How many times must God tell us something before we listen? When God states the same thing over and over again, it must be important information that we ought to focus our studies on! God, through His infinite wisdom and knowledge, knows that humans are forgetful. Most of us need reminded multiple times a day to take out the trash! As you study your Bibles, do you notice the reoccurring statements God has purposefully placed in His Book? They ought to stick out to us like a sore thumb, but the majority of us overlook them and fail to see the lessons God desires us to see.

God spoke through His prophets that the people of Israel during the time of Judges were doing evil in the sight of the Lord (Judg. 2:11; 3:7; 3:12; 4:1; 6:1). During the time of the kings, individual leaders were described as doing evil in the sight of the Lord as well (1 Kgs. 11:6; 15:26; 2 Kgs. 21:20; 23:32; 23:37). Notice first, God is aware of all things. Whether it is a nation, a small group of people, or individual persons; God knows what we do (Heb. 4:13). Though our deeds are not immediately punished on earth, they will be examined when we face the Judgment (2 Cor. 5:10). Make sure the evil you have committed is removed from your account by the blood of Christ! Secondly if there is an evil way of living, then there must be a right way. How can we know what is right in God’s sight? Read His word and obey it (Ps. 19:7-8)! Lastly, we must focus on teaching our youth about God. Once the generation who had served God with Joshua had died, a new generation arose who had no respect for the Lord (Judg. 2:10-11). If our children are to avoid doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord, then parents must educate them on what is right in God’s sight (Deut. 11:18-22).

How many times have you read in the Gospel of John, “His hour had not yet come”? It is written several times, but have you ever thought of what it is in reference to (John 7:6, 8, 30; 8:20)? Towards the end of Jesus’ life, His hour had come and it is made clear that this statement referred to His death and glorification on the cross. (John 12:23-33; 13:1; 17:1-5). Realize this; God had an ultimate plan and it was completed perfectly. God had set in motion the sacrifice of His Son for mankind before the world’s foundation (1 Pet. 1:18-20)! If God took such meticulous care of humanity since the beginning of time, why do we not trust that He will continue to take care of us today? Secondly, timing is everything. Jesus knew it was not yet time for His death. Even though He knew He must die, there were still many things He needed to accomplish! We all must face death and the Judgment to come (Heb. 9:27), but that does not mean we should neglect our responsibilities to God while we live! Live fully while on this earth, but make sure you live Godly; for that is all that matters in the end (Eccl. 3:1-8; 12:13-14). While one lives their life, God expects them to be working in His kingdom bringing other souls to Jesus (John 4:36-38; Matt. 28:19-20). Are you making use of the time God has given? Timing is everything; and if time is wasted God is not pleased (Eph. 5:15-17).

While studying the Bible, recognize that we should be digging deep into the Word. Would a gold miner simply scratch the surface and be successful? God’s Word is more precious and important than any gem or stone this world has to offer (1 Pet. 1:18-25). Notice the reoccurring statements found in the Bible, examine things with a microscope, apply the lessons learned to yourself, then take it to others. God speaks to us through His Son; what His Son said is recorded for us in the Bible (Heb. 1:1-2; John 12:47-50). Are you listening to what God has to say?

-Brandon Foresha

When Israel entered the promised land, the Lord cut off the waters of the Jordan river so the people crossed on dry ground (Josh. 3:14-17). God commanded a man from each tribe to take a stone out of the midst of the Jordan. Joshua relayed the Lord’s commands to Israel and explained, “…these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever. And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day” (Josh. 4:7-9).

            In Joshua 22, the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh returned over the Jordan to the land they desired for an inheritance east of the river; they built an altar at the Jordan, not for sacrifice, but as a witness of the common heritage they had with the other tribes of Israel that were in the land west of the Jordan. Their concern was that their children and future generations would remember their tie with the other tribes (vv. 24-28).

            As generations come and go, truths that were once evident can become forgotten. After the death of Joshua and the elders that outlived Joshua, Israel forgot what the once knew, “And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel” (Judges 2:10).

            The need to be reminded of important truths is obvious from these accounts. Forgetfulness is not only a transgenerational problem, but can plague an individual’s life. While a man may have a memory of a past event, that does not guarantee that it will remain dear to him. Love can grow cold so that truths are no longer held fervently. What God has done for us must be more than facts that we are intellectually able to recite; it must be functional momentum of our entire lives.

            Christ instituted a memorial for His followers to remember His death until He returns (1 Cor. 11:23-26). The church gathers on each first day of the week to observe this memorial (Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-23; Acts 20:7). Is Christ’s death for you the driving force in your life? Or is there something else that occupies your heart and deepest aspirations? Perhaps one of the reasons we may often find ourselves worried, angry, or depressed is that we allow other loves to occupy center stage on our hearts. Our love for security, popularity, a relationship, money, control or whatever else we feel like we cannot live without comes to the forefront of our hearts and pushes Christ’s love for us demonstrated on the cross to the background. The fact that God loves you so much that His Son died for you on the cross so that you could have fellowship with Him should be the engine that drives your love and service to God and others. Will you let your heart be reminded of this most-important truth today as we partake of the Lord’s Supper?

-Mark Day

“The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:39). God intends marriage to be for a lifetime. Aside from one exception (Mt. 5:32; 19:9), God considers a married couple bound to each other until death. If a woman’s husband dies, then she is free to remarry. Some have argued that “only in the Lord” in 1 Corinthians 7:39 means the widow can only marry a Christian man. Is this the case?

First, consider Paul’s statement earlier in the chapter about marriage to a non-Christian, “But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him” (1 Cor. 7:12-13). If one goes to 2 Corinthians 6:14—a passage where marriage is not the subject—to prove that marriage to a non-Christian is a sin, then one makes Paul to contradict himself. In 1 Cor. 7:12-13, he tells the believer not to separate from their unbelieving spouse, yet in the other passage he writes, “come out from among them, and be ye separate” (2 Cor. 6:17). Paul is not speaking of marriage in 2 Corinthians 6. The non-Christian can be influenced by the godly conduct of their Christian spouse (1 Cor. 7:14; 1 Pet. 3:1-4).

            Some actions are not the wisest course, but are not sin. Marriage to a Christian is often the wiser course, but it does not seem to be an absolute requirement in the NT. If “only in the Lord” in 1 Cor. 7:39 means a widow can only marry a Christian, then it is difficult to provide an answer to why she would be allowed to be married to a non-Christian in her first marriage (1 Cor. 7:12-13), but not in a subsequent marriage after her first husband died.

            It seems best to regard “only in the Lord” in 1 Corinthians 7:39 as meaning “according to the teaching of the Lord.” That is, she is free to remarry any man who has the right to be married according to the Lord’s teaching. The preposition “in” (ἐν en in the Grk.) can often mean “according to” in this sense. For example, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right” (Eph. 6:1). Are children only to obey Christian parents? If a non-Christian parent commands a child to do something that is proper and right, then the child should obey. The force of “in the Lord” is not the spiritual location of the parent, but rather the child acting according to the Lord’s will. It is parallel to this phrase, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord” (Col. 3:18). Or consider Romans 8:8 “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” This does not mean while we are in our physical bodies we can’t please the Lord, rather, as the context shows, those who walk “after the flesh” (vv. 4, 5).

Thus, a widow may marry again. She may marry any man who has God’s approval to marry. Obviously, a man who has put away his wife for some reason other than fornication is not eligible by the Lord for approved remarriage (Mt. 19:9). Thus, Paul is qualifying his phrase “she is at liberty to be married to whom she will” when he adds “only in the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:39). The Lord gives us liberty in certain areas of life. Let us abide by His teachings, neither restricting the liberty He has provided, nor going beyond the bounds He has set.

-Mark Day

Matthew 5:13-16, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Without question this text suggests the theme of Christian influence. We all have influence on other people regardless of age, position, or status. When it comes to influence, the Bible has much to say in the matter.

We Must Recognize That We Influence Others And Are Influenced By Others.

1 Corinthians 5:6, “Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?”

This statement is found two times in the New Testament. (see also Galatians 5:9) The word leaven is found 11 times in the New Testament and is used to illustrate to us the power of influence. All of us have influence, the question is, is it good or bad? The kind of influence we have on others is based on what we allow to influence ourselves and if we are not careful, some influences may be slowly changing us. 

Your Companions Will Influence You For Good Or Bad.

Proverbs 13:20, “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals.” (ASV)

If we allow the leaven of this world to influence us, our lives will slowly be changed from what God would have them to be, into lives filled with worldliness and sin. It only takes one companion with wicked thoughts and wicked lifestyle to gradually lead you into the same kind of sin.

Our Influence Can Cause Another To Be Converted To Christ.

1 Peter 3:1-2, “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.”

Even if the husband is not a Christian, the woman is to be submissive. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 7, said that a Christian may win their mate to Christ by the way they conduct themselves. Peter approaches the same topic in telling wives to be submissive to their husbands. Even if some don’t obey the word (Gospel) preached, they might be converted without a word from their wives by the proper conduct from their wives. No one can become a Christian without obeying the Gospel.

Our Influence Will Outlast Us.

Hebrews 11:4, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh.”

The first person on this earth that we have record who died was Abel. Yet his influence still lives on. We read of his influence, how his sacrifice, by faith, was offered. And his example of obedient faith still lives on today. Sometimes we don’t realize the power of our influence in the lives of others. We need to strive to have an influence of good, rather than bad. Our influence continues to live even after our death. We can all think of people who have had influence in our lives, we remember how they helped us, we remember the examples they set in our lives.

If you are a Christian who hasn’t set a good influence, you need to repent. Start today.

-Jerry D. Sturgill

Is the Bible sufficient for our salvation? Do we need anything else to aid us in salvation? The denominational world teaches us that we do. The Mormons believe the Book of Mormon is needed in addition to the Bible. The Methodists rely on the Methodist Discipline for their answer. Other denominations use their creed books to decide the rule of faith. Do we need these creed books written by man to find the answers for salvation? Absolutely not! The Bible gives us the answer for everything spiritually. Notice these observations about the Bible.

The Bible Is Inspired of God. No other book in the world can claim inspiration. Joseph Smith “said” that the Book of Mormon is inspired, but it has been found full of errors and contradictions. The Bible, however, has been proven to be genuine. Paul states in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “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, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Since the word of God completely furnishes man, he does not need anything in addition to the Bible.

The Bible Supplies Our Needs. Peter writes: “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Pet. 1:3). God’s “divine power” is His word (Rom. 1:16) and it gives us all things for life and godliness. This covers the entire scope of our lives. Do we need something in addition to the Word of God? Absolutely not! Creed books cannot supply these needs, only God’s Word can.

The Bible Is Pure. Psalms 119:140 records, “Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it.” The word pure means, “free from defilement, uncontaminated.” In Proverbs 30:5-6, Solomon writes, “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar,” Those that add unto the pure word of God will be reproved (Rev. 22:18-19). Creed books are not pure because they contain many things contrary to the Word of God and they also contradict themselves.

The Bible Is Right. The Psalmist affirmed this in Psalms 33:4 when he wrote, “For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.” Since the word of the Lord is right, there is no reason to follow a “creed” of man.

The Bible is Able To Save. In 1 Peter 1:22-23, Peter wrote, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” A person is saved by obeying the truth by being born again through faith in the word of God (Rom. 10:17); repenting of his sins (Luke 13:3); confessing his faith (Rom. 10:10) and being baptized into Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 47, 1 Pet. 3:21). No creed book can substantiate such a claim. The Baptist manual contradicts itself by saying the salvation is “wholly of grace” (Hiscox, p. 61) and “solely through faith” (Hiscox, p. 62). Is it “grace only” or “faith only”? Neither! A person is saved by grace through the act of faith in obedience to God’s Word (Eph. 2:8). Other creed books have similar errors concerning salvation.

The Bible is sufficient for all our needs. We do not need a manual, discipline, catechism or any other creed for salvation. The Bible completely satisfies God’s requirement for salvation.

John West

-submitted by Jerry Sturgill