In Acts II: Scene 2 of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Polonius asks, “What do you read, my lord?” to which Hamlet replies, “Words, words, words.” Are words of any value? Back when telegraph companies charged per number of words, people had to be succinct and selective in their words. Today, we come across so many words from so many people, we can wonder if they do any good. Unlike ages past, the overwhelming majority of individuals can publish their own words across the world instantly. It is tempting to release whatever words feel good to us out into the universe without much discernment; however we must be reminded that, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue,” (Prov. 18:21).

Jesus said, “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Mt. 12:37). Jesus charges us to consider our words carefully for they will factor into whether we are saved or lost. Words can heavily influence others; thus, the words we speak can also be a factor in the eternal destinies of others. Paul charged his preacher student, Timothy, saying, “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Tim. 4:16). The words of Jesus are spirit and life (Jn. 6:63). Those who continue in His word are set free from sin by the truth and are truly His disciples (Jn. 8:31-32).

            However, words can also lead individuals astray. If the Gospel contains words by which men are saved (Acts 11:14), then to vary from the words of eternal life spells condemnation. The curse of God is on anyone who teaches a different, perverted message from the true Gospel (Gal. 1:8-9). Those who love lies and practice falsehood are headed to hell (Rev. 21:8; 22:15). That we stay with the true words of God is of supreme importance, for, “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son” (2 Jn. 9).

            Public teachers of God’s word shall receive a stricter judgment because of the amplified sway they exercise over others through their teaching (Jas. 3:1). Some false teachers teach out of mercenary interests, being more interested in fleecing the sheep than leading them to eternal life; however, God’s judgment is awaiting them for their deceptive words (2 Pet. 2:3). False teaching hinders people from obeying the truth (Gal. 5:7). Those led astray into false doctrine can fall from God’s grace (Gal. 5:4).

            Let us examine our words to discern whether they come from a heart thoroughly led by the Word of God. Our words should echo God’s words, as Peter says, “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11). What one says, whether in preaching, teaching, or in a personal conversation regarding the proper course to follow should be as God says it. Too often men are prone to push God’s word into the background in order to give their take on things. How dangerous! Are we so eager for the opinions of men that God cannot get a word in edgewise? Our determination should rather be, “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isa. 8:20).

– Mark Day

What should be the basis of unity? Will just any unity suffice? Jesus prayed to God for unity of His followers by saying “that they all might be one” (John 17:21). How are we to be one? In His same prayer Jesus gives the basis for unity by saying “Sanctify them by your truth, your word is truth” (John 17:17). Unity can only be based on God’s word of truth as found only in the Bible. The problem in today’s denominational world is men have added to and taken away from God’s word with their many differing creeds. Human opinion is made equal and superior to the word of God. We are warned in Revelation 22:18-19 if we add to or take away from God’s word, we will lose our souls. The denominational world with all of its disunity is exactly what Satan wants. The word denomination comes from a root word which means division. Denominationalism is a betrayal of Christ.

Paul tells us how to have Biblical unity. “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10). In order to have the same mind and same judgment we must have only the same beliefs and practices as found only in the New Testament. We must limit what we do to be saved and what we do in worship to only what God has authorized in scripture. This is the only way to have the unity for which Christ prayed and for which Paul pleaded. Throughout the Bible man’s worship and service to God was either accepted or rejected depending on man’s obedience to God’s commands (Genesis 4:4-5, Leviticus 10:1-2).

There can be no unity between those who follow human opinion and those who follow only the word of God as found in the Bible. We are commanded, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?…Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord” (2 Corinthians 6:14, 17). Here we are forbidden to have unity with those who follow the false doctrines of men.

How can the denominational world defend their many differing doctrines when they cannot justify them scripturally? They can’t. In trying to justify what one does he asks, “Is it a salvation issue?” In other words, “Does it really matter?” If one can shift the focus then there is no necessity in proving or defending one’s unscriptural practice. Anything that differs from God’s word is sin and sin is a salvation issue, “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). In speaking of the doctrine of Christ, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds” (2 John 10-11). Let’s not share in the evil deeds of the denominational world in joining with them or giving them any encouragement in their evil deeds. If we do, we will be spending eternity with them.

-Ron Boatwright

Article from http://www.netbiblestudy.net/bulletin/ which has links to many other resources for personal Bible study.

– Jerry D. Sturgill

Jeremiah was a prophet who experienced great hardship. If we had to undergo the trials Jeremiah faced, we would likely not hold up as well as he did. We would find it hard to be joyful. Even residents of his hometown, Anathoth, were plotting to murder him. When the prophet grew impatient and complained to God about his wicked persecutors, God promised He would punish them (Jer. 11:21-23). Yet, God also gave Jeremiah a challenge for greater faith, asking, “If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, in which you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?” (Jer. 12:5).

Jeremiah had become wearied or impatient with the footmen. False prophets who said Judah would never be destroyed contended with Jeremiah who preached the truth that God would use Babylon to punish Judah for her sins. God said of these false prophets, “I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied” (Jer. 23:21). The false prophets who contended with Jeremiah gave him a good run and caused him to become weary. Yet, things were about to get worse.

Jeremiah was wearied when the land of Judah was still “a land of peace,” but soon Babylon would come with a flood of cavalry. The Hebrew word translated “contend” in Jeremiah 12:5 means to “become hot” or “angry;” it seems to refer to a heated race. Jeremiah had not seen anything yet. Soon, he would race horses.

Who can win a footrace with a horse? Oddly enough, there are annual races in our world that test this very question. Since 1980 an annual horse vs. man marathon has been held near Llanwrtyd Wells, a town in Wales. Only twice (2004 and 2007) has a human won—when weather conditions were particularly hot. In our own country, Prescott, AZ hosts an annual “Man Against Horse” race with distances up to 50 miles. Humans seem to have a better chance at winning the hotter the weather and the longer the distance.

Sometimes we must go through a “fiery trial” (1 Pet. 4:12). No matter how hard life gets, it could always be worse. God tested His people in ancient times in the “furnace of affliction” (Isa. 48:10). Today, we go through tests of our faith as well. Yet, we must not give up. We must remember that the Christian life is an endurance race (Heb. 12:1). We must not grow weary in doing good (Gal. 6:9; 2 Thess. 3:13). Keep fighting the good fight and keeping the faith until your race is finished and you receive the crown of righteousness at the last day (2 Tim. 4:7-8).

-Mark Day

            With the changes that have recently taken place in our lives, one that has stood above the rest is not seeing my brothers and sisters in Christ on a weekly basis. The truth is most of us have not appreciated the blessing of communing with our Lord regularly until now. What I miss most is what the Church has been doing since it was established (Acts 2:41-42). How we long to return to God and one another! Part of God’s plan for the Church was for us to encourage one another when we meet (1 Thess. 5:11-13). Though we are not meeting physically currently, we can still encourage one another in different ways. Take heart that we are not the first to be in this position. In fact, God’s people spent a majority of their time longing to return as well.

            While in Egypt, Israel longed for God like we could never understand. They were in bondage; unable to enjoy the freedoms we are blessed with (Ex. 2:23-25). They certainly were not allowed to worship God as He desired while in Egypt. Moses was sent to Pharaoh so that the Israelites could go into the desert and sacrifice to the Lord (Ex. 5:3). They were not allowed to worship God, but instead were given more work by Pharaoh (Ex. 5:8b-9). Later on, Pharaoh desired to compromise with Moses. Pharaoh would allow them to worship in Egypt, but would not allow them to go into the wilderness. This compromise was not acceptable to God and therefore was turned down; Israel was still unable to worship (Ex. 8:25-27). We long to open these doors once again, but could you imagine the longing these Israelites must have had for God? How blessed we are!

            The Psalms are full of writers who were longing for God (Ps. 42:1-2; 63:1; 73:25; 119:20; 119:81; 143:6-7). It is fair to say this is a continuous theme throughout. One Psalmist in particular highlighted his unrelenting desire to return to worship God with his people (Ps. 122). David sought to worship God (vs. 1-3) and to be with his people in Jerusalem (vs. 4-9). In the Old Covenant, the Jews were commanded to meet together only three times a year for festivals (Ex. 34:23; Deut. 16:16). The synagogues were not established till Israel was taken into captivity, meaning there were no weekly assemblies during the time of David. The three times a year that David went to the house of the Lord were special to him! Now that we are unable to worship God on a weekly basis, when things return to normal, will they be special to us?

            During Israel’s time in the promise land, they did not long for God as they ought to. They instead worshiped idols and false gods (Judg. 2:11-14; 2 Kgs. 17:10-23). All the way up to their exile and Jerusalem’s destruction, Israel forsook God (Jer. 44:1-22). Yet, when God allowed the Israelites to return from exile, they longed to serve Him (Ezra 6:19-22; 7:10; 8:21-23; 10:1-ff). When Nehemiah brought another wave of exiles back to Jerusalem, they showed a new dedication to keeping God’s Law that their forefathers never did (Neh. 8:1-12). They longed to keep God’s word, how about you?

            These are certainly unprecedented times we are currently in, but take heart that we are not the first to long for normalcy to return. The Israelites in Egypt, David, and the exiled Jews longed for God. They were unable to meet for a time but when the opportunity arose, they appreciated the time they had with God and each other even more. Will you have a new appreciation for God and His people when the Church gathers again? It is my prayer that this short time away from one another will magnify the importance of the Church coming together when we are able (Heb. 10:24-25).

–Brandon Foresha