New Testament.  It is another manmade doctrin…

• Mary of Bethany–Doing What You Can

  to preach the gospel, help the poor, do the work God’s people are suppose to do.  Entertaining ourselves is not a part of that. (2) Another thing we can learn from the account of this story about Mary of Bethany is that worship of God is as important as good works.  I would call what Mary did an act of worship on her part.  No doubt those complaining about what they considered a waste of money were right about the fact that much good could …

• Weak, Defiled, and Seared Consciences

  , Rev. 2:4, and Rev. 2:20 on the subject of a Christian eating foods offered to idols. Paul is writing to the Corinthians and while there were Jews among their number they were mostly Gentiles.  They had in the past been idol worshippers.  Paul says in 1 Cor. 12:2, “You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the dumb idols, however you were led.” (NAS)  The Gentile world was a world of idolatry and this was the backgro…

• The Army of the Lord–the Church

  The army of the Lord is a phrase found only one time in the NKJV of the Bible and that in the Old Testament in Joshua 5:14 where Joshua in the vicinity of Jericho meets up with one who says of himself that he is “Commander of the army of the Lord.” (NKJV)  However, having said that, it is clear from many different New Testament passages that while the church is never called an army it is clearly described as an army in that each Christian is con…

• Christian Wars–A Misnomer

  Christians, God’s children, have for years taken a beating by those who make the claim that Christians have been responsible in part, at least, for religious wars that killed tens of thousands of people during the Crusades and in Europe itself during the Middle Ages.  There never was any truth to it and never will be. Just because a Catholic claims to be a Christian does not make him one.  Just because a Protestant makes the claim to be a …

• Christianity and Multiculturalism

  8220;Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols.” (NKJV)  Was Athenian culture to be embraced?  In Ephesus their culture called for the worship of the goddess (idol) Diana (see Acts 19).  Was this a culture Christians ought to value or embrace? If every culture has value in its own right why did God destroy Sodom and Gomorrah?  If every culture is good why d…

• Resource Sites

  g.  All of this will be readily evident to you once you read an article or two of his.  Not only does he know the Bible he also knows what men are saying about it.) Walking by Faith:  Origin of Instrumental Music in Christian Worship  (This is an online copy of what was once a pamphlet consisting of two sermons delivered in the late 1800′s by M. C. Kurfees.  Gives the best definition of faith I have ever read making a clear distinction betw…

• The Truth So Called Christians Will Not Accept

  Most people who call themselves Christians are in reality not Christians at all no matter how dedicated they may be to their faith.  The word of God is truth (Jesus speaking–John 17:17) and stands as the one and only standard that is acceptable to the God of heaven and of men.  It, not man, sets the standard for who is a Christian. As there is a political correctness in our land there is likewise a religious correctness that one must adher…

• Praying to God to Bless the Bread–Really?

  “God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24 NKJV) Whose job is it to bless the bread and bless the fruit of the vine when the Lord’s Supper is being  observed in the communion service?  One hears continually prayers or petitions to God to “bless the bread” and to “bless the fruit of the vine.”  Why?  I have no idea other than it has been done so long it has…

• The Struggle to be a Spiritually Minded Man or Woman

  esus said in his prayer to the Father, “I have glorified you on the earth.” (John 17:4 NKJV)  That is our job as well.  The only way God can be given glory by man is by obedience.  That would include thanksgiving, worship, praise, teaching, giving to the needy, etc. but it can all be summed up in one word–obedience.  Disobedience to God does not bring God glory but dishonors him as God and as the ruler of humanity.  Disobedience…

• Never Give Up

  inds of sin?  A whole host of sins could be mentioned, here are a few.  We begin to put God on the back burner and give him second place in our lives feeling that there is just not enough time to do everything.  Attendance at worship services begin to lag, Bible reading ceases, prayer time diminishes, there is no time for good works, we begin doing whatever it is that is required of us to stay in good standing in our job even if it means sacrific…

• 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…

• Jesus the Foundation of and the Builder of the Church

  n or church) begins to practice things not found in the New Testament, allows liberties God does not permit in his word, begins to teach things contrary to the direct word of God that any man can read for himself, adds to the worship things unheard of in the pages of the new covenant, tolerates sin in the church winking at it or worse yet begins to call sin righteousness then I would fear being a member of such a congregation.  God doesn’t …

• The Parable of the 10 Virgins–7 Lessons

  ayer at the Thanksgiving meal.  They may, if pressed, make a claim to believe in God but a Bible would last them 10,000 years for it would never be used nor would there ever be any point in expecting to see them in the public worship.  In many ways they are good people, good like the 5 virgins who were lost.  They are lost for they have made no preparation. The rich young ruler was an example of an otherwise good man who was lost.  We find his st…

• Honestly Deceived

  In 1 Kings 13:1-33 we read of a man of God, a prophet, who came from Judah to Bethel to prophecy against the altar there.  Jeroboam, the king of Israel, was present at the altar.  Jeroboam was the king who had made the two golden calves for the children of Israel to worship one of which resided at Bethel (1 Kings 12:25-33).  On the altar there sacrifices were made to the golden calf that resided there.  As the prophet arrived he found Jeroboam a…

• Faith is Not Just What You Believe

  f their faith seem to have a faith that by all outward appearances has driven them to do nothing.  It is as dead as a door nail by all outward measurements.  Many who talk about their personal faith cannot even make it out to worship once a week but they are saved by faith. But, the response is made you are judging, you do not know my heart.  What I do know is that James says, “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but do…

• One Church—A Thing Hard to Accept

  the emotions overrode rational thought and the will was strong.  The eyes were deliberately closed. This brings me to what I really want to talk about it.  I have recently taken an interest in reading books on the history of Christianity from the first century up to the present.  The most recent book I have completed on the subject was a book by Stephen Tomkins who has a Ph.D. in church history from the London School of Theology.  In his book en…

• The Pleasures of Sin

  g life.” (Gal. 6:7-8 NKJV) Not everything that is pleasurable is sin but even when a pleasure is not sinful in and of itself we can make it a sin by putting indulgence in it a priority before God and thus making it an idol we worship ahead of God.  Will we have kept the pleasures of life at bay sufficiently to have done our duty before God and man when our time to depart this world has come?  We need to do that for we read of those who did not do…

• Mt. Sinai and the Day of Judgment

  God who speaks and works miracles and who is full of wonder and awe, capable of striking terror into people in an instant, and before Moses can come down off this smoking mountain where God is the people are already into idol worship. This is at a time when Moses is receiving the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone.  It is at the time when “the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai … and to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance o…

• Why Do Men Run From God?

  n who holds the Bible, there and there only will you find it.  God’s word is the only sure guide man will ever have. I would dare say that last Sunday the majority by far of those the world calls Christians engaged in a worship service (if they went at all) in which they did at least some things which cannot be found in the New Testament of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, things that sprang up in some man’s mind once upon a time and…

• Saved by Jesus Outside the Church?

  re told today the church doesn’t matter.  It mattered to Jesus so why does it not to you who believe all that matters is a “personal relationship with Jesus?” The church consists of brethren united in faith, worship, labor, and love.  One of the great messages of the New Testament is love for the brethren.  How do you love the brethren when you want no part of them for they are found in the church and you want no part of the chu…

• Indifference – The Great Destroyer

  rtainly one can be indifferent about both doctrine and practice. What difference does it make if we are all going to be saved anyway? I thus see people who think they are going to be saved who never darken a church door for a worship service. If they have a Bible they would have to hunt it before they could read it and then dust it off for it has set that long unread and unused. They virtually never read it. The scariest thing for me when it come…

• God’s Willingness to Forgive–King Manasseh

  the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel.  For he rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them.  And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, ‘In Jerusalem will I put my name.’  And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two court…

• Must the Christian Keep the Sabbath?

  There are many people who believe the Christian must keep the Sabbath.  It is one of the Ten Commandments and many believe we are under command to keep all the Ten Commandments.  Are they correct?  What does the Bible say about the Sabbath?  Who was to keep it–was it for all men and for all time?  How was it to be kept?  Let us see what the Bible has to say about the matter. The first time one finds the word “Sabbath” in the Bi…

• Better to Never Have Been Born–Why?

  r dad, our wife or our husband, our son or our daughter, our grandchild, our best friend, whoever it may be, is in the exact same place with Judas just as soon as their last breath leaves their body if they are not a faithful Christian when that breath has been drawn.  It is torment to us and unrelenting 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 b…

• Waymon Swain’s Audio Sermons

  s) New Birth  (7 sermons) Old Testament Studies  (13 sermons) Prayer  (1 sermon) Salvation  (26 sermons) Sin  (21 sermons) The Church  (7 sermons) The Heart  (4 sermons) The Kingdom of God  (1 sermon) Word of God  (5 sermons) Worship  (2 sermons) …

• Three Attitudes That Destroy the Hope of Salvation

  car, that which we cannot comfortably afford, and thus there goes the benevolence we could have practiced had we purchased more modestly.  We want to have a family get together.  Great!  We ought to do that.  But do we say no worship this Sunday, for there is no time as we have guests coming for lunch (called dinner where I live)?  Or, do we have to get to such and such a place in time for the noon day meal so no worship service this Sunday?  I t…

• Christian Circumcision

  #8211;the circumcision of the heart.  “Circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.” (Rom. 2:29 NKJV)  “For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” (Phil. 3:3 NKJV)  The “we” in this passage are Christians.  Yes, circumcision matters–circumcision of the hear…

• Are Works Essential for Christian Salvation?

  One of the great dangers we all face in Bible study is that of taking a particular passage, isolating it from all the rest of the scriptures, and make it teach a doctrine it was never meant to teach.  The question asked in the title of this article, are works essential for Christian salvation, is easily answered by taking one such passage and doing exactly that.  The passage is Eph. 2:8-9 which reads, “For by grace you have been saved thro…

• Looking Down Your Nose

  socializing with an executive in their home.  Teachers and cooks do not get together and visit in each others homes but it is that way pretty much all across our society. James by inspiration tells us this is not the way the Christian is supposed to be.  We are to treat each other honorably and show no respect of persons. I would like to go back now and take a look at parts of the text quoted from James.  Verse 1 teaches us clearly there is to b…

• Things God Cannot Do

  The Bible teaches there are things God cannot do.  Why not?  It is certainly not because he is wanting in power or knowledge but it is a matter of who he is, his nature or character.  We can understand that.  There are things you and I could do but our character would never allow it.  I thought it would be good to use an online Bible concordance for the New King James Version and type in the word “cannot” and see what came up.  I was…

• Fear God

  ving the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth–to every nation tribe, tongue, and people–saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.’” I believe the Bible is as clear as it can be that man is to fear God.  Call it godly fear if you will for that is what it is.  It is the kind of fear tha…

• More on Willful Sin—Can Anyone be Saved?

  luntary, or is committed willingly, but must refer to a deliberate act, where a man means to abandon his religion, and to turn away from God. If it were to be taken with metaphysical exactness, it would demonstrate that every Christian who ever does anything wrong, no matter how small, would be lost.” You will be hard pressed based on my research to find a commentator anywhere that would disagree.  Virtually every commentator will tell you …

• He Feared

  Of course, there is a sense in which faith never fails.  It is the man who fails, fails to have faith in sufficient strength to remain faithful.  It is a challenge to all men to develop a strong faith. Paul, in writing to the Christians in Ephesus, in chapter 6 verse 11, tells them to, “Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” (NAS)  In verse 13 he explains saying, “that you may be able t…

• The New Birth and Water

  uote as follows:  “The religious world, with one voice, from the days of Christ until quite recently, has ascribed this language to water baptism.” (Page 490)  He goes on to quote a Dr. Wall as follows:  “There is not any one Christian writer of any antiquity in any language, but what understands it of baptism.” (Page 490, a quote from Wall’s History of Infant Baptism, Vol. l, page 147) Burton Coffman in his Commentary on John, page 81, says, “it…

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

  no one close enough to you to even know your need? While the phrase “the family of God” is not found in the New Testament the concept is.  We are the children of God, “Beloved, now we are children of God.” (1 John 3:2 NKJV)  Christians are born of God, “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” (1 John 5:1 NKJV)  We are begotten of God in that he has “according to his abundant mercy…begotten us again.” (1 Peter 1:3 NKJV)  The Ch…

• Spiritual Mirages

  hat I will bring upon them.‘” (Jer. 42:15-17 NKJV) The people did not believe Jeremiah, accused him of lying (Jer. 43:2), and left for Egypt dragging Jeremiah along with them.  Once there they continued their idol worship (Jer. 44:8) and continued ignoring Jeremiah’s prophetic warnings (Jer. 43:8-Jer. 44:14).  We now get to the lesson I want to emphasize for this article.  The people respond to Jeremiah’s prophesy by sayin…

• The Prodigal Son–When He Came to Himself

  gh they remain unmarried.  There is celebration rather than embarrassment, joy rather than sorrow. Do you think the couple I mentioned above where the man is leaving his wife of 39 years will have a problem finding a place to worship?  I hope you are not that naïve.  It ought to be that way until repentance takes place which means you quit the sin you are committing (you can live in adultery–see Col. 3:5-7).  It ought to be but it won’t be….

• They Loved the Praise of Men

  n literally is their idea. Thus those who speak evil of the Christian usually do so for religious reasons for even atheism is a form of religion.  In New Testament times the pagans had their idols and the Romans their emperor worship.  I believe Paul in talking about the qualifications for an elder when he says he must have a good report from those on the outside was speaking about the man’s honesty, his good works, etc.  No man can live a faithf…

• Salvation (Becoming a Christian)

  Why You Cannot be Saved like the Thief on the Cross Bible Contradictions on Salvation How Was Noah Saved Through Water? How Does One Get Into the Church Christ Built? Saved by Jesus Outside the Church Are Works Essential for Christian Salvation? Canaan and Heaven–How God Gives Are the New Testament Scriptures Alone a Sufficient Guide to Heaven? Three Attitudes That Destroy the Hope of Salvation Audio Sermons (by Waymon Swain) What Must I …

• Hypocrites in the Church

  not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.” (Luke 12:2 NASU)  What was true for them will also be true for you and me if we do not guard our hearts closely and act out of sincerity.  It is easy, for example, to worship out of duty rather than sincerely from the heart, out of obligation versus desire. Peter says to all Christians that we are to put “aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.”…

• Deeper Spiritual Understanding–How do I Acquire It?

  subjective, truth. How could God object to sacrificing the best of the sheep and the oxen when it would be a sacrifice that was being made to him (the thought arises about the many innovations men have brought into Christian worship just because it seemed right to them)?  But, hear Samuel’s response: “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, a…

• Who Gets to Decide–God or the Church?

  ication to denominational legislative bodies today.  It is not hard to do is it?  We will make a proposal and vote on it then we will know God’s will.  Sounds like a fantasy to me. Jesus said, “But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.” (Mark 7:7 NAS)  It is a pretty serious business making laws for God.  The Jews under the Law of Moses were not content with the written word but felt compelled to…

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

  king to, “those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints.” (1 Cor. 1:2 NKJV)  How do I know he was talking to them–because I just quoted the passage, because he says so.  They, each one individually, each Christian, was a member of the body of Christ to whom he was speaking.  “You are the body of Christ (the church at Corinth–DS), and members individually.” (1 Cor. 12:27 NKJV) Christ is the head of the body, the church …

• Things People Do Not Know About the Church

  ory when it comes to the Lord’s church.  Here is a list of 12 things many people do not know or understand about the Lord’s church–things that make all the difference in the world. (1)  The same process that makes you a Christian adds you to the church the Lord built.  There is no such thing as a Christian who is not a part of the Lord’s church.  “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47 NKJV)  Who is s…

• Acceptable Prayer

  s us to “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16 NAS)  What we often fail to consider is that both writers are writing to Christians, not just anyone but to God’s own people.  Let us take a look at some passages. Prov. 15:8, “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord.” (NASU)  Prov. 15:29, “The Lord is fa…

• Jesus and the Furnace of Fire

  The New Testament is the law of Christ, the law he gave, the law he is talking about in the passage under discussion. Have they ever been baptized for the remission of sins?  (Acts 2:38)  No!  Do they intend to?  No!  Do they worship God?  No!  Do they “forsake the assembling of ourselves together?” (Heb. 10:25 NKJV)  Yes!  Have they put on “the whole armor of God?” (Eph. 6:11 NKJV)  No!  Do they intend to?  No!  And the l…

• The Joy and the Danger of a Clean Conscience

  Just tell us, preferably, far preferably, even to the extent of quoting directly, what the Bible says.  Many preachers seem to assume we want to hear what they have to say.  Why would we?  Why when you and I go to services to worship and to hear what God has to say want to hear instead a man just giving his ideas and opinions? We must have a clear conscience toward God but that conscience must be based on knowledge as has been shown.  John says, …

• Lincoln’s Tomb and Jesus’ Tomb

  entle, patient, and understanding?  Did we care about people?  Did we love?  Were we forgiving?  Did we seek God?  Did we obey the gospel and his commandments?  Were we faithful to Jesus and did we accept him as Lord?  Did we worship and serve God?  These are the kinds of things that matter.  These are the kinds of things that will matter when death comes. But as I thought on this visit at Lincoln’s tomb the thought came to mind that the beautifu…

• Without Natural Affection and Covenant Breakers

  he sins that caused God to allow Israel to be carried away into captivity.  One of these sins was that, “they caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire.” (2 Kings 17:17 NKJV)  This was a sin associated with the worship of idols. Manasseh, the king of Judah, became guilty of the same thing, “he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom.” (2 Chron. 33:6 NKJV)  God, in the book of Jeremiah, said “And …

• 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…

• A New Creation in Christ

  20;baptized into Christ”?  Did they put on Christ?  If you say they did then you have added to the word of God to do it and invented your own doctrine thus your doctrine is of man not of God.  “‘In vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” (Mark 7:7 NKJV) But how about the two men who went up to pray?  How about them?  The first thing that needs to be said is neither of these men had the …

• King Saul–As Long as It Glorifies God

  ey consider themselves godly men and would defend themselves as Saul did before Samuel, at least as long as he could. (1 Sam. 15:20-21)  The idea is prevalent today that we can do whatever we want to in our Christian work and worship just so we give glory to God, or as some might say as long as God receives the glory. That was exactly the case with King Saul.  God said destroy all these animals but Saul’s thinking is we will take the best back an…

• Regrets

  the church of God.” (1 Cor. 15:9 NKJV)  Elsewhere he calls himself the chief of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15).  I believe there is every reason to believe that Paul was at the least indirectly responsible for the deaths of some Christians.  When Stephen was stoned to death the Bible says “Saul was consenting to his death.” (Acts 8:1 NKJV)  In Acts 22:4 Paul says, “I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into pri…

• The Parable of the Talents–the Sin of Fear

  we have the ability to do.  When we are doing good to someone else because it is the Christ like thing to do, in whatever fashion or form it may take, we are working for God and striving to be a profitable servant.  We are a Christian being a Christian in deed and not just in word. What is the teaching of the parable of the talents if it is not that we must go to work?  Can we by work alone go to heaven?  No way!  Salvation is always a matter of…

• How Does One Get Into the Church Christ Built?

  t of the body that he is saving.  “He is the Savior of the body.” (Eph. 5:23 NKJV)  What body?  “He is the head of the body, the church.” (Col. 1:18 NKJV)  The church is the spiritual body of Christ of which he is the Savior. Christians are “members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones. (Eph. 5:30 NKJV)  “You (Christians–DS) are the body of Christ, and members individually.” (1 Cor. 12:27 NKJV)  One is either in that body or he is not…

• Behold the Judge is Standing at the Door

  It is sometimes hard for Christians to grasp emotionally that they will be judged by Christ on the Day of Judgment.  So much has been made of the grace of God and God’s love that it is hard to come to grips with the idea of judgment but James in writing to Christians says, “Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned.  Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!” (James 5:9 NKJV)  That ought to be a sober…

• Paul’s Conversion (Justified by Faith)

  The conversion of Saul of Tarsus, who was soon to be known as Paul the apostle, is one of the most interesting accounts of conversion to Christianity found in the Bible.  One can read about Paul’s conversion in 3 different accounts given in the book of Acts–Acts 9:1-19, 22:1-16, 26:9-20.  Saul of Tarsus was one of the really bad men we read about in the New Testament which makes his conversion even more dramatic.  How bad a man was S…

• When did Obedience Become Legalism?

  le of their day to swallow their religion with all the additions and manmade commandments they had made. The standard for a righteous man has been so lowered over the years that in the public’s eyes today even if you have not worshipped the Lord in a regular assembly of the saints for the past 20 years you are still headed straight to heaven.  If you had opportunity to get a hold of an old church roll book from say 100 years ago you would probabl…

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

  sense) is not the church Jesus built then how can it be a friend to Christ’s church?  It surely is in competition with Christ’s church.  If it taught the same thing Christ’s church taught, was the same in organization, work, worship, the same in every respect then it would be his church and not a denomination and yet I have never known a denominational person willing to declare that his church is the church Jesus built.  Why not?  Because that w…

• What Is Baptism (the Sprinkling Hoax)

  of no effect by your tradition.  Hypocrites!  Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:  ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.  And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”  Jesus says to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?” (Matt. 15:3 NKJV)  God’s commandm…

• Everlasting Life–The Believer of John 3:16

  ever, and is in his mind (and often in his family and friend’s minds) saved without ever offering any real concern about God’s commands or any serious obedience to them.  Many have made no real attempt in years to worship God or read his word let alone put him first in their life yet they are saved.  We go to the funeral home for visitation and we hear how this man or woman is now in a better place. Jesus never taught even once what s…

• Abraham’s Faith (Faith Accounted for Righteousness)

  ay. Personal opinion is passed off for faith in the time in which we live.  The “it seems to me” or the “I can see no wrong in it” has replaced the book, chapter, and verse word of God in our lives and worship.  Again, this is not the faith of Abraham.  “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17 NKJV)  If there is no book, chapter, and verse for a practice it is opinion, not f…

• The Book of Ecclesiastes

  art was not loyal to the Lord his God” (1 Kings 11:4 NKJV), he “did evil in the sight of the Lord” (1 Kings 11:6 NKJV), and “he did not keep what the Lord had commanded” (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 t…

• Must a Man Seek God?

  hem as long as they live what they consider to be a reasonably good life (reasonably good by their own personal standards and society’s standard).  They do not concern themselves with reading or studying the Bible, with worship, or obedience to God’s specific commandments. Whether they realize it or not this approach to salvation is an attempt to be saved by the works of man–it is an attempt to work your way to heaven based on p…

• The Wicked Shall be Turned into Hell

  to do as they please and condemns them because of their ungodly living. Recently, I heard an interesting comment made by a man.  To put into my own words what he was saying was that he liked 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.  P…

• Christ Did Not Send Paul to Baptize

  l wrote Hebrews as many believe he did in Heb. 10:22?  If baptism does not matter and Paul did not care whether people were baptized or not then why was Paul baptized?  Was more required of Paul than anyone else in becoming a Christian?  The command to Paul by Ananias, a man sent directly by the Lord himself (see Acts 9:10-16) to Paul (at that time called Saul), was “arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins.” (Acts 22:16 NKJV) M…

• Christ and Baptism in Colossians

  The fact that baptism is essential to becoming a Christian and being saved is written on page after page in the New Testament despite being rejected by most who call themselves Christians.  I have never understood how something so clearly taught can so readily be rejected by so many other than through the power that tradition and religious heritage exerts on people. Error believed has the same faith affect upon a man or woman as truth believed a…

• Misunderstanding the Grace of God

  Sometime back I had an article rejected that I had submitted to an article directory, a site that says it is a Christian article directory.  It was a short article entitled “Receiving the Gospel” which, if you like, you can find on this site and read for yourself.  It was deemed to be unfit for a Christian article directory.  The editor of the directory made it clear to me in an e-mail that he believed man was saved by grace without …

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

  217;  This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God.  And when He had spoken this, He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’” (John 21:18-19 NKJV)  No one doubts that Paul also died simply because he was a Christian, died for Christ. How does one explain this?  What gets men to go to the extremes they were willing to go to?  There was no money in it (in being a Christian), there was no power to be had in it, there was only har…

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

  this occasion.  How did they test God?  The Bible says by saying, “Is the Lord among us, or not?” (Ex. 17:7 NASB)  What can a person learn from that? We can learn to take God at his word.  The Hebrew writer tells Christians, “He himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” (Heb. 13:5 NKJV)  Will we believe that or will we not?  Will we be like the children of Israel when times get tough; will w…

• Why Men Today Cannot Be Saved Like The Thief On The Cross?

  part of the problem that causes people to misunderstand God’s plan of salvation for man is a failure to discern what we call the dispensations.  There are 3 as follows: (1) the Patriarchal, (2) the Mosaical, and (3) the Christian.  I will deal with the last two as they are the two relevant to this discussion. Jesus lived and died under the Mosaical law.  Jesus was in the fullness of time “born of a woman, born under the Law.” (G…

• The Cleansing of the Church at Ephesus

  9:2 NAS)  They respond no and that they had not even heard of the Holy Spirit.  Paul then says, “Into what then were you baptized?” (Acts 19:3 NAS)  Please note this one thing–Paul takes it for granted that if they were Christians they had been baptized.  He doesn’t ask them if they had been baptized.  Why not?  Paul doesn’t ask them because he knows what it takes to become a Christian and be saved.  “Why tarriest thou?  Arise, and be bapti…

• The Peace Found in Forgiveness of Others

  evil continually.” (Gen. 6:5 NKJV) It is easy to say that was generations ago and times have changed, we are not that way today.  Yes, easy to say but also easy to know we are deceiving ourselves when we do so.  Paul said to Christians, “do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Eph. 3:30 NKJV)  If a Christian can grieve God how about all those who know the truth of the gospel but will not obey it…

• Peter’s Second Gospel Sermon

  Most people who know anything at all about the Christian faith realize that Peter preached the first gospel sermon ever preached on the Day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2.  The second recorded sermon in the Christian dispensation of time is again a sermon preached by Peter as found in the next chapter in Acts–chapter 3.  That there was preaching being done between Peter’s first sermon and his second there is no doubt for the Bibl…

• Assorted

  This page consists of articles that do not fit well into any of the other categories listed on the menu.  Likewise with the audio sermons at the bottom of the page. Christianity and Multiculturalism Christian Wars–A Misnomer Christianity–Who Rules Reason or Emotions? The Truth So Called Christians Will Not Accept If Miracles Have Ceased–the Implications Lincoln’s Tomb and Jesus’ Tomb Abortion Luke 1 – All You …

• What Does the Phrase “My Name” Mean in the Bible?

  in order to show you my power and in order to proclaim my name through all the earth.” (NASU)  This was basically a period of history during which the world did not know God.  It was a period where the mass of humanity worshipped in ignorance–everything from mythical Gods, to nature, to the sun or moon, idols, etc.  The God of the universe, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their descendants was unknown.  It was thus God’…

• Disobedience to Jesus

  Disobedience to Jesus is far more widespread among people who call themselves Christians than what is generally recognized to be the case.  Over the years the doctrine that man is saved by grace through faith alone without any kind of works has become so prevalent in men’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….

• Peter’s Preaching and the Apostle’s Preaching

  ean the physical act of hearing but rather means to obey. To obey meant to obey what?  Well, it meant to obey all things the apostles spoke by the Holy Spirit.  What was that as it related to gospel obedience, to making one a Christian?  It included what Peter commanded in his Day of Pentecost sermon in Acts 2 preached by means of the Holy Spirit.  “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of …

• Are the New Testament Scriptures Alone a Sufficient Guide to Heaven?

  Sometimes we take it for granted that everyone who calls themselves a Christian holds the New Testament scriptures in as high a regard as we do.  However, that is not the case.  Some, while calling themselves Christians, do not believe in the all sufficiency of the New Testament scriptures to save a man.  They feel man needs more guidance and direction than can be found in the scriptures alone. Questions immediately come to my mind.  If the New …

• Israel’s Rebellion at the Red Sea

  the holy commandment delivered to them.” (2 Peter 2:20-21 NKJV) The children of Israel were ready to go back if they could do so in safety.  They wished they had never left.  Peter would call that kind of thing for the Christian as being like a sow having been washed returning to wallow in the mire. (2 Peter 2:22)  Jesus said, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62…

• Demas Has Forsaken Me

  urred years before? We have then a man who had traveled and worked with Paul, sacrificed and struggled along with him, endured the hardship a number of years, and saw with but little doubt miracles Paul performed and yet this Christian man fell away.  If under those circumstances a man can fall away then we all can.  If a man can walk with an apostle and fall away then any man can, every man can, and so the threat is real.  And threat it is for t…

• Diotrephes Loves To Have the Preeminence

  he does, prating against us with malicious words.  And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.” (3 John 1:9-10 NKJV) Diotrephes, was a Christian man whose faith failed.  In that he had the power to put brethren out of the church one suspects that he was an elder who had gained preeminence over time above the other elders.  He had become so emboldened that h…

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

  e was fed disinformation and with good reason, based on the information he was presented with, believed that which was false. Why would he disbelieve? Did he not get his information from people he had complete trust in? Every Christian ought to immediately perk his ears up when he thinks 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 bu…

• Faith and Baptism in Paul’s Preaching

  egin with that of Lydia. The story of Lydia’s conversion is so short we can quote all scripture has to say about it here:  “And a certain woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.  And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to …

• The Great Commission and Cornelius

  rences I have already alluded to.  The Corinthians were not being baptized into a relationship with Paul or any other man but with Christ and he wanted them to know that. I think it goes without saying that all are agreed the Christian has a relationship with the Holy Spirit and the scriptures also teach the same relationship with the Father and Jesus.  Hear Jesus, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word (is baptism for the remission of s…

• The Faithfulness of Jesus to God the Father

  know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” (1 Cor. 11:3 NKJV)  Paul said earlier, in the same book, “And you are Christ’s (speaking of the Corinthian Christians-–DS), and Christ is God’s.” (1 Cor. 3:23 NKJV)  When Paul wrote those words Jesus was back in heaven but if he was then subject to the Father then certainly he was subject to him earlier while on earth…

• 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, “…

• Cornelius’ Conversion–Final Thoughts

  we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.” (NKJV)  So, it is said that settles it. I went to take a look at that verse and read it in context.  Now understand I believe the Spirit abides in a Christian–that is not the point.  The point is whether it necessarily follows that because the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius that he was saved instantly at that point in time. But, I read the verse in context.  One ver…

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

  That the gospel of Christ must be believed (as well as obeyed) in order to receive Christian salvation is made abundantly clear by the apostle Paul in one of the best known passages found in the Bible–Rom. 1:16:  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Rom. 1:16 NAS)  It thus becomes essential that we learn what it is that …

• The Case of Cornelius and the Holy Spirit

  There are many who believe beyond doubt that Cornelius was saved at the time the Holy Spirit came upon him and his household.  It is a topic that ought to be discussed.  While I have written once before on this subject more needs to be said as there has been some objection to what was written.  I know of no person who claims to be a Christian who would deny the fact that the very first gospel sermon ever preached after Christ’s death, buri…

• The Kingdom of God and the New Birth–A Matter of Timing

  s given … a kingdom.” The kingdom over which he now rules is “not of this world” (John 18:36 NKJV) but rather a spiritual kingdom which will never be destroyed.  Yes, Jesus is now king in his kingdom.  Every Christian is a subject of the king of kings–Jesus, the Lord and Savior. Why has all of this been important beyond just being a history lesson?  Why bother writing such?  What does this have to do with salvation and the…

• Religious Titles Forbidden in Christianity

  notes ‘authority, eminence, superiority, a right to command, and a claim to particular respect.’  In this sense it is used here. In this sense it belongs eminently to God, and it is not right to give it to people. Christian brethren are equal.” Yes, it is true Paul said to the Corinthians, “For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten yo…

• God’s Hardening of the Human Heart

  that the door of opportunity for salvation remains open endlessly for a man.  It makes, so we think, little difference whether I obey the gospel today or twenty years from now (assuming one should live that long).  If we as a Christian are living in unfaithfulness we have much the same attitude about time.  We think I can always repent.  However, the Bible says, “Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. …

• 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…

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

  the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5 NASU) This passage has greatly troubled people over the years to the extent that many have just come to accept that which is religiously correct (political correctness in the field of the Christian religion) feeling it is a subject that is just a little too deep for them.  The real problem lies not in the difficulty of the passage but rather with theologians, scholars, commentators, and religious leaders (pre…

• The Two Covenants

  The Kingdom of God and The New Birth Abuse of the Old Testament Must the Christian Keep the Sabbath? …

• Baptized For the Dead

  God.” (1 Cor. 6:11 NKJV)  Does the word “washed” here remind you of the word “wash” as in “wash away your sins” (Acts 22:16), the words of Ananias to Paul when he was yet known as Saul.  So the church at Corinth, meaning each Christian in it, had been washed of their sins the same way Paul himself had in the waters of baptism where the blood of Jesus is contacted spiritually. What does all of this have to do with 1 Cor. 15:29 and the baptism for …

• New Birth

  Born Again at the Point of Faith – John 1:12-13 Paul’s Conversion (Justified by Faith) What Does the Phrase “Born of Water and the Spirit” Mean? The Kingdom of God and The New Birth The New Birth and Water A New Creation in Christ The Truth So Called Christians Will Not Accept Audio Sermons (by Waymon Swain) Born Again When One Obeys the Gospel Things That Happen With Gospel Obedience Why I Am a Christian Keeping The C…

• The Church

  Things People Do Not Know About the Church How Does One Get Into the Church Christ Built? Saved by Jesus Outside the Church Jesus the Foundation of and Builder of the Church One Church–A Thing Hard to Accept Which Denomination Did Jesus Build? The Church as the Family of God–Things Found in It The Church Christ Built–Marks of Identification Can One be Just a Christian in Christ’s Church Without being in a Denomination? Ch…

• Faith

  ead or is Faith Folly? Audio Sermons  (by Waymon Swain) Faith–What it is And What it Does (Part I) Faith–What it is And What it Does (Part II) Test of Faith What Faith Is and Does Why We Believe in God Why I Am a Christian Things God Has Joined Together …

• Baptism

  rist The Grace of God in Baptism How Was Noah Saved Through Water? The Cleansing of the Church at Ephesus The Washing of Water by the Word–Baptism and Salvation A New Creation in Christ Christ and Baptism in Colossians Christian Circumcision Christ Did Not Send Paul to Baptize Faith and Baptism in Paul’s Preaching Is Denominational Baptism Scriptural? What Does the Phrase “Born of Water and the Spirit” Mean? The New Birth…

• DennySmith.Net

  Welcome to my website, DennySmith.Net.  DennySmith.Net is a repository for my personal writings on God’s word, Christian articles if you will, and the audio sermons of Waymon Swain of Bastrop, Louisiana.  Waymon is a gospel preacher I have known since childhood, a man who has been preaching for approximately 60 years now.  In addition I have also listed under the “Resource Sites” link at the top of each page links to other webs…

• Receiving the Gospel (Acts 2:41)

  emotion often overcomes the ability to think and reason correctly.  We have so much invested in a false proposition we will not allow our minds to even think it could be otherwise or even consider such a thing.  However, the Christian religion is based on truth (not error), and the overcoming of self, and acceptance of God which means accepting what he says.  You can obey Jesus by obeying the words of Peter if you will.  Emotions can change over…

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

  as that believers were baptized.  When we believe the words of Peter preaching by inspiration in Acts 2:38, we readily see why that was the case.  What did Paul preach to Lydia?  We all agree he taught the fundamentals of the Christian faith.  With Paul, as with the other evangelists of his day, that included baptism for the remission of sins.  The text says Lydia was baptized along with her household (Acts 16:15) but when did she do this and why…

• Is Holy Spirit Baptism The Baptism That Saves?

  r John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’” (Acts 1:3-5 NKJV)  Thus the promise of the baptism of the Holy Spirit was only to a select few, not to all Christians.  Many received spiritual gifts, and thus had the Holy Spirit in that sense, but the promise of the baptism of the Holy Spirit was only to those few Jesus chose.  I remind the reader that while Holy Spirit baptism…

• The Grace of God in Baptism

  Most Americans of a Christian persuasion believe that baptism has little to nothing to do with the grace of God. One wonders have they never read Titus 3:4-7? The truth about God’s grace and its tie in with baptism is clearly set forth in Paul’s passage to Titus which reads as follows: “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he s…

• 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…

• Gospel Obedience at Corinth

  e likely there would be those claiming to be of Paul and Paul wanted no part of this division in the church that was occurring.  His point is that men are baptized into Christ, not into a man, and thus should wear the name of Christian only.  There is no such thing as being of Paul, or of Apollos, or of Cephas and it is wrong to claim allegiance to such and divide the church.  (2) The second thing we must understand is that just because Paul did …

• Born Again At The Point Of Faith – John 1:12-13

  John 1:12-13 from the New American Standard Version:  “(12) But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name:  (13) who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will on man, but of God.” [verse numbers added by me for clarification—DS] Many believe that they are born again (become Christians) at the moment they come to believe in Jesus as t…

• If Miracles Have Ceased–the Implications

  ve in those things and make no claim to have them?  A Pentecostal would have a hard task ahead of him, if he was to be consistent in his teaching, to make any claim that a church that did not have and exercise these gifts was Christian.  He would have to deny it if he was to be logical and consistent in his teaching.  I add, however, I make no claim for logic or consistency in what passes for Christianity in today’s denominational world.  I…

• Fornication–Take It Lightly at Your Peril

  who has done this deed might be taken away from among you…deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” (1 Cor. 5:2-5 NKJV)  This was a man who was a Christian but who stood condemned because of his fornication. Today we celebrate, or are expected to, the birth of children born of fornication.  Now do not get me wrong, such babies are deserving of all love, care, kindness…

• Work Out Your Own Salvation

  s in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:12-13 NKJV) Is this a correct translation of the Greek text?  It is according to the American Standard Version of 1901, the English Standard Version, the Holman Christian Standard, the International Standard Version, the New International Version, the King James, the New King James, the New American Standard, the New American Standard Update, the NET, and the Revised Standard Versio…

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

  e 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), with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Cor. 3:18 NKJV)  As Paul s…

• Old Testament Studies

  Abuse of the Old Testament The Book of Ecclesiastes King Saul–As Long as it Glorifies God Canaan and Heaven–How God Gives Must the Christian Keep the Sabbath? Spiritual Mirages  (a lesson from Jeremiah) Audio Sermons (by Waymon Swain) Moses–The Fork in the Road When Your Walking Stick Comes Home The Valley of Dry Bones The Weaver’s Shuttle Remove Not the Ancient Landmarks On to Canaan But He Lingered The Day of Decision …

• He Went Away Grieved

  h regards to the rich, “Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” (NKJV) The Christian life is about doing good.  John says, “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (1 John 3:17 NKJV)  Those who are ri…

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

  l it something like the Age of Enlightenment but if memory serves me correct that appellation has already been taken.  Oh, well, maybe we can find another that will flatter us just as well. The subject of this little piece is Christianity, homosexuality, and gay marriage and what we are going to do with what the Bible has to say about it all.  There is really no need to discuss it for it is becoming more obvious what we are going to do with it ev…

• Healing For the Brokenhearted

  .  “Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.”  (2 Thess. 3:16 NKJV)  When the scripture says give you peace in every way that includes overcoming heart break. Christians are told to “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:15 NASU)  One needs grace to heal a broken heart.  It is a t…

• Though He Slay Me

  ionate and merciful.” I am reminded of Paul’s words in Rom. 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (NKJV)  He is speaking to Christians. Do you ever despair in your life?  I know Paul did at least once.  He said in 2 Cor. 1:8-9, speaking of the trouble he had in Asia, “we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of l…

• The Fragrance of Christ

  ere Lord over all his creation.  Strange how smells can direct one to thoughts of God but then God created them that way.  Nature is a witness of God (Rom. 1:20, also read God’s answer to Job beginning in Job 38). If we are a Christian when we think of Christ the thought of him should have the same kind of effect on us as the aromas we have been talking about.  It is pleasant to think about Christ.  Like the pleasant smells of a country evening i…

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

  Is a man saved by faith or saved by Holy Spirit baptism?  I personally do not believe either but there are many advocates of one or the other.  (Yes, I believe faith is essential but just not that it is the final step to salvation.) There are a number of people in what is commonly called the Christian community who are thoroughly convinced that one is saved by Holy Spirit baptism.  I do not believe they are in the majority but they are out ther…

• Faith, Manna, and Grumbling Against God

  In 1 Cor. 10:10 the Christian is commanded to not grumble (NASB).  Taken in context (1 Cor. 10:1-11) the passage is telling us not to follow the example of the children of Israel in the things they did of which grumbling against God was one and which thing seemed to be a national pastime.  If you read the book of Exodus you soon learn they were continually grumbling against God.  They were a dissatisfied and unhappy lot and their dissatisfaction…

• For By Grace You Have Been Saved Through Faith Alone

  t the symbols are supposed to mean for the Bible does not tell them).  Paul could not have literally meant that a man enters Christ by baptism no matter what he said about it for that would mean one had to be baptized to be a Christian, to be in Christ, the very thing they deny.  They thus pit Paul against himself by their man made tradition. Paul was baptized to wash away his sins (Acts 22:16) and taught that one enters Christ by baptism.  He sa…

• Faith in the New Testament–Different Meanings

  it.  Faith is the motivating factor for the man or woman of God.  People act on God’s word because they believe it.  When one does not believe one does not obey.  This disbelief is one reason so many who claim the name Christian are never baptized.  They do not believe what the Bible says about it.  Others who do believe are baptized. Actually, the Hebrew writer explains this earlier in the book.  In Hebrews chapter 3 the writer is talking…

• I Can Do All Things Through Christ

  ” (Acts 9:5 NKJV) Without word from Jesus (although Paul did not know that this was Jesus until Jesus told him) Saul might well have left thinking he was being punished by the loss of his sight for not doing enough to destroy Christianity for remember Paul was thoroughly convinced that the course of action he had been pursuing was the course God would have him pursue that course being to persecute and destroy Christians and the Christian faith. T…

• 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…

• Who Governs the Church if We Follow the Bible?

  Who governs the church ought to matter a great deal to all those who want to be Christians and Christians only by following what the Bible says.  I know of no other way to be just a Christian, that and nothing more, other than to follow the Bible as closely as humanly possible.  That means one must ignore the traditions of men in religion and must ignore all teachings that cannot be found in book, chapter, and verse in the New Testament. Too oft…

• A Good and Pure Conscience

  t which we let slide and failed to do when we knew we should have stepped in and acted. Of course, we have to remember that having a good conscience by itself does not mean we are right with God.  If so in ages past those who worshipped idols, offered human sacrifice, and even cannibals in the distant jungles of Africa and Southeast Asia were justified.  Their cultures said those things were right and thus their conscience did not bother them by …

• Parable of the Tares–No Middle Ground

  wheat.  There is no middle ground to be had.  One is either a tare or wheat and which one it is makes all the difference in the world. Let us say for the sake of argument the parable is a reference to the church and the saved Christians in it (the wheat) versus those who are ungodly characters in it (the tares).  There is no middle ground there and to bring the point home if the ungodly in the church are not to be saved (and they are not) then wh…

• Why Men Do Not Believe

  in God believe in something and whatever that is becomes to them a form of religion.  For some it was communism in years gone by, for others Nazism.  The Bible even describes covetousness as being idolatry thus a God that is worshipped. We also learn from Paul’s case that truth is not dependent on my feelings about it. I may well be totally opposed to the truth in all good conscience but that will not make my error into truth nor will it t…

• The Conscience as a Witness

  ing them?  Their conscience, yes, but the conscience was the heart.  Their hearts were pricking them. We find the same thing on the Day of Pentecost when Peter preached the first gospel sermon and the first converts under the Christian dispensation were made.  Peter preached to them in a way to convince them that not only was Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, but that they were guilty of putting him to death (Acts 2:23,36).  The Bible says when t…

• Repentance–How Can I Be Sure?

  t.” (Acts 2:36 NKJV)  See also Acts 2:23.  They were guilty of crucifying the Lord as much as Judas was and yet we see later in that same chapter 3,000 of them repenting of that sin that very day, being baptized, and becoming Christians.  Judas could have done that also but he chose another course.  Peter, while he had denied the Lord after the Lord’s arrest, came back to the Lord. There are a couple of lessons here for us.  (1) Do not under esti…