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The Christian Life Is a Struggle

May 7, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

Many in the world would agree that life is a struggle. Usually, what people mean by that is suffering and difficult times are part of life. However, when the apostle Paul described the Christian life as a struggle, he meant something other than the fact that life can be hard. The inspired apostle wrote:

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus, I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

As Christians, we struggle against sin. We discipline ourselves in order to obtain the imperishable crown of glory. Athletes train, eat right, and get enough sleep in order to qualify for the Olympics and win the gold medal. Similarly, Christians exercise self-control in their road to heavenly glory. There is a natural desire a person has to eat a sugary dessert, but the disciplined athlete abstains in order to win the prize. When friends invite them to a late-night party, they may decline in order to get enough rest. Likewise, as Christians we must forgo sinful activities and deny certain desires. We cannot take the easy course and be self-centered if we wish to grow spiritually and go to heaven.

Each time Christians take the easy way out by sin, they forfeit an opportunity to grow and instead become more self-centered. It is sad to see those who were baptized years ago, but instead of remaining true to their commitment to die to self and live as Christ, they have grown smaller of soul, less able to empathize with others, and unwilling to sacrifice their own comforts. You may have attended worship services of the church for years, but that does not necessarily mean you have grown to be more like Christ during that time.

The context of 1 Corinthians 9 is the instruction of giving up one’s rights in order to further the gospel. Paul goes on in 1 Corinthians 10:1-22 to speak of Israelites who were baptized into Moses at the Red Sea but through unfaithfulness died in the wilderness instead of inheriting the promised land. However, he resumes giving up lawful things that are not helpful in 1 Corinthians 10:23. Paul’s athlete comparison is sandwiched between these two subjects. The struggle of the Christian life not only involves abstaining from sin (1 Corinthians 10), but also sacrificing one’s own preferences for the good of others (1 Corinthians 9). We may make decisions that are not sinful per se, but they certainly are not helpful to other Christians.

Let us resolve to go through some growing pains and be bigger people. Let us become mature Christians like the apostle Paul and be willing to “endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ” (1 Corinthians 9:12). We should follow Paul as he followed Christ, the ultimate example of sacrificial love for the good of others (1 Corinthians 11:1).

-Mark Day

He Preached Him Into Hell

April 30, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

He was a member of the church. He said so when questioned about his religion.

He was a member of the church but he could not be counted on to attend the services. He worked six days a week, and he had to visit sometimes, when could he go except on Sunday. He worked hard and needed some recreation, and Sunday was the only time he had for recreation.

He was a member of the church, but he just could not get to Bible study on Sunday morning. He needed the extra hour or two of sleep more than he needed to study the Bible. He attended the worship most of the time, and he felt that was enough.

He was a member of the church, but he did not come on Sunday night. He had to rest to be ready to go to work on Monday. He had already attended one time and that was enough except for the preacher and a few over zealous people. He had eaten the Lord’s Supper, and that was the only thing that was really important anyway.

He was a member of the church, but he never came to mid-week Bible study. He could not find where the Bible said anything about mid-week Bible classes. He said he was tired on Wednesday night and needed the rest and requested people not to bother him by calling on him to invite him.

He was a member of the church, but gave very little of his money to the cause of the Lord. The church supported the preaching of the gospel, but not with his money. The church helped orphans and widows, but not with his money. After all, he owned a home, a new car, a television, and took a vacation each year and it took all of his money to live on.

He was a member of the church, but he never invited anyone. He said that he thought that was what the preacher was paid to do. If he was sick and no one visited him, it hurt his feelings. He complained of the church not visiting people.

He was a member of the church, but he never tried to teach anyone else. In fact, he did not know where to find the Great Commission. If someone asked him a question about the Bible he had to call the preacher to find the answer. The truth is he just did not like to talk with other people about the Bible.

He was a member of the church, but he died. I conducted the funeral. I said, “He was a member but he was careless in his attendance. He was a member of the church, but he did not think Bible study was important, and so he never came. He was a member of the church, but he never gave as he prospered. His funeral is being conducted in a building paid for by others. He was a member of the church, but he never visited the sick. He was a member of the church, but no one gathered here today has he taught the truth. He has now gone to judgment to meet his God, and all he can say to God is: ‘I was a member of the church.’ All that I can say about him is that he was a member of the church.”

While these are not the words that I used, it is the substance of what was said. The service was over, and as I stood at the door waiting for the men to take the casket and place it in the ambulance, I heard someone say, “He preached him straight into hell.” But I deny that I did so. All I did was to tell the truth about his life. All that he claimed while he lived was that he was a member of the church. Why should I insult his family and his friends and his body by saying he was more? I could not claim for a dead man what he refused to claim for himself while he lived.

This is not fiction—it happened.

Franklin Camp (Deceased) submitted by Jerry Sturgill

The Lord’s Church

April 23, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus promised to build His church. Peter had just confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). Upon this bedrock foundational fact, Jesus made His promise. There can be no other foundation for the church than Jesus (1 Corinthians 3:11); therefore, any church that is founded on someone else has a faulty foundation and is headed for ultimate demise (Matthew 7:24-27; 15:13).

The promise Jesus made was, “I will build my church,” (Matthew 16:18). The singular form of the word church ought to be glaring to a religious world that hosts thousands of different churches. Ephesians 1:22-23 and Colossians 1:18 clearly show that the church is Christ’s body. Coupled with the plain statement of Ephesians 4:4, “There is one body,” it is clear that Jesus built only one church which is to be united in teaching and practice. Later in the same epistle, Jesus is called the “head of the church” and “the Savior of the body” (Ephesians 5:23). Christ is the one head over His one body, the church. No mention of different worldwide churches can be found in the pages of the New Testament. When a man is saved, God adds him to Christ’s one church (Acts 2:47).

However, one may be curious about the mention of “churches of Christ” in Romans 16:16. Does this indicate a multiplicity of churches? It must be understood that in the New Testament though there was only one worldwide church which was built by Christ, all of the members of this universal organization could not regularly meet in the same geographical location. Therefore, the word church in the New Testament many times refers to local congregations of which Christians in a given locale were a part. The church at Corinth, Ephesus, and Philippi are examples of this. The seven churches in Asia Minor, to whom the book of Revelation is addressed (Revelation 1:4) are also examples of local congregations. Each of these local congregations had elders, also known as bishops, (Acts 14:23; Philippians 1:1) who would watch for the souls of those members of the local congregation. Each member is to follow the example of the elders of the congregation as they shepherd the flock among them (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:3).

The meeting of the local congregation on a regular basis was an important part of the church in the New Testament and is just as important today (Acts 20:7; Hebrews 10:24-25; James 2:2). Thus, sometimes the word church is used in the sense of the assembly (1 Corinthians 14:34-35). The phrase “come together” appears six times in this one section of scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:17-14:40. The inspired instructions and corrections given here to the first-century congregation at Corinth provide insight into what is to occur when the whole church comes together into one place (1 Corinthians 14:23). The Lord’s supper was to be observed (1 Corinthians 11:17-29), prayers were offered (1 Corinthians 14:15), psalms were sung and public teaching occurred (1 Corinthians 14:26). All this was to be done in an orderly manner (1 Corinthians 14:40). This assembly occurred on the first day of the week when Christians would also give of their means to support the work of the church (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2).

The church is so important to Christ that He purchased it with His blood (Acts 20:28). Those that would please Christ would be added to His one church by obeying the Gospel (Acts 2:37-47), place membership at a local congregation where faithful elders can watch for their souls (Acts 20:28; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4), and faithfully attend the assemblies of the church for their own spiritual edification (1 Corinthians 14:4-5).

-Mark Day

Not Goodbye, But See You Soon

April 16, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

I could not help myself; I had to select this topic as my final bulletin article here at Flatwoods. As Amber, Roman, and I prepare to transition to our new work in Kittanning, PA the conversation of how much we will deeply miss each of you has been discussed in great length. The genuine, Christian love that we have witnessed at this congregation will never be forgotten and we hope that our family has touched your hearts as much as you have touched ours. What has brought our family solace in these stressful and exciting times is that we know we will see those of you that are in Christ someday soon (1 Thess. 4:13-18). Whether we see each other again in this world or in the next, we will meet again.

What unites this Church family and keeps us together? Our love for Christ and being a part of Christ’s Church is the glue that binds us as one. When a Church is not united nor focused solely on the Lord, it becomes a dysfunctional family that cannot be pleasing to God (1 Cor. 1:10-15). Notice with me all the similarities a Christian should have with His brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul wrote, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Eph. 4:4-6). Did you notice all the “ones” mentioned in that verse? We may have personal differences, but when it comes to doctrinal things, we must be united! There is only one Gospel of Christ and there is no room for division (Gal. 1:6-10). Those in Christ have a lot in common and at the center of our lives ought to be our risen Lord. When we contact the saving blood of Christ through baptism, we give up our old lives and live a new life in service to Him (Rom. 6:3-8). Have you considered what that means for all Christians? We should be living the same life; a life dedicated to serving Jesus. The reason this congregation is a cohesive family is because those that meet here put the Lord first; may that always hold true.

Since the Church is held together by a common love for Christ and Christians have put Him on in baptism, we also share a common hope of living with our Savior one day (Rom. 6:9-11). I can genuinely say I love each of you and it will bring me tremendous joy to see this group once again physically, but the joy we will have when we are together with Christ in Heaven is much greater and incomprehensible (Phil. 3:20-21). This congregation has battled through a devastating pandemic that has affected each of us more than we would care to admit, but one day we will be reunited at a place where there will be no death, sickness, nor tears (Rev. 21:1-4). All obedient and faithful Christians have this glorious eternity to look forward to and I long to be there with many of you (1 Cor. 15:20-28). The only sad reality about this joyous and blessed truth is that those outside of Christ will not be there and they will have no one to blame, but themselves (2 Thess. 1:8-9).

If you are outside of Christ’s body and you considered me a friend while my family labored here, do you not realize that you could call me brother if you only obeyed Christ (Matt. 12:46-50; Gal. 3:26-29)? As a friend, I care deeply about your soul and I want you to know what awaits you in eternity if you perish in a lost condition (Rev. 20:11-15). I can think of no greater joy than if I were to hear that a friend of mine who was lost, decided to come to the Lord (Lk. 15:1-7). Give up being my worldly friend and instead become my brother or sister in Christ Jesus.

-Brandon Foresha

The Way that Leads to Eternal Life

April 9, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

When Jesus was preparing to die and leave His followers in this world, He promised them He was preparing a place for them and He would come again to take them home with Him (John 14:3). Thomas asked Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” (John 14:5). Jesus replied, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

This claim is exclusive. Jesus said He is “the truth”, not “a truth.” Today people often want options. They may say, “I have my truth and you have your truth.” Many look for “a truth” that will serve them, but the only way Christianity truly works is by acknowledging it for what it is: the truth. You may find aspects of truth in many places, but only in Jesus will you find “the truth.”

There are many paths one may pursue in this life, both religious and secular. Jesus is not merely one way (option), or one path among many acceptable paths; Jesus is the way. Many say we are all going to heaven, we are just taking different roads to get there; however, Jesus spoke of Himself as the exclusive way. The one way that leads to life is narrow and few find it (Matthew 7:14).

When people say, “this is the life,” what do they mean? The good life may include different ideas to different people, but Jesus is “the life” beyond comparison. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Did Jesus make abundant life available? He said in the very next verse, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Truly Jesus lived the most exemplary, sinless life (John 8:46; Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Peter 2:21-24). But not only that, He died and rose again to give us eternal life; the only way to have life is to be in Jesus, the Son of God (John 11:25; 1 John 5:11).

With these thoughts in mind, consider how we must follow the commands of Jesus and imitate His example in the way we live each day as communicated in 1 John 2:3-6:

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Only by following the way of the Lord Jesus Christ will we have the truth in us that leads to eternal life (Hebrews 5:9). This week we have the blessing of having brother Phil Sanders with us in our Gospel Meeting. Brother Phil addresses a vast multitude of households each week in the television program “In Search of the Lord’s Way.” Will you be with us each opportunity you have to consider the way that leads to eternal life?

-Mark Day