When most people hear the word “sacrifice,” they start to worry and consider all the things they will lose in their lives; they do not consider what comes from the sacrifice or what may be gained from it. American commercialism conditions people to think that they can have it all and should have it all!…

The worst thing a Christian can be is offensive, or is it? How often were the Israelites offended by what the prophets of God proclaimed to them? How often were the Pharisees and Sadducees offended by what Jesus stated? How often were the Gentiles and Jews offended by what the apostles preached? If these individuals…

Every religious person in the world can explain what they believe, perhaps even a few might be able to answer why, but only the godly can provide authority! Authority comes in different ways for people. Some consider their priests to be the authority in salvation, others their pastors or parents or reverends or some other…

When the Almighty adds a believer to the church of Christ through his/her baptism into Christ, the new member will want to tell his/her friends about this new and exciting commitment (Acts 2:47; Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:1-4). The friends or family of this new member may grimace or scowl at hearing their loved one becoming…

This past holiday season, celebrations of all types have been shown through television, social media, and newspapers. Numerous people prepared to celebrate and focus on the positive rather than the difficult situations that surrounded communities throughout the country. One common element seen in these celebrations was alcohol. The drink represented an outlet for stress, a…

The ‘progressive’ faith of the 21st century popularly portrays an individual who does not need the institutionalized church to define his/her system of belief. Likewise, those individuals who ascribe to this non-institutional faith view Christ as one that does not care if a person goes faithfully and dutifully to the worship service, but rather cares…

During the Roman Era and the Middle Ages, the Christian world almost completely accepted the teaching that one had to confess and repent of every and any sin in order to be saved. Even after being saved, most Christians understood that one had to continually confess and repent of new sins committed. Any sin, no…

Judging has become a bad word in the modern world. Christians chose their words so carefully so as not to be labeled as judgmental. Churches refuse to rebuke those living in open sin because they do not want to be labeled as a judgmental church. The term often implies that the individual or group is…

On the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus of Nazareth asked his disciples, “Whom do men say that I am?” (Matt. 16:13). Christ’s question has echoed through the global continents for almost two thousand years. Kaleidoscopic images of Christ have developed from the answers that humanity provided to the inquiry of Jesus. Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965), a…

After Paul’s inspired doctrinal discussion in his letter to the church at Rome (Rom. 1-11), emphasizing the general theme of the book, which is justification, through his thesis, which is justification by faith in Christ (Rom. 1:17), the apostle turns to instructing his brethren in the practical applications of the faith. Paul begins with the…