Bulletin Articles

Therefore you shall be perfect just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). At first glance, this is a difficult passage. It seems to be calling us to do or be what seems impossible. “Nobody is perfect,” is what we say. This was also a recent question in our Young Adult class. It is true that all responsible people commit sin. Romans 3:23 states that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. That is why Jesus died for all men to give them the opportunity to have their sin removed (Hebrews 2:9; 2 Corinthians 5:14). It is also why the gospel needs to be preached “to every creature” (Mark 16:16). Even after one obeys the gospel, he still commits sin and needs forgiveness (1 John 1:7-10).

If Matthew 5:48 were telling us that we must live sinlessly perfect lives or that we must be as perfect as God, then we obviously have some real problems. When we seek to determine the meaning of any Biblical text, especially one that seems difficult to understand, we must remember, when it comes to Scripture, whatever God’s word says on any subject is right (Psalm 119:128). It is also possible to twist or misuse the Scriptures (2 Peter 3:15-16).

In the study of the difficult text before us, we must answer three questions. First: Can the word “perfect” have several meanings here other verses in the Bible which will help us understand this one?

The Meaning of Perfect

The word “perfect,” in the Bible, can and does mean “complete” or “finished”. Jesus was made “perfect” through suffering (Hebrews 2:10; 5:8-9). He completed or fulfilled God’s plan for Him as our Savior by suffering for us. “Perfect” can also have the meaning of “mature” or “grown up.” In Philippians 3:15, the apostle Paul speaks to “as many as be perfect” (KJV). The NKJV translates this phrase “as many as are mature.”

The Context of Matthew 5:48

Jesus contrasts His teaching with that of the Old Law (Matthew 5:38-39). He shows us what our attitude is to be toward those who want to make life hard for us by forcing us or hatefully treating us (Matthew 5:40-44). He teaches us to love our “enemies” (Matthew 5:44), not an easy thing to do. We are to do this so “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:45a). God acts with concern and love for all men.

When Jesus said, “Be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48), He was saying, “Let your love be complete as God’s love.” God loves all people, even evil ones. This is how we can be as “perfect” as God. Our love for our fellow-man needs to grow and mature – including loving our enemies. If we do not love our enemies, we are not acting as sons of God ought to act.

Conclusion

We must heed the command of our Savior given in Matthew 5:48 to “be perfect” just as our heavenly Father is perfect. We must be careful, though, not to apply this command to areas in which Jesus never intended for it to be applied. He was speaking of the love that is to characterize those who are children of God. That love is to be complete, extending even to those who are your enemies, who hate you and spitefully use you. In this, as in all other things, we must strive to be as both Father and Son.

The perspective kids have is quite interesting. Instead of eating candy for breakfast; they have to have cereal, eggs and toast. When others had cokes and candy for lunch, they have to eat a sandwich. Their dinner is different from the other kids’ also.

Their mother’s insist upon knowing where they are all the time. Kids think they are on a chain gang. These moms had to know who there friends were and what we are doing. These “mean” moms insisted if the kids said we’d be gone an hour, that we be gone an hour or less, not one hour and one minute. These “mean” moms do not spare the rod; not only once, but each time we did as we pleased. Can you imagine someone actually hitting a child just because he
disobeyed? (Proverbs 22:15). Now you can begin to see how she really was.

These mean moms make sure their kids are in bed by a specific time each night and up early the next morning. No sleeping until noon like other kids. So while they slept these moms actually had the nerve to break the child labor law —they make the kids work…washing the dishes, making the beds, learning to cook and all sorts of cruel things. Kids think these moms lay awake at night thinking of mean things to do to them. So just when you think your “mean” woman was a complete failure as a mother.

Thank God for her helping you stay out of trouble and living a good life. When we look at our lives, we turned out OK! These mean mothers taught us to grow up into God-fearing, educated, honest adults (Proverbs 22:6). Using this as a background, may we raise our children the same way. Don’t regret being the parent God would have you to be.

Thank God for our Mothers…may their Godly legacies live on through us!

How do we make sure that we are among the few who are saved and not among the many who are lost (Matthew 7:13-14)? Jesus says in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” If we believe and call Jesus, “Lord, Lord”, we are still lost if we have not done God’s will.

On Judgment Day many will be pleading with Jesus, calling him Lord, Lord, and reminding him of the many wonderful works that they had done in His name, but He will say unto them, “I never knew you, depart from Me you who practice lawlessness.” Why? They had not done the will of the Father in heaven. The worst thing that will ever be said to an individual is when the Lord on Judgment Day says to the majority of people, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.” There will be no appeal to this decision. We must get it right the first time.

These people in the above scripture seemed to be honest, but they were honestly mistaken as the majority of people are today. Apparently, they were good people, because they had “done many wonderful works.” But they had not done the will of the Father, which is in heaven. No single condition, that God imposes, can be ignored. God has no non-essential commands. When we fail to obey a command of God, we have just broken it.

We must obey God by doing what God says to do, when God says to do it, how God says to do it, and for the reason God says to do it. Nothing is more important than pleasing God by doing His will so that we can go to Heaven. God’s will is found right in our Bibles.

Simon Peter, having failed his Lord at a strategic time, lived to recover and become a powerful force for Christ and His church. In a thrilling letter to his brethren, those of “like precious faith,” he declares: “His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue,” 2 Peter 1:3. The verses that follow provide us with the richest motivation to be loyal to the source of that “faith.”

• Godliness
  Words like holiness, inner piety, and goodness are often associated with this term. These are not just a facade or a fake religion, but true, genuine spiritual strength.

  Jesus is the best example of godliness, for in His own words He stated that, in regard to God’s will, “I do always those things that please Him,” John 8:28-29. He was not boasting, for the Father gave Jesus His firm approval, Matthew 17:5. In Galatians 2:20, we see defined a godly man and attitude: “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.” When the world sees a true Christian, they will see a godly person, following in the steps of Jesus, 1 Peter 2:21-24.

• Brotherly Kindness
  In its English letters, the term is philadelphia, or love for brethren. In Romans 12:10, we read a similar description: “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” That “brotherly love” must not be pretended. As we read in 1 Peter 1:22, that love is to be “unfeigned,” a genuine love and concern for one’s brethren in Christ. Jesus said their love would be the means by which others would know they are His disciples, John 13:35.

Conclusion
What if these characteristics are not in someone? 2 Peter 1:8-11 says he will be “blind… barren…unfruitful…forgotten that he has been purged from all of your sins.” But “if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.”

Let’s all work on these!

For part 1 of this epistle, check out Add to Your Faith (Part 1 of 2)

Simon Peter, having failed his Lord at a strategic time, lived to recover and become a powerful force for Christ and His church. In a thrilling letter to his brethren, those of “like precious faith,” he declares: “His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue,” 2 Peter 1:3. The verses that follow provide us with the richest motivation to be loyal to the source of that “faith.”

• Faith
  The foundation upon which all the following qualities rest is the “faith” that comes from “hearing” God’s word, Romans 10:17. Without that faith no one can be pleasing to God, Hebrews 11:6 and none of the other qualities can prosper.
• Virtue
  The word “virtue” is defined as “moral excellence; strength of character.” This is the means by which our “faith” is made known to the world. Without virtue, genuine faith cannot be seen/known by our associates.
• Knowledge
  This is literally a “seeking to know; inquiry.” In Matthew 5:6 we read, “Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Without this, faith is lost and replaced with opinion. “The entrance of your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple” Psalm 119:130.
• Temperance
  This term includes self-control that requires the ability to discern good from evil. It is a learned quality of controlling one’s appetites/passions and then putting into practice that which is learned by knowledge. The apostle Paul “kept” his body under control so that his efforts in preaching would not be compromised 1 Corinthians 6:12, 9:27. Temperance here is not “dabbling in wickedness, but not going to extremes.” It is having the will to say “no” to Satan and his devices.
• Patience
  Synonyms for this term include “endurance, steadfast and perseverance.” This quality is attained by having a goal for life, determining to reach that goal, and doing what it takes to achieve the goal. When pressed by an opponent, “patience” does not give up, does not quit until the goal is reached. Jesus told His disciples they would be tested and proved, even to the point of death,  John 16. See also Romans 5:3, 1 Peter 1:3-9, and James 1:2-4.

So, possessing faith, virtue, knowledge, and self-control, we are steadfast though tempted, threatened, and rejected.

For part 2 of this epistle, check out Add to Your Faith (Part 2 of 2)

As members of the church of Christ, we celebrate the resurrection of Christ every Sunday, not just an annual observance.

1. “Easter” does appear in the King James Version of the New Testament. (Acts 12:1-4)
   1. This is the only place in the English translation of the Bible that the word “Easter” appears.
   2. This same Greek word is used in Matthew 26:2; Mark 14:1 and many others passages and in every instance it is translated, “Passover.”
   3. The New English versions (NASV, NKJV) have the word “Passover” in Acts 12:4.
   4. The context shows that what was being done could not correspond to our modern-day Easter.
      1. Herod was not celebrating the resurrection of Christ, but was trying to please the Jews by persecuting Christians.

   
   Jesus, the Lamb of God…
   The lamb the children of Israel slew was to be dedicated to God. It was to be separated from the other animals. They were to care for it for four days. It was to be given to God. It was the Lord’s Passover (Exodus 12:11). Jesus is God’s dedicated Lamb today.

   Because He is the only begotten of the Father.

   John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”st like Christmas, instrumental music in worship, baptizing infants, and many other things.

2. Let us continue to celebrate and rejoice in the resurrection as we partake of the Lord’s Supper on every first day of the week as the Lord ordained.
   1. Let us continue to live in preparation for His coming, which His resurrection assures.
   2. May God be with us in our efforts to serve Him in truth and sincerity.

The subject of salvation is viewed by the voice of inspiration as something to be “obtained.” Paul wrote to the evangelist Timothy, “Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory” (2 Timothy 2:10). The Bible discusses many features of salvation that draw the reality and meaning of the subject clearly into view.

Saving Lord
The God of heaven is the saving Lord Peter proclaimed, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). God is referred to as the “God of our salvation” in Psalm 68:19. “Salvation is of the Lord” declared Jonah from the whale’s belly (John 3:2; Matthew 12:40). Known all too well is the answer “nowhere” to the refrain of the beautiful Christian hymn “Where Could I Go but to the Lord?”

Saving Scriptures
God’s planning (Ephesians 3:8-11), Christ’s performing (Hebrews 10:7), and the Holy Spirit’s revealing (1 Corinthians 2:9-10) have brought about “the salvation in Christ.” The entire human family can know about it because it stands unassailably codified in the eternal word of the living Lord (Psalm 119:89; Matthew 24:35). James wrote, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21).

Saving Gospel
The gospel message is God’s power unto salvation, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). The sinner cannot be redeemed without sufficient power exerted upon the sinful condition of the soul to save him or her from spiritual ruin and death. That saving power is the gospel of Christ. The entire gospel system presented in the New Testament stands upon the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scripture” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

The Bible is clear on the benefits of being in Christ:

• Acts 4:12 – Salvation is only in Christ
• 2 Corinthians 5:17 – New creatures are in Christ
• Romans 8:1 – No Condemnation to those in Christ who walk after the Spirit
• Ephesians 1:3,7 – All spiritual blessing are in Christ (forgiveness and redemption)
• Revelation 14:13 – It is a blessing to die in the Lord
• Galatians 3:27 – We are baptized into Christ
• I Corinthians 12:13 – We are baptized into one body
• Colossians 1:18 – The Body is the church
• Ephesians 1:22-23 – The church is the body
• Ephesians 4:4 – There is one body, There is ONE Church
• 1 Corinthians 12:27 – The body of Christ is the church of Christ
• Romans 16:16 – The churches of Christ salute you (ONE church, different locations)

Get in Christ today. Being in Christ is the only place of salvation. The church of Christ is the only church built by Christ (Matthew 16:18)