Bible Thoughts

January 18, 2004

The apostle of Christ is warning those who would be led away from the truth. The ultimate result of the deceptions that Paul warned about would be manifest in the corruption of the Lord's church in the following centuries. The apostate church rose to prominence among foolish men as they refused to follow the standards set forth in the New Testament of the Lord.

Deception is a tool of Satan. His efforts have led many into believing in doctrines that are not found in the Law of Jesus Christ. Over a process of time, error is accepted and the truth is rejected. How unfortunate that men will deceive others and how unfortunate that those whom they deceive will not take the time and effort to determine what the scriptures teach.

Leaving the faith is, most of the time, a gradual process. Ordinarily, one is not a faithful and dedicated disciple one day and an apostate the next. Often, human reasoning is one of the culprits that will cause one to drift away from the Law of Christ. "I do not see anything wrong with it" is used many times to soften the heart and will of the person who is gradually moving away from a respect of the scriptures. Such may happen to any Christian, even preachers and teachers. Only a strong commitment to the teachings of the New Testament and a profound respect for the authority of God's word can keep a disciple from weakening one's faith. Let each of us hold to the faith through diligent efforts to follow only that which is found in the New Testament of Jesus Christ.

The Hebrews of the Old Testament were taught "The liberal soul shall be made fat"(Proverbs 11:25). There were several areas in which the Lord expected the Jews to make various types of offerings to the service of the Almighty. Some of these were small offerings; others were to be in abundance. In all, the Lord wanted them to be liberal in their giving, whether it was time, effort or funds. The passage in Proverbs contains the promise of God to the Israelite who was willing to make abundant sacrifices to the Lord and His cause. The liberality was determined by the willingness of the person to share with the Lord that with which he has been blessed.

The principle of liberality has been taught in the New Testament. When Paul addressed the Corinthian church concerning the needs of others, he commended their attitude. "...seeing that through the proving of you by this ministration they glorify God for the obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution unto them and unto all"(II Corinthians 9:13).

The churches of Macedonia had, in spite of their circumstances, "...how that in much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality"(II Corinthians 8:2). The Lord never expected one to do what is impossible. However, he expects each disciple to do as one can in sacrificing. Such is not limited to money, but time and effort can also be included. Without the Lord, we would not have that which we possess. Without the Lord, we would not have the time to accumulate the things of this life. Without the Lord's kindnesses and help, we would be miserable creatures, lacking in the possessions that we hold dear to our hearts. Let us remember that all blessings come from the Lord and praise him as the giver of all good things.

Have you ever heard someone say, "What is he worth?" Most of the time, they are referring to material substance. The world places a great value in regard to money. The value of a person, however, does not rest in how much one has in the bank. Rather, the greatest value of a person is a life that is lived in keeping with the Lord's word.

Jesus wanted the people of His day to understand that one should esteem that which has the greatest value. The Lord spoke not in terms of the flesh, but in terms of the spirit. Even the value of the human body, so treasured by many, will waste away and be only dust in time. The material accumulations of one's lifetime are confined to this world. You cannot take it with you! The Lord was teaching the true values that can be had by any person who was willing to follow him and keep his word.

Jesus was helping them to understand that God cares for the human creatures. The birds, animals, and all of the Lord's creation is unlike the crowning physical creation: mankind. Even the very hairs on one's head is "numbered." If God so loves and cares for us, valuing the souls of men to the degree that he sent His Son to die on the cross, should we not value our souls and the souls of others to such a degree that we will commit our lives to His service?

The values that each of us possess is determined by the life that we live and the dedication that we have within our hearts for the Lord and His cause. When I let the values of this life interfere with my duty to the Lord, I have rejected the values of truth and godliness. What are my values? and will they stand in the day of judgment? What am I doing to increase my strength as a Christian through proper values? Always value righteousness. just thinkin...The Lord did not shed His blood to create an institution to satisfy the desires, lusts, and appetites of men. Rather, He created a relationship through the church of the Lord that is spiritual in nature. Too many, even among those who claim to be churches of Christ, have become oriented toward the appeals of the flesh rather than the spirit. When a church takes the Lord's money and uses it for entertainment and activities that are not authorized in the scriptures, they are losing(if not already lost) their identify as the church of Christ. When a congregation begins to appeal to the flesh in order to attract(or keep) members, they have forgotten the pattern set forth in the New Testament and gone the way of denominationalism. How sad that the flesh has interfered with the spirit in many congregations. How can one envision the Lord to shed His blood and die on the cross for an institution that gives itself over to the attractions of this life? The Lord did not shed his blood to create an in institution to satisfy the desires, and appetites of men. The Lord created the home to satisfy the needs of those who compose it. The obligations of the home are to be confined to the home, not the church. There are many activities that can be done by the home or the government or the community, without turning the Lord's church into some kind of human organization to satisfy the flesh.