Faith & Obedience: A Defense of Biblical Authority (CENI)

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God has the authority to establish an objective standard, and man’s responsibility is to respect that standard without adding to it or taking away from it.

Biblical authority establishes the boundaries of salvation, worship, morality, and righteousness. It does not give us permission to turn personal preferences, expedients, or liberties into tests of fellowship. In fact, compelling others to accept our liberties can become another form of human authority.

The Integrity of Obedience: A Defense of Biblical Authority (CENI)
For generations, the framework known as CENI (Command, Approved Example, Necessary Inference) has been criticized as a cold, legalistic system that reduces Christianity to a checklist of rules. Critics sometimes suggest that those who use CENI are concerned only with the outward mechanics of church organization and worship while neglecting the heart, love, grace, and the deeper matters of Christian living.
That is an unfair characterization of both the framework and the biblical principles behind it.
CENI is not a system for earning salvation. It is not a substitute for faith, love, or a sincere heart. It is a way of recognizing and respecting the authority God exercises through His revealed Word.
The real question is not whether God has the right to establish His expectations. The question is whether we have the right to change them.
Jesus said:
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17)
If God’s Word is truth, then our responsibility is to understand it accurately, respect its authority, and obey it faithfully. We must neither add to it nor take away from it.

1) Biblical Authority Applies to the Whole Christian Life
One criticism of CENI is that it supposedly regulates the external activities of the church while ignoring the heart and personal morality. But this creates a false distinction. The same principles used to understand God’s instructions concerning worship and church organization also apply to faith, love, morality, and righteousness.
God has not given us separate standards of authority for different areas of life.

The Heart
Jesus commanded:
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (Matthew 22:37)
That is a command. God does not merely suggest that we love Him. He requires it.
But God also makes clear that outward obedience without inward devotion is insufficient.
“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” (Matthew 15:8)
The problem was not that these people lacked religious activity. Their problem was that their hearts were not right with God.
Paul describes the proper relationship between obedience and the heart:
“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.” (Romans 6:17)
Notice that they obeyed a form of doctrine, but they did so from the heart. Biblical obedience is neither empty ritual nor mere emotional sincerity. It is a heart that willingly submits to God’s revealed will.

Morality and Righteousness
God’s instructions concerning morality are no less authoritative than His instructions concerning worship.
Paul taught that our bodies belong to God and must be used accordingly:
“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:20)
God establishes what is right and wrong. Our culture, feelings, and personal preferences do not have the authority to redefine His standards.
Romans 12:1-2 connects the presentation of our bodies as living sacrifices with the transformation of our minds. God expects both inward transformation and outward conduct.
The same authority that governs our worship governs our morality. We cannot claim that God has the right to regulate one while reserving the other for human judgment.

Faith and Obedience
Jesus asked:
“Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46)
That question exposes the weakness of a faith that professes Christ’s authority while refusing to submit to His instructions.
Hebrews 5:9 describes Jesus as:
“the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.”
James 2:17 teaches that faith without works is dead.
Biblical faith is more than intellectual agreement. It is trust that responds to God’s authority.
CENI does not create this expectation. Scripture does. CENI helps us recognize what God has communicated and what He expects us to obey.

2) Commands, Examples, and Necessary Inferences Are Biblical Ways of Understanding God’s Will
CENI is not a claim that the Bible contains a four-letter formula. The acronym is a human description of principles that are found throughout Scripture.
God communicates through commands, approved examples, and necessary implications.
Consider how Jesus reasoned in Matthew 22:31-32. He used God’s statement concerning Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to establish the truth of the resurrection.
Jesus did not limit His understanding to the exact words of the statement. He recognized what those words necessarily established.
That is necessary inference.
The same basic reasoning is unavoidable whenever we interpret communication. We recognize what is commanded, examine what is demonstrated, and understand what necessarily follows from what has been revealed.
However, there is an important distinction between a necessary conclusion and a possible conclusion.
A necessary inference is something that must be true if the statements of Scripture are true. It is not simply something that seems reasonable to us.
We must be careful not to elevate our own deductions to the authority of God’s Word.
Likewise, we must recognize that not every example is automatically a binding pattern. We must examine its context, purpose, and relationship to the instructions God has given.
The strength of CENI depends upon applying these principles accurately.
The disagreement among Christians is often not whether commands, examples, and inferences exist. It is how those principles establish the limits of divine authorization.
That is where careful Bible study is necessary.

3) God’s Authority Is Not Limited to the Areas We Prefer
The irony of many objections to CENI is that those who reject its application still rely upon the same basic principles of communication.
When someone argues that love, mercy, and grace are central to Christianity, where did that conclusion come from?
They examined what Jesus said, considered His actions, and drew conclusions from what Scripture teaches.
They used commands, examples, and inferences.
The real disagreement is often over how those principles should be applied.
Some are willing to insist upon precision when discussing morality but become uncomfortable when the same precision is applied to worship or church organization.
Others readily acknowledge that God has established requirements for salvation but resist the idea that He has also established requirements for corporate worship.
Why should we treat these areas differently?
If God has spoken, we must listen. If He has specified, we must respect what He specified. If He has left a matter to our judgment, we must not pretend that He has commanded something He has not.
We must be equally careful in both directions.
Jesus condemned those who made the commandments of God void through their traditions (Matthew 15:3-9). Colossians 2:20-23 also warns against human regulations being imposed as though they were divine requirements.
The problem is not precision. The problem is claiming authority that God has not given us.
We must not loosen God’s requirements, and we must not bind our own preferences upon others.

4) Grace Does Not Eliminate Human Responsibility
One of the most common objections to obedience is that it supposedly contradicts salvation by grace.
But Scripture never presents grace and obedience as enemies.
Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches that salvation is by grace through faith, not of works, lest any man should boast.
But the very next verse says:
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)
Grace does not eliminate obedience. It gives us the opportunity to be saved and teaches us how to live.
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” (Titus 2:11-12)
The distinction is between earning salvation and responding to God’s grace.
No one can purchase salvation. No one can make God indebted to him. But God has the authority to establish the conditions under which His gift is received.

Consider the response God requires in the gospel:
• Faith (John 8:24).
• Repentance (Acts 2:38).
• Confession (Romans 10:9-10).
• Baptism (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21).
• Faithfulness (Revelation 2:10).

These are not human inventions. They are biblical instructions.
Why would someone accept that God requires faith and repentance but dismiss His instructions concerning baptism?
Jesus said:
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” (Mark 16:16)
Peter commanded:
“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” (Acts 2:38)
Paul described the Romans as having obeyed from the heart a form of doctrine and then being made free from sin (Romans 6:17-18).
The question is not whether obedience earns salvation. It does not.
The question is whether we will respect what God says about receiving His salvation.
We must not dismiss a divine instruction simply because we have placed it in a category called works.

5) Intellectual Agreement Is Not the Same as Saving Faith
James makes a powerful observation:
“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” (James 2:19)
The demons recognized certain truths about God. Their intellectual acknowledgment did not constitute saving faith.
This is an important distinction.
A person can correctly identify Jesus as the Son of God and still refuse to submit to His authority.
Jesus made this clear:
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)
The issue is not merely what we believe about Jesus. It is whether we submit to what He teaches.
This principle also applies to fellowship and our treatment of false teaching.
Second John warns against going beyond the doctrine of Christ:
“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.” (2 John 9)
John then warns against receiving or supporting those who bring not this doctrine (2 John 10-11).
This is not a warning about personal preferences or differences over expedients. It is a warning about departing from the doctrine of Christ.
Second Peter 2 gives an equally serious warning. Peter describes false teachers who bring in destructive heresies, deny the Lord who bought them, and lead others into destructive error (2 Peter 2:1-3).
He does not treat false teaching as an innocent difference of opinion. He warns of its consequences.
These passages establish that truth matters. Doctrine matters. Remaining within the teaching of Christ matters.
We cannot claim that love requires us to overlook departures from the truth God has revealed.
But neither can we use these passages as permission to turn every disagreement into a fellowship issue. We must establish from Scripture that the matter actually involves a departure from God’s revealed will.
Our standard must be God’s standard, not our personal preferences.

6) God Has Established an Objective Standard for Salvation, Worship, and Righteousness
This is where the integrity of biblical authority becomes especially important.
God has not left Christianity to be defined by personal opinion, majority preference, or individual interpretation without boundaries.
He has revealed His will.

Salvation
God has revealed what He requires of those who come to Him through Christ. We cannot remove baptism, repentance, or faithful living from the gospel simply because someone considers those requirements inconvenient or unnecessary.

Corporate Worship
God has revealed how His people are to worship Him. We must respect the instructions and examples of the New Testament rather than replacing them with practices that seem more appealing to us.
John 4:24 teaches that worship must be in spirit and in truth. First Corinthians 11-14 and other passages provide instruction concerning the church’s assembled worship.
The question is not what we prefer. It is what God has authorized.

Morality and Righteousness
God has established standards for our conduct, relationships, speech, sexuality, honesty, and treatment of others.
We cannot redefine sin according to changing cultural standards.

The Church
Christ is the head of His church (Ephesians 1:22-23). He has authority over its identity, organization, work, and teaching.
The church does not belong to us. We are not free to redesign it according to our preferences.
These areas are not matters of personal liberty. They concern what God has revealed and what He expects His people to respect.
There is an objective standard because there is an objective authority.

7) Biblical Unity Must Not Be Destroyed by Human Preferences
Here is where an important distinction must be made.
Not everything involved in carrying out a command is itself a separate command.
God sometimes gives specific instructions. At other times, He gives general instructions that require us to make practical decisions about how to accomplish them.
We must distinguish between what God has required and the expedients we use to carry out what He has required.
An expedient is not a new doctrine. It is a practical means of accomplishing something God has authorized.
For example, when God commands us to assemble, decisions about the location, time, and other practical arrangements may involve judgment. Those decisions do not automatically become additional divine requirements.
The danger comes when someone takes a liberty or expedient and makes it a test of faithfulness or fellowship.
We must not compel the minority to accept a preference simply because the majority favors it.
Nor should we divide over matters God has left to individual judgment.
Romans 14 teaches us to exercise care in matters of individual liberty. We must not despise one another, judge one another unfairly, or use our freedom in a way that destroys another brother.
Romans 14:19 gives us an important principle:
“Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.”
This does not mean that truth can be sacrificed for peace. Romans 14 is not permission to disregard God’s commands or approve false doctrine.
It means that where God has allowed liberty, we must not turn that liberty into a law for everyone else.
There is a difference between standing firmly for what God has commanded and insisting that everyone must follow our personal judgment about how to accomplish it.
The first is faithfulness. The second can become human legislation.
We should be careful not to create the very division we claim to oppose.

8) The Goal Is Not to Win Arguments. It Is to Respect God’s Authority.
CENI should never become a badge of superiority or a weapon for condemning everyone who disagrees with us.
It is not about proving that we are smarter, more precise, or more faithful than someone else.
It is about recognizing that God has spoken and that we are accountable for what He has revealed.


There are two dangers we must avoid:
First, we must not take away from God’s Word by dismissing instructions that He has given.
Second, we must not add to God’s Word by binding human opinions, traditions, and preferences as though they were divine commandments.
Both errors disrespect God’s authority.

The faithful Christian seeks to understand what God has said, what He has demonstrated, and what necessarily follows from His revelation.
He does not seek loopholes to avoid obedience. Neither does he seek opportunities to impose his own preferences upon others.
He recognizes that salvation is by grace, that faith must be obedient, that worship must respect divine authority, and that morality and righteousness are established by God rather than man.
Paul’s instruction in 1 Corinthians 4:6 is worth remembering:
“That ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written.”
That is the spirit we need.

The Integrity of Obedience
CENI is not the source of biblical authority. God is.
CENI is a way of recognizing the authority God has communicated through His Word. Its principles are not limited to church organization or worship. They apply to salvation, faith, love, morality, righteousness, and every other area in which God has revealed His will.
We cannot claim to love God while reserving the right to disregard His instructions.
We cannot claim to honor the authority of Christ while treating His teaching as optional.
And we cannot claim to defend biblical unity while compelling others to accept our personal preferences as though they were commands from God.

The goal is not rigid traditionalism. It is not unrestricted individualism. It is not a compromise between truth and preference.


The goal is faithful submission to God’s revealed will.

Jesus asked:
“Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46)
That question deserves an answer from every one of us.
If He is Lord, then His Word must be our standard.
If His Word is truth, then truth must govern our salvation, our worship, our morality, and our fellowship.
And if we love Him, we should be willing to listen carefully, obey sincerely, and give one another the liberty that He has given us.
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17)

All Spiritual Blessings in Christ: HOPE

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“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph 1:3)

When we look at the world around us, it is easy to see that everything has an expiration date. Buildings crumble, clothes wear out, and even our physical bodies grow old and tired. Because of this, humanity has always searched for something that lasts. The New Testament reveals that God has provided exactly what we are looking for. It is a spiritual blessing called the hope of eternal life, and it is a gift designed specifically for the saints.

To truly appreciate this blessing, we have to understand what the New Testament means by “hope.” In our everyday language, hope is often just a wish. We hope it does not rain tomorrow, or we hope our favorite team wins a game. But in the scriptures, hope is not a guessing game. It is a deep, confident expectation based on the promises of God. It is an anchor for the soul because God cannot lie (Heb 6:19). Eternal life is not just about living forever in terms of time. It is about a completely new quality of life, free from pain, sorrow, and separation from our Creator (Rev 21:4).

However, the New Testament is very specific about who receives this spiritual blessing. This incredible promise is not a general guarantee for everyone. It belongs exclusively to those who are “in Christ.” The Apostle Paul explains that all spiritual blessings are found only within this specific relationship (Eph 1:3).

So, how does a person get into Christ to receive this hope? The scriptures give a clear and direct answer: we are baptized into Him. In the book of Romans, the text asks if we know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death. It goes on to say that just as Christ was raised from the dead, we also walk in newness of life.

Baptism for the remission of sins is the moment where a person is united with Jesus. Galatians confirms this by stating that as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. You can think of it like entering a house. If all the treasures, safety, and warmth are inside the house, you cannot enjoy them while standing out on the porch. Baptism is the doorway that God established to place a believer inside Christ, where the blessing of eternal life lives. “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38; cf 22:16).

Living as a saint means living with this future reality in mind every single day. The word saint simply means someone who is set apart for God’s purposes. It is not a title for a select few super-heroes of faith. It applies to every person who has been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus.

For these saints, the hope of eternal life changes how they view tough times. When life gets difficult, the New Testament reminds believers that their current suffering cannot compare to the glory that will be revealed later (2Cor 4:16-18). This perspective keeps people from giving up. It gives them the strength to love others, do good deeds, and stay faithful, even when the world around them is chaotic.

Ultimately, the spiritual blessing of eternal life is about a restored relationship. Human beings were created to be close to God, but sin separated us from Him. Through Jesus, that barrier is destroyed. Those who hear the message, believe in Him, and are baptized into Christ receive the ultimate inheritance. They no longer have to fear the end of this physical life. Instead, they can look forward to an eternity of joy, peace, and fellowship with God. It is a certain, beautiful future wrapped up entirely in Jesus Christ.

Agape
spencer

Bearing Fruit: the Fruit of the Spirit pt1

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

No discussion is complete without talking about the “fruit of the Spirit” listed in Galatians 5. Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit through nine qualities. We will examine them three at a time.

Technically Paul isn’t necessarily giving us nine separate “fruits” in the way a produce stand has nine different kinds of apples. He gives one description of the Spirit-produced character of the Christian, expressed through these qualities.

The fruit of the Spirit is produced in the lives of those who belong to Christ as they walk according to the Spirit’s revealed will. “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

Abiding in Christ includes keeping His commandments: “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love” (John 15:10).

It’s so easy to understand. As we learn God’s will through the Word and submit our lives to it, the character described as the fruit of the Spirit should increasingly be seen in our lives. These fruits of the Spirit are to be expected when we from faith walk in the Spirit. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2Timothy 3:16-17).

The first fruit is LOVE. There are a few different Greek words that are translated as “love.” This one is , which is the New Testament term for selfless, and sacrificial love. Unlike emotional or romantic affection, it is a word used in the New Testament for love that expresses itself in seeking the good of others. (1Cor 13:4-7; John 14:15; 1John 4:9-11)

This can be seen in the commands of Jesus surrounding love. We are to Love the LORD with all our heart, soul, mind, & strength (Mark 12:30). We are to love ONE another as saints & brethren (1Thess 4:9). We are to love our NEIGHBORS as ourselves which places a high value on them, (Matt 22:39). We are to love our ENEMIES, (Luke 6:35).

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (1John 4:7-11).

The second is JOY. in Galatians 5:22 means joy or gladness; specifically a deep, calm delight and inner gladness. As a fruit of the Spirit it must then be a result of knowing what good things we have in Christ revealed to us through the word by the Holy Spirit. This joy can remain even despite difficult circumstances. “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:2-3). In another place we find joy in knowing brethren are walking in truth (2John 1:4; 3John 1:3). This joy is exemplified by Paul while in a Roman prison, knowing the Gospel is being preached; “What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice” (Phil 1:18). The Bible doesn’t teach that Christians are supposed to be emotionally happy about every circumstance. Rather, joy can remain despite circumstances because it rests upon something deeper than circumstances.

The third is PEACE. The Greek word <eirēnē> means peace. In Scripture, peace can describe reconciliation with God as well as the settled peace believers can have in Christ. This peace is rooted in the reconciliation God has provided through Christ. Paul reminds Christians that this reconciliation is something in which they must continue by remaining grounded and settled in the faith. “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;” (Colossians 1:20-23).

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2Cor 3:18).

Agape
spencer

Why we just SING.

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Answering why the churches of Christ sing acapella in the worship.

4 reasons why we JUST SING SONGS.

1) Singing Is Specifically Commanded
God has specifically commanded us to sing in worship. Ephesians 5:19 says, “SPEAKING to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.” Supporting this, Colossians 3:16 instructs us “teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord”, and James 5:13 tells the cheerful to “sing praise.” The New Testament repeatedly SPECIFIES SINGING in the church’s worship.

SPECIFIC IS TERRIFIC, for it tells us exactly what God wants. When God gives a SPECIFIC command, it eliminates all other options.

2) We Sing to One Another to Instruct and Admonish
Our singing is not for entertainment purposes; it is mutual teaching. Colossians 3:16 commands, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly… teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” Ephesians 5:19 adds that we SPEAK to one another in these songs, and 1 Corinthians 14:15 shows that when the church gathers, we sing with understanding. We sing to instruct and encourage one another. Instruments cannot fulfil that command.

3) We Sing with Our Natural Voice Connected to the Heart
We use the natural voice God gave us because true worship flows from the heart. Mark 7:15-21 teaches that what comes out of a person defiles or honors God, for “from within, out of the heart of man,” come the things that matter. Ephesians 5:19 says we make melody “with your heart,” and Colossians 3:16 says we sing “with thankfulness in your hearts.” This heartfelt vocal praise was so universal in the early church that the practice itself became known as a cappella “in the style of the chapel.” Instrumental music in worship is a relatively young idea.

4) We Sing with Grace, Gratitude, and Gladness
Christian singing is filled with grace, gratitude, and gladness. Colossians 3:16 tells us to sing “with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Hebrews 13:15 calls us to “offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name,” and James 5:13 says, “Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.” We lift our voices with grateful hearts, and gladness of heart for the great things God has done.

I’ve spoken to all kinds of folks from the religious world… NONE, NOT ONE, NADA, ZIP have ever said that our worship would violate their conscience if they attended. They ALL AGREE that acapella singing in the church is authorized, accepted, and alright.

agape

seb

Do Not Think…?

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Would it surprise you that Jesus told some folks, “Do Not Think.” He wasn’t telling folks to pursue ignorance, rather it was about wrong thinking.

Jesus was addressing the root of folk’s wrong thinking; it stemmed from their ignorance about what has been revealed in scripture leading to errors in thought & actions. Here are a few examples…

“Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matthew 5:17). The first-century Jewish leaders viewed Jesus as a rebel against the law of Moses. Their thinking was wrong.

“Do not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). Folks then, and still today, wrongly think that the Messiah’s role is something it is not. Jesus emphatically states that following Him will divide even close relationships. Paul would warn Timothy that those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus would face persecution (2Tim 3:12).

“Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust” (John 5:45). The error thinking of that time gave some a false sense of security, but it missed what the Old Testament was declaring (Deut 18:18-19). Being in opposition to Jesus put them in opposition to Moses, the one in whom they placed their trust. John spoke similarly addressing their thoughts of security (as seen in a lack of repentance) based on genealogical connection to Abraham. “Do not say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham” (Matthew 3:9; cf. Luke 13:3, 5).

The epistles also address the issue of wrong thinking. Some were thinking about men higher than they ought, and thinking too highly of themselves! (Romans 12:3; 1Corinthians 3:18; 4:6;). It’s clear that our thinking needs to be tested with scripture to avoid Wrong Thinking.

Maybe our thinking stinks because of the information we’re inputting. You’ve heard the old saying, “garbage in garbage out.” Our culture is being overwhelmed with ideas, propaganda, and false information from every direction. Any person with a smart phone and internet connection can blast out any opinion about anything without any concern for whether it’s true or not. It’s especially dangerous when people spout error about spiritual themes. Jesus addressed this once with those who thought there was no resurrection from the dead. He identified the source of their Wrong Thinking. “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God” (Matthew 22:29).

The truth sets us free from such error (John 8:31-32). God’s word is truth (John 17:17). Reading and studying God’s word equips us and shields us from error and builds up our minds in faith to think and speak aright (Romans 12:2; Proverbs 15:2). Not only do we need to test every spirit, “because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1John 4:1; 1Thess 5:21), but we also need to test our own selves. “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? –unless indeed you are disqualified” (2Corinthians 13:5).

The advice of the ancients is still sound today. Let us search the scriptures daily to find out if these things being spoken are so (Acts 17:11).

Agape
spencer

A Hero of Faith: Aristarchus

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-A companion of Paul  

Aristarchus may not be the most familiar name to us, but his name shows up a handful of times (Acts 19:29; 20:4; 27:2; Col 4:10; Phm 1:24), and those mentions paint a picture of a solid, steady guy who stuck with Paul through some of the toughest stretches of the early church. He was from Thessalonica, a Macedonian city where the gospel took root under heavy pressure right from the start (Acts 17:1-10). That background may help to explain a lot about how he kept going when things got rough.

The church in Thessalonica was born in the middle of a riot. Paul preached Jesus as the Messiah for a few weeks, people believed, and jealous opponents stirred up a mob (that sounds familiar). They dragged believers before the authorities and forced Paul to leave town by night. The new Christians there faced ongoing affliction from their own people, yet they held on with joy and faith that Paul later praised (1Thess 1-2). Aristarchus came out of that environment. He knew from the beginning that following Christ comes with a cost, yet he followed anyway.

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2Timothy 3:12)

He was with Paul in Ephesus as a furious crowd grabbed him and Gaius and hauled them into the theater during a riot over the gospel threatening the idol trade. He was publicly tied to Paul and the message (Acts 19:29). Later he traveled long distances with Paul, perhaps helping to carry the collection to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4-7). Later, he boarded the ship with Paul (and Luke) as the apostle headed under guard toward Rome. That voyage turned into a shipwreck (Acts 27:2-44). And by the time Paul wrote from prison in Rome, Aristarchus was right there with him, called a fellow prisoner and a fellow worker.

“Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you…” (Colossians 4:10)

How does a person keep showing up for all that? It starts with a faith that took root in Thessalonica. When we have a big enough why, we can endure any how. He is the opposite of the stony ground Jesus spoke about in Mark 4:16-17, the ground where those with a shallow faith shrivel and die when persecution comes. Aristarchus had seen it. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is worth it. When the Ephesian mob seized him, his faith saw him through. When the Euroclydon crashed upon that ship, faith has hope that goes beyond the fear of death (2Tim 1:7; 1Cor 15:55-57). When the shackles of imprisonment confined him, it didn’t confine his faith, nor stop him from caring about the brethren (Col 4:10).

“Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.” (2Timothy 2:9)

Aristarchus was the steady companion who kept walking beside Paul year after year. From Macedonia to Asia, from the theater in Ephesus to the storms at sea, from free travel to prison walls, he remained. The lesson for us is that the same faith that held him through these trials can hold us through ours. That hope carries a person farther than comfort ever could. For the sake of Christ and the gospel, Aristarchus accepted risk, inconvenience, and suffering. His recognition and reward come from the Lord.

“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2Timothy 4:8).

In a world that still throws riots, storms, and hard seasons at followers of Jesus, his quiet endurance speaks loudly. Faith that keeps going when the pressure rises. That’s the kind of hero the early church needed, and the kind we still need today.

Agape

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All Spiritual Blessings: We are SAVED

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“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are SAVED, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.” (1Cor 15:1-2)

What Does It Mean to Be Saved?
Being saved is one of the most important ideas in the New Testament. It means God rescues people through Jesus Christ. He pulls them out of trouble with sin, death, and judgment. He brings them into a new relationship with Himself and gives them real hope. The New Testament shows this rescue in clear ways.

Our Sins are washed away
When the Bible talks about being saved, it starts with sins being cleaned off. Sin separates people from God (Isaiah 59:2). Jesus came to take them away. In Acts 22:16 Saul (later the Apostle Paul) is told, “Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” Acts 2:38 says the same idea: repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. 1Corinthians 6:11 tells believers they were washed and made clean in the name of the Lord Jesus. The blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin (1 John 1:7). Water Baptism is the point where the New Testament shows this washing happening as a person calls on Jesus through faith (Rom 10:13).

We have Atonement through Christ (restoration back to God)
Atonement means God brings people back into a right relationship with Himself. Sin made us enemies of God. Jesus fixed that through His death. Romans 5:10 says that while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son. 2Corinthians 5:18-19 explains that God was reconciling the world to Himself through Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. Colossians 1:20-22 says Jesus made peace by the blood of His cross and reconciled us through His death. Being saved means God restores the broken connection between God and man.

We have Victory over death
Death does not get the last word for people who are saved. Jesus rose from the dead and defeated it. 1Corinthians 15:54-57 says death is swallowed up in victory, and God gives us the victory through Jesus. Romans 6:9 tells us that death no longer has power over Jesus, and the same power reaches those who belong to Him. Hebrews 2:14-15 says Jesus destroyed the one who had the power of death and set free those who lived in fear of it. John 11:25 records Jesus saying, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” Salvation includes this win over death.

We have Eternal life
Being saved means receiving eternal life as a gift. John 3:16 is plain: whoever believes in Jesus will not perish but have eternal life. Romans 6:23 calls eternal life the free gift of God in Christ Jesus. We have this eternal life when we obey the Gospel (Rom 6:3-4; 17-22). “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection…But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” 1John 5:11-12 says God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. We have and can know we have Eternal life.

We shall be Delivered from the wrath to come
The New Testament also shows that saved people are delivered, or rescued, in many ways. God does not leave them stuck. 1Corinthians 10:13 says God is faithful. He will not let people be tempted beyond what they can handle, and He provides a way of escape. Galatians 1:4 says Jesus gave Himself to deliver us from the present evil age. Colossians 1:13 says He delivered us from the domain of darkness. 2Peter 2:9 says the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials.

More verses add to this picture. 2Timothy 4:18 says the Lord will deliver from every evil work and preserve people for His heavenly kingdom. 1Thessalonians 1:10 says Jesus delivered us from the wrath to come. Romans 11:26 calls Jesus the Deliverer who turns away ungodliness. Romans 7:6 says we are delivered from the law (Law of Moses) so we can serve in the new way of the Spirit. Romans 6:17-22 thanks God that people who were once servants of sin have obeyed the teaching that was given to them and are now free.

Putting it all together, being saved means that those who have obeyed the Gospel through faith have their sins washed away. They are restored to God having once been separated from Him. We now have victory over death. That God now reserves for us eternal life when Jesus returns. And He delivers us from the coming wrath of judgment. It all comes through Jesus Christ. The New Testament presents this as God’s gift received by believing in Jesus, repenting, confession, baptism, and remaining faithful to what He has commanded (Matt 28:19-20). That is the simple, clear picture the Bible itself gives.

Agape
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Bearing Fruit: to Glorify God

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GLORIFYING GOD with our fruits

To glorify God means to honor Him by making His character, power, and goodness known through our words and actions, so that others recognize and praise Him. Scripture shows this clearly. Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Paul likewise commanded in 1Corinthians 10:31, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Glorifying God is not abstract praise alone. It is lived out when we do what is our duty to do.

Jesus declares this truth directly in John 15:8: “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” The Father is glorified when believers produce abundant fruit. This fruit comes from abiding in Christ, the true vine. Jesus explains in John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” Apart from Him we can accomplish nothing of lasting spiritual value. When we remain in Him through faith and obedience, fruit appears, and that fruit brings glory to the Father.

The New Testament consistently links fruitfulness with God’s glory. Paul prays in Philippians 1:11 that believers would be “filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” In Colossians 1:10 he urges walking “worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” These fruits include love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance as listed in Galatians 5:22-23.

Bearing much fruit therefore proves genuine discipleship. Jesus ties the two together in John 15:8. Disciples (and false prophets) are known by their fruit, just as He taught in Matthew 7:20, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” This results from remaining in Christ, and obeying His word. John 15:10 confirms, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”

When believers bear this fruit, the Father receives the glory. Others see the transformed life and give honor to God rather than to human strength. The pattern holds throughout the New Testament: fruit from abiding in Christ magnifies the Father and confirms true discipleship. This truth rests on the plain words of Jesus and the apostles. It simply tells every follower of Christ to abide in Him so that much fruit appears and the Father is glorified.

Agape
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6 things SAINTS can do

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“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13)

Saints in the Bible are people who believe in Jesus Christ and have obeyed the gospel. Launching from Paul’s statement, let’s look at 6 things all SAINTS can do through Christ.

We can stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:13 says to take up the whole armor of God so that we may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand firm. Jesus stood against every temptation by answering with the written word of God (Matt 4:1-11). Joseph stood firm when tested in Egypt. Daniel and his friends stood firm in Babylon. The word of God gives the strength to stand.

We can have assurance of our salvation. “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1John 5:13). Paul knew whom he had believed. This assurance rests on the clear promises of Scripture.

We can increase in love and good works. Hebrews 10:24 calls us to stir one another up to love and good works. The church in Thessalonica already showed love yet Paul told them to excel still more and more (1Thess 4:10). The early believers in Jerusalem grew in care for one another. Growth comes as we keep learning and obeying the word of God.

We can be nice, kind, and merciful. Colossians 3:12 tells God’s people to “put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering.” These qualities come from knowing what God has said and choosing to live by it. “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph 4:24).

We can be thankful and joyful despite trials. James 1:2-3 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” Paul and Silas sang hymns while in prison. Habakkuk chose to rejoice even when the fields failed (Hab 3:17). The word of God teaches us to give thanks in all circumstances.

We can share the reasons for the hope that is in us. 1Peter 3:15 says, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” The woman at the well told her whole town about Jesus. Hope grows strong through the knowledge of God’s word, people take notice, and then we speak of it.

These six things belong to every saint. They rest on the plain teaching of Scripture.

Agape
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Heroes of Faith: Epaphras

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Epaphras
Preacher, Prayerful, Purposeful, and Persecuted

The New Testament gives us a strong picture of Epaphras in just a few verses. He appears in Colossians 1:7-8, Colossians 4:12-13, and Philemon 23. From these passages alone we see a man who lived as a faithful servant of Christ.

Epaphras was a PREACHER. “As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;” (Col 1:7).

The Colossians learned the grace of God in truth from him. He brought them the gospel. He also reported their love in the Spirit to Paul and those with him. The word reached Colossae through this man’s faithful work. He did not invent a message. He delivered the truth about Christ.

Epaphras was a PRAYERFUL man. “Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God” (Col 4:12).

Paul writes that he was always laboring fervently for the Colossian brethren in prayers. His goal in prayer was clear. He asked that they might stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. This was not occasional prayer. It was constant and intense. He cared deeply about their spiritual growth and full obedience to God’s will.

Epaphras was PURPOSEFUL. “For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis” (Col 4:13).

His zeal reached beyond one group of believers. Paul bore witness that he had great zeal for the saints in Colossae, and also for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis. He wanted the churches to stand firm and complete. His purpose matched the will of God revealed in the gospel. He worked and prayed so that the brethren would grow to maturity in Christ.

Epaphras was PERSECUTED for the sake of the gospel. “There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus” (Philemon 23).

Paul calls him his fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus. He shared bonds with the apostle. Faithfulness to the message of Christ brought hardship. Yet he continued as a servant of Christ even while imprisoned.

These four marks stand on the plain statements of Scripture. Epaphras preached the gospel as a faithful minister. He prayed with fervent labor for the perfection of the saints. He showed purposeful zeal for multiple congregations. He suffered as a prisoner for Christ. No extra details are added. The record is short, but it is complete and true.

The church today needs the same kind of servants.

Agape
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