Posts from 2020 (Page 2)
Hebrews 2: Jesus is still better
Pardon the lack of creativity with this title, but the more I read Hebrews 2, the more impressed I am with the author’s theme. Chapter 2 opens with this admonition and warning, “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest we drift away.” In keeping with our theme, we see the reason for this “more earnest heed.” If the condemnation was severe for those who disobeyed the word given by angelic…
Hebrews 1: Jesus is Better
“Jesus is better” is the theme of Hebrews. Written to all Jewish converts, its message was given to help them remain faithful to Christ rather than return to the inferior former covenant. The authorship of this great epistle continues to be a source of great speculation and little confidence. There are several great truths found in this first chapter. Among them: God has spoken (v 1). The author affirms the inspiration and former authority of the Old Covenant, noting that…
Philemon: The Bible and Slavery
One attack against the Bible, and one that disturbs and perplexes many Bible believers, is that the Bible does not condemn slavery and in many cases appears to condone it. One should remember that slavery was ensconced among every society in Bible times. While we could write at some length regarding the Mosaic Laws regarding slavery contrasted with the worldwide practice, we will focus our attention on Paul’s little letter to Philemon. Paul’s letter to Philemon provides insight regarding the…
Titus 3: The Washing of Regeneration
One of the most overlooked passages pertaining to the means of salvation is Titus 3:4-7: “4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace…
Titus 2: A Truly Sound Church
“Qualities of a Sound Church” is the heading above Titus 2:1-10 in my Bible. Titus 2 opens with the following admonition: “But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine.” To be “sound” is to be well, in health, and without corruption. I heard William Woodson tell a story about N.B. Hardeman boarding a train for Nashville. Before it departed, a man walked alongside the train, striking each wheel with a metal hammer. Not knowing the…
Titus 1: Appoint elders in every city
One of the most fundamental differences between the churches of Christ and all other religious institutions can be seen in the matter of church organization. In Titus 1:5, Paul left specific instructions for Titus to appoint elders throughout the island of Crete. Given what the New Testament says concerning elders and local congregations, we understand that Paul here speaks of each city having a single congregation, and not of a hierarchy overseeing a multiplicity of congregations. From the earliest days…
2 Timothy 4: Preach the Word!
2 Timothy 4:2 might be rightfully called “The Preacher’s Mantra.” Every faithful gospel preacher knows it and strives to live by it–“Preach the word!” After my Uncle John died, my Aunt Leitha set up a scholarship at Freed-Hardeman for young men who were training to be gospel preachers. I vividly recall seeing her at the lectureship one year as she was speaking to one of the recipients. With that twinkle in her eye, she reminded the lad, “Whatever you do,…
2 Timothy 3: Every scripture is given by inspiration of God
The idea of Inspiration means different things to different people. Some speak of gifted artists as being inspired. Some think of inspiration as a sudden or brilliant thought or solution. But these are not the idea Paul intends to convey in the text. When Paul spoke of inspiration, he used a Greek compound meaning “God-breathed.” Paul believed that in reading the Scriptures, one should hear the voice of God as though God were speaking directly to him. This is true…
2 Timothy 2: This is a faithful saying
Today’s text contains Paul’s final use of this phrase (cf 1 Tim 1:15, 3:1, 4:9; Titus 3:8). So, what does Paul say in respect to this “faithful saying?” “If we died with Him, we shall also live with Him” (v 11) Of this, renown scholar and expositor William Mounce wrote, “Most agree that this first line refers to a believer’s baptism and the new life that follows” (Pastoral Epistles, 516). Paul’s writing elsewhere agrees with this assessment. In Romans 6,…
2 Timothy 1: Decisions and Consequences
“… the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also” (2 Tim 1:5). My life is the sum of my decisions. This is not to say that the decisions of others have no effect on me, neither are my own decisions made in a vacuum. While reviewing literature for our Wednesday night adult class, I looked at Tim Lewis’s marvelous book, “The Domino…