e-Sword

e-Sword is a fantastic computer program for Bible study. You can download a number of different Bible translations, dictionaries and other study tools such as the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, and commentaries by Clarke, Barnes, Keil & Delitzsch, and several others. Click on the logo to go to the download page and check out all e-Sword has to offer. Oh, and I forgot to mention, it's FREE.


In addition to those modules created by Rick Meyers for e-Sword, there is a page for others to upload the modules they have worked on. There are several additional Bibles, commentaries, and other resources available on this page. Of particular interest (to me, at least) is the Living Oracles New Testament (LONT) (1835). Again click on the logo to see everything available on the User Modules page.

The Authority of God's Word

God told Adam, "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Genesis 2:16-17). This information was relayed to Eve, as she told the serpent what God had said (Genesis 3:2-3). The serpent twisted what God had said by adding one little word when he said, "Ye shall not surely die" (Genesis 3:4).

God's Word can be twisted and perverted in many ways. Paul warned against such perversions in Galatians 1:6-9. The apostle John warned against adding to and subtracting from God’s revelation in Revelation 22:18-19. Despite these warnings, the gospel is perverted by many in the religious world. God's Word is not respected as it is changed to fit one’s personal desires. Following are just a very few examples.

• God's Word says: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16). Religious leaders of today say: "He who believes will be saved and then, at a convenient time for him in the future, he will be baptized if he so desires."
  
  
• God's Word says: "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). Religious leaders of today say: "Repent, and you shall receive remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit, and then those who wish to be baptized as a sign of their salvation may."
  
  
• God's Word says: "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:19). Religious leaders of today say: "Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart, and with your hands, and on the piano, and drums, and guitar, and whatever other instrument you desire, to the Lord."
  
  
• God's Word says: "And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:47). Religious leaders of today say: "And the religious body will determine who will be added to the church by the democratic process of voting, after they are saved."
  
  
• God's Word says: "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence" (I Timothy 2:12). Religious leaders of today say: "And I permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, for it is a shame for her talents to go to waste in silence."

There are many more examples that could be offered, but the point is clear: God's Word is not esteemed as the final authority among many religious leaders of today. They refer to their creed books before they search the pages of the New Testament.

It is the aim of those in the churches of Christ to restore first century Christianity. One early restorer coined the phrase, "Speak where the Bible speaks; be silent where the Bible is silent." Such is a Biblical position. The apostle Peter instructed, "If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God" (I Peter 4:11).

We will not worship in a way that has no command or example in the New Testament, the inspired guide for all Christians. "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him" (Colossians 3:17).

Excuses, Excuses

The following poem by an unknown author appeared in a religious paper sometime last century.

We're a mile and a half from church you know,
And it rains today, so we can't go;
We’d go ten miles to a dance or show,
Though the rain should fall and the winds should blow,
But the church is different, we'd have you know,
That's why when it rains, we just can't go.

Isn't it amazing the excuses some will come up with when they "miss church"? The sniffles that are so bad Sunday morning aren't enough to keep one home from work on Monday. Try calling in to work in order to go shopping sometime, and see what response you get from your boss. Or maybe you just stayed up too late Thursday night, and Friday's work day starts too early to make it on time. Would your boss care if you were habitually late or absent from work? Do you think Christ cares when one treats His church for which He died so flippantly?

In general, the church is not as valued by its members as it should be. The psalmist exclaimed, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord" (Psalm 122:1). When is the last time you let someone else know how happy you were that it was Sunday, and how excited you were to gather together with the saints of God?

The church serves a very important role in our spiritual welfare, encouraging us and building us up. "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" (Hebrews 10:23-25).

The church of our Lord deserves more respect, more admiration, more love than many people give it. Let us esteem Christ's church in our hearts and lives, and do whatever we can to promote the truth of the Word to all those around us.

Please Note: I will be starting a new job today, so I will not be able to respond to comments as quickly as I have over the past several days. I still welcome your comments, but do not expect a quick reply.

Galatians 2:20

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20 KJV).

This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. As a teenager, we would often sing the verse at youth devotionals. As I grew older, I would teach others to sing it. There are several wonderful truths taught in this verse.

First, "I am crucified with Christ." How is one crucified with Christ? Few who claim to be Christians would deny that it is the blood of Christ that cleanses us from sin (Revelation 1:5). But how do we come into contact with that blood? Is it simply by saying a prayer? There is no Scripture that affirms such. We come into contact with the blood of Christ when we are baptized into His death (Romans 6:3-6).

Second, "nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." When we are raised from the watery grave of baptism, in which we die to our sins, we are raised to "walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). We are to "walk in the light, as he is in the light" (I John 1:7); we are to "walk worthy of the calling with which you were called" (Ephesians 4:1). Therefore, we do not give into our selfish desires.

Third, "and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God." We live as Christ would want us to live. How do we know what He wants? By turning to the Word of God, the God-breathed Scriptures (II Timothy 3:16). The Bible fully equips us to live a life pleasing to God (II Timothy 3:17; II Peter 1:3). God has done His part by sending Jesus to die on the cross and revealing the plan of salvation to us in the Word; now it is up to us to comply with His Word. Obedience is essential for salvation (Hebrews 5:9).

Finally, "who loved me, and gave himself for me." Many Scriptures boldly proclaim the love of God and Christ toward sinful man. John 3:16 is one of the most widely known verses in the Bible. Romans 5:8 also affirms the love of Deity, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

The Power of the Gospel

In the churches of Christ, we claim nothing but the New Testament as our creed. We believe that the apostle Paul wrote the truth when he penned the words, "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" (II Timothy 3:16-17).

Manmade creeds are an insult to God, implying that God either could not or would not give man everything he needs (in direct contrast with II Timothy 3:16-17 and II Peter 1:3).

Robert G. Ingersoll, the famous infidel, refused to debate J. S. Sweeney, a gospel preacher, saying, "He is a 'Campbellite,' and these people propagate nothing but Jesus Christ as their guide. I have no particular objection to Jesus Christ. If you want me to debate with a representative of the clergy, procure a man that has a human creed, and I will answer him."

Ingersoll clearly showed the power of denominationalism to destroy faith! He knew that manmade creeds contradicted each other and the Bible in places. He knew that the creeds of man were divisive, that they prevented the adherents from speaking the same thing, from being in the same mind and in the same judgment (I Cor. 1:10).

How is faith built up and strengthened? "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17).

New Publication: The Gospel Observer

I received the first issue of The Gospel Observer today. Brother Jerry C. Brewer of Elk City, Oklahoma, is the editor of this new paper. The purpose of the paper is not only to report news that is of interest to members of sound churches of Christ, but also to offer commentary in light of God's Word on that news. For more information, contact the Editorial Office at P.O. Box 267, Elk City, OK 73648.

The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement

A few days ago, I began skimming through The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement, edited by Douglas A. Foster, Paul M. Blowers, Anthony L. Dunnavant, and D. Newell Williams. For those unfamiliar with this work, it is the result of a collaboration of some of the scholarly types of the churches of Christ, Christian Church/Churches of Christ, and Disciples of Christ. The encyclopedia covers a number of themes, events, and persons associated with the restoration movement, from the early times of Alexander Campbell and Barton W. Stone to more recent names such as Guy N. Woods and Foy E. Wallace, Jr.

One must be warned before reading or purchasing this work that the editors believe the church of Christ is nothing more than a denomination. They accuse J. W. McGarvey of being "narrowly denominational" in his commentary on the book of Acts, and claim that an 1875 attempt to publish a series of commentaries on the New Testament "was the only effort of Stone-Campbell Christians to publish a denominational commentary." This denominational mindset is reflected in a number of the articles found in the encyclopedia.

Another fact of which the reader must be aware is the editors' approach to history. They write in the preface, "We determined early that the Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement would not be simply a historical dictionary, but would strive to be an interpretive work reflecting historical consensus among Stone-Campbell scholars."

While I have only had a limited exposure to the 854-page volume, I must say that overall it has been an enjoyable read. As long as one keeps in mind the source of the work, it can be beneficial.

What is the church of Christ?

Let's start with a word study:

Church = "The company of all Christians regarded as a spiritual body" (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=church)

Of = "Derived or coming from; originating at or from" or "Belonging or connected to" (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=of)

Christ = "The Messiah, as foretold by the prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures" or "Jesus" (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=Christ)

Thus, the "church of Christ" is "the company of all Christians regarded as a spiritual body, originating from or belonging to the Messiah, who is Jesus." The church of Christ is not a denomination made by man, but it is the church that was promised by the Lord while He walked this earth (Matthew 16:18). No denomination can make that claim, as all denominations were formed by man centuries after the Lord ascended into heaven.

Only the church that originated from Jesus Himself is acceptable. Of course, it takes more than just the words "church of Christ" on the sign out front to identify the Lord's church. What is practiced and taught by the congregation will reveal whether or not they are conforming to the Lord's will and seeking Him (Colossians 3:17; Hebrews 11:6).

Man does not have the authority to decide how one becomes a member of the Lord's church. That authority rests solely with the Lord Himself. In Acts 2:47, we are told, "And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." Peter didn't do it; Andrew didn't do it; John didn't do it; the Lord did it. Those who repented and were baptized by the Lord's authority (Acts 2:38, 41) were those that the Lord added to His church (Acts 2:47).

It is the only way revealed in the Scriptures.