Bulletin Articles

As we continue in our spiritual growth and development, let us be reminded of the importance of fundamentals. The fundamentals of the faith are Divine pillars upon which rest the Christian religion. The religious division which exists today represents a departure from the fundamentals of the faith. The Lord’s Prayer for the unity of all believers in Christ can be answered only by teaching and defending the fundamentals of the faith. Jesus prayed, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (Jn. 17:20-23). Let’s take a closer look at the fundamentals of the faith.

THE INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE

The source of the faith is Divine. Paul wrote, “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” (2 Tim. 3:16, 17). The Bible is the sword of the Spirit according to Ephesians 6:17. Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit in order to produce the Bible (2 Pet. 1:20, 21).

THE UNITY OF THE BIBLE

The Bible is composed of sixty-six individual books written by about forty men over a period of about sixteen hundred years, yet the Bible exhibits a remarkable unity in design and purpose. Five sections in the Old Testament fill out its thirty-nine books. These sections are: Law (5 Books), History (12 Books), Poetry or Wisdom Literature (5 Books), Major Prophets (5 Books), and Minor Prophets (12 Books). Correspondingly, five sections in the New Testament fill out its twenty-seven books. These sections are: Gospel Accounts (4 Books), History (1 Book), Letters or Epistles to Individual Christians or Congregations (14 Books), General Epistles or Letters (7 Books), and Prophecy (1 Book). These sixty-six books which are inspired of God are united by a common character in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:24) and a common theme, the salvation of all men everywhere in the church of Christ (Matt. 16:18).

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you; that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren. Luke 22:31,32
 
Having suffered the pain of sorrow (and maybe having stumbled in our faith), we are stronger for having had that experience — if we respond to it in the right way. Like a broken bone that is stronger at the spot where it was mended, we can gain strength from our brokenness.

Our chosen response to suffering is what makes the difference, of course. And choosing correctly is not easy. There are two opposite dangers that must be avoided. On the one hand, we must stay away from self-pity, but on the other, we must steer clear of self-righteousness. When we’ve been broken by some experience in life, we tend to veer back and forth between these extremes. With practice, however, we can learn to respond to heartbreaks with reverence, gratitude, and humility — and when we do, we find that hardships help us more than they hurt us.

In what sense, though, can we say that broken people are stronger? Well, for one thing, those who’ve had their hearts broken are often wiser and less vulnerable to certain temptations. After Peter had denied the Lord three times and recovered, he would have been more vigilant in that particular area for the rest of his life. But not only that faith, hope, and love are often more real to those who’ve been tried by fire. Job, for example, was a man of considerable faith before his ordeal, but after it was over, he found that his faith was stronger by far (Job 42:5,6).

Not everybody has to be broken by sorrow in order to learn spiritual strength; some are wise enough to learn from others’ ordeals (Proverb 21:11; 22:3). Nevertheless, there can be no question that those who are the strongest spiritually are often those whose hearts have been torn apart and then mended. Life in this world is hard; let’s be real. It is ugly, and it is dangerous. We’re never more than a step away from sorrow or shame, and the weight of the world may not be something we can bear without breaking.
 
The victory is ONLY in Jesus (I Cor. 15:57-58), who died for us, that we might have life eternal. The choice is up to you.
Don’t leave this world without HIM.

For many people throughout the world, the Christmas season is the happiest and busiest time of the year. Millions of believers in Christ celebrate December 25th as a special religious holiday because they believe it marks the date of Christ’s birth. Businessmen often take advantage of the giving of gifts at this season to make an extra profit. Some religious people protest at this “commercializing” of Christmas because they feel that a sacred, holy day is desecrated by it. Their protests are often voiced in slogans such as “Put Christ back into Christmas.” Few people, however, including many believers in Christ, are aware of the fact that the Bible is completely silent concerning any special festivities to commemorate the date of Christ’s birth.

The Bible does not give us the date of the birth of Jesus! Whether He was born in December or July or some other month of the year is not stated in the Scriptures. Scholars confess that they do not know the actual date of Christ’s birth. For more than 300 years following the close of the New Testament, Christmas was kept on various dates. In 354, the bishop of Rome decreed that December 25th, a pagan feast day in honor of the god, Saturn, should be observed by Christians in honor of Christ’s birth. However, in the East, this date was not accepted; and for centuries, January 6th was celebrated as the birthday of Jesus, particularly in Egypt. Some branches of the Eastern Orthodox Church, even today, keep January 6th as Christmas day.

It is interesting to note also that many of the festivities connected with Christmas had their origin in paganism, not in the Bible. Many of them came from Catholicism also. For example, the name “Christmas” itself comes from “Christ” and “Mass” referring to the worship of the Roman Catholic Church. The Christmas tree originated in Scandinavia. The pagans of that part of the world worshipped trees before they became believers in Christ.  Decorating with mistletoe originated with the ancient Celtic priests, called Druids, who used mistletoe as charms to ward off evil spirits. The burning of yule logs, which is customary in many countries, came from the ancient Norsemen who burned a log once a year in honor of Thor, god of Thunder. See the World Book Encyclopedia for other examples of the pagan influence in Christmas customs.

The Bible gives two accounts of the birth of Jesus. They are found in Matthew 1 and 2 and Luke 2. No mention is made of the date. No command is given for our Lord’s birthday to be observed in any way. No example is found in the New Testament of any celebration of Christ’s birth. Rather, the New Testament emphasis is on the death and resurrection of Christ. His death made possible the forgiveness of our sins. His resurrection makes possible our victory over death. The Lord’s supper is to “show the Lord’s death till he come” (1 Corinthians 11:26). The only day in any way set aside for special religious observance in the New Testament is the Lord’s day, Sunday, the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Revelation 1:10).

What should be the Christian’s attitude toward Christmas? Should we celebrate it as Christ’s birthday? Definitely not! To do so is to do such without Scriptural authority. Should we observe the Christmas holiday in any way at all?

There is nothing wrong with enjoying the holiday at Christmas, just as one would enjoy any other legal holiday during the year. If one wishes to have a big dinner and get together with family and friends, there is certainly nothing wrong with this. But to honor December 25th as Christ’s birthday, and thus as a special holy day to be religiously observed, is to speak where the Scriptures are silent and to follow the traditions of men rather than the Word of God.

Be Joyous…. Be Thankful that God’s Word is available Today!!!

Many people look at religion the same way they would a life insurance policy. They put blind trust in a smooth-talking salesman (some preacher) and hope that he knows what he is doing. They never read their policy (the Bible) for they imagine that they couldn’t understand it anyway. It is much easier to trust a priest or preacher than to read and study for themselves. The Holy Spirit guided the apostles in the writing of the New Testament (John 16:13). Paul told the Ephesians that “when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ” (Eph. 3:4). The Bible was written so a person with a limited education can read it without difficulty.

Yes, there are some things that require a good deal of study. Peter spoke of the epistles of Paul “in which are some things hard to understand, which those who are untaught and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures” (2 Peter 3:16). Peter simply said some people will “twist” not only the difficult things, but also the “rest of the Scriptures.”

When a man claims the Bible is too difficult to understand, he is questioning (and even challenging) the character of God. Jesus told us we will be judged by His words (John 12:48). It is against every law of humanity to hold a person accountable for something they can’t understand. But, there is a big difference between the words “can’t” and “won’t.” Jesus spoke of some in His day by quoting Isaiah 6:9-10. “Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their heart and turn, so that I should heal them.” (Matthew 13:14-15). Proverbs 23:23 tells us to “Buy the truth, and do not sell it.” To those who do not have a “love of the truth,” “God will send them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thes. 2:11-12).

I have heard people speak of the Bible and say “it’s a mystery to me.” The word “mystery” can be used in two different ways. Sometimes it means something that is hidden and cannot be understood. Other times it refers to something where we are ignorant. If the Bible is a “mystery” to you, it is because you have not applied yourself. The Bible can be understood. It is given to us in this life and will be opened before us at the judgment (Rev. 20:12). What you know about God’s word, and what you do about it, will determine what He says to you on the final day.

Let us imitate the noble Bereans who “searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). We insure everything (home, boat, car, etc.)…God has provided Soul Insurance…take out a “policy” today by obeying the gospel.

Thanksgiving is next week and surely our blessings are on our minds. Our secular culture places an emphasis on material prosperity as a way to judge whether or not we have anything for which we should be thankful. Our contention here is that our thankfulness ought to be primarily for our spiritual blessings. We must add that this thankfulness for God’s blessings must not be limited to the day of our national holiday of Thanksgiving.

There are many spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3) and reams of paper and gallons of ink would be required to list and reflect on them. But there is one I hope you will think about with me: The blessing of how God made us. David provided the insight:

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well” (Psalm 139:14). Key among the characteristics with which we are equipped by God is the quality we call the mind.
 
Thus we are able to understand Paul’s words of Philippians 3:14: “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” We know what this means. We study the Book and put it in action in everyday life. We live like Jesus wants us to do.

Let us be thankful that God has made us able to do this very thing.

We pray everyone has a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

With so much religious confusion in the world today, it is imperative that the church of Christ let people know clearly and precisely what God has to say in His word about becoming a member of the church. In the Bible, we find that when people obeyed the gospel of Christ and became Christians, God added them to His church (Acts 2:47). Thus, when we speak of terms of admission, we are really discussing what one must do in order to be saved.

The following steps are necessary to one’s salvation:

1. One must hear the gospel of Christ. Paul writes, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17).
2. One must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God. Jesus said, “…for if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24).
3. One must repent of his sins. Jesus said, “I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3,5).
4. One must confess Christ. Paul writes, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:10).
5. One must be baptized into Christ for the remission of sins. Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16).

When we look at the example in Acts chapter two, the apostle Peter told the Jews present, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). In verse 41 it then says, “Then they that gladly received His word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” The chapter then closes by stating, “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47).

Note that when people did as they were commanded, the Lord added or admitted them into the church. There was no voting and no required series of studies before admittance; just, simple obedience to the gospel of Christ.

If we would be part of the Lord’s church today, we must do what He commands in His Word, and then He will add or admit us into the church, the body of the saved (Eph. 5:23). Live a Christian life unto death (1 Peter 2:10; Rev 2:10).

We at the Miami Gardens church of Christ are willing and ready to assist you TODAY!

Differences

There are, though, some very great differences between the death-state of the Lord’s people and those who are not.

First, God’s attitude toward the two groups is in great contrast. Note the testimony of the Psalmist: “Precious in the sight of Jehovah is the death of his saints” (Psalm 116:15). On the other hand, “As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezekiel 33:11). The one is a recipient of the Lord’s goodness; the other, his severity (cf. Romans 2:4-11).

Second, for the righteous, death brings fellowship with Christ. Jesus informed the penitent thief, “Today you shall be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). Again, Paul knew that his departure would enable him to be “with Christ” (Philippians 1:23), which was “very far better” than this earthly domain.

The apostle affirmed that to be “absent from the body” is to be “at home with [the Greek term pros literally means ‘face to face with’] the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). The wicked have no such hope. And why should they? They have rejected his fellowship in life; they will not enjoy it in death!

Third, for the faithful, death is a thrilling, blissful experience. “Blessed [literally, ‘happy’] are the dead who die in the Lord . . . they do rest from their labors” (Revelation 14:13). But the wicked know nothing except “trouble and sorrow” (Psalm 116:3), “affliction” (John. 2:2), “anguish” (Luke 16:25), and “punishment” (2 Pet. 2:9 – ASV).

Each of us – as rational, responsible human beings – has the option now of determining whether our death will be like the righteous or the wicked. There is one thing for certain, after death has taken us, there will be no changes in our destiny (cf. Matthew 25:1-13).

If you want to rest eternally, obey God through His gospel and live faithfully unto death (Revelation 2:10).

Why not have a bible study today?