Category: Bible & Doctrine Page 2 of 3

What will we be like in Heaven?

On February 25, 2022

When we die we will (obviously) give up our mortal bodies, but what will we receive in return? The Bible tells us that we will be changed, but what exactly will we be changed into? In this article I want to briefly cover what we know (from God’s Word) about this subject. I will be using the ESV for this article, as it provides somewhat easier reading.

We will be changed.
We will receive another (better) body.
We will become like Jesus (spiritual and eternal instead of earthly and mortal).
We can’t know everything about what we will become (but it will be far superior to what we have here).

First, let’s look at number one, we will be changed:

1Co 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

Second, that we will receive another (better) spiritual body:

1Co 15:40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another.

1Co 15:42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.

Third, we will become as Jesus is now – not as he was when he died (perishable) on the cross:

Php 3:21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Finally, we are incapable of knowing exactly what glory awaits us, but we are assured that it is far superior to what we have here on earth. In fact, I would venture to say that what we have here in this material world is a mere echo of what awaits us in the heavenly realm:

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

How to Start Studying the Bible

By Jay

On February 18, 2022

In Bible & Doctrine, Christian Productivity

There can be no better habit to establish than that of daily Bible reading. Fortunately, with just a few changes to your existing lifestyle you can easily fit this daily reading into your schedule. Remember, even a small amount of reading accomplished daily will really add up over time (and pay huge dividends).

I think any Christian would agree, studying the Bible is one of the most important things a human being can do. Prayer is our way to talking to God and the Word of God is the Lord’s way of talking to us. We need this two way communication in order to live our lives to the fullest and reach eternal life.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

2Ti 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

So, we know Bible study is important, but in today’s busy world we often have limited time to get things (like Bible study) accomplished. In addition, our minds have been corrupted by the modern “productivity” culture and its demand that we work for hours and hours every day. Many of the productivity guru’s today recommend that we should work as many hours a day as we possibly can. This, they say, is being “productive” and will lead to maximal gains in whatever endeavor we are pursuing.

I think that this is a foolish way to look at a challenging goal. For example, most walking apps recommend that you start out with 10,000 steps a day, which, in my opinion is way overboard. It would be much better to start with 3,000 steps a day, then slowly work your way to 5,000 steps over the course of a few weeks. Within a few months you could be at 10,000 steps a day, your ultimate goal.

In regard to Bible study, I believe that starting small is key. I think that if you are looking to start reading the Bible daily you should start with one chapter deeply read (for maximum understanding). Take it slow and really absorb the content. It is better to read one chapter well than five chapters quickly (and without comprehension). An interesting fact:

If you read one chapter of the New Testament a day it will take you nine months to complete it.
If you read one chapter a day right from the beginning of the Bible (Genesis) it will take you 3 years and 3 months to complete it.
Typical chapters take 5-10 minutes to read.

After you establish a solid habit you can then add another chapter (giving you a total of two). However, don’t start the two chapter a day regimen until you have gone a month or two consistently accomplishing your one chapter a day goal. At this point I would recommend one chapter of the New Testament and one of the Old Testament. Then, when you finish the New Testament (and are still working through the longer Old Testament) you can just restart the New Testament.

Reading the Bible gives you a great sense of accomplishment. Regardless of what happens during your day (for good or ill), if you do your daily reading you will know that your Bible study goal was accomplished. As time passes you will begin to cherish your daily opportunity to let God speak to you. Happy reading!

A World of Sugar-Stick Candy

By Jay

On February 2, 2022

In Bible & Doctrine

Scrolling through YouTube and social media will quickly show you that this world is thrives on extremes. On the one hand, we have news media streaming out TONS of negative news stories (because it has been proven that negative news stories deliver better ratings than positive ones). On the other hand, we have people on YouTube and social media promising amazing physical, mental, and emotional “transformations” with just a few lifestyle changes.

All of it boils down to this: nearly all of the popular content today promises that with just a few simple changes to the politics of the country, or to your diet, or to your workflow, you can have the body, life, and country of your dreams. This promise is the sugar-stick candy of the world – it tells you that you can diet, work, or vote your way to a perfect life and a perfect world. The problem here is that that isn’t what the Bible tells us about the world:

1Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

If we believe Christ then there is no mystery about the state of the world we live in. It is a sinful place that (generally) does not welcome those who follow Christ. So, the next time things aren’t going quite right for you in this world, remember, they aren’t really supposed to! Our job (as Christians) is to prepare for eternity, our job is not to be a successful in this current world.

Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Now that is a strong statement by Jesus! We are not a few “changes” away from a perfect life and country, unless the change you are considering is the path of Christ. By following the plan of salvation you can truly have the fruitful (and eternal) change that the world falsely promises. Build your hope on things eternal – build your hope on Christ.

2Co 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

2Co 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

2Co 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Where are Your Dreams Directed?

By Jay

On December 11, 2021

In Bible & Doctrine

I’ve been thinking a lot about “dreams” lately. I’ve had many of these fantasies in my life, and, let me tell you, I’m very glad that most them did not come true. The truth is that if many of these aspirations came to fruition they would have led me further from God (and thus further from eternal life).

Still, when these “dreams” crash and burn it can seem humiliating, deflating, and (sometimes) even embarrassing. It can really seem as if your life is coming to end, or at least that you are a wretched and miserable failure.

Thankfully, Christianity can protect you from the disappointment of your “dreams not coming true”. Jesus tells you that your identity doesn’t have to be centered solely in yourself, it can be located outside yourself (in God). When you put your identity in God you begin to realize the immense pressure that you have on you when you attempt to “make” your own identity.

I, for one, believe that America is going through an identity crisis, and I think this is largely because Americans are told that in order to be happy one must “look within themselves” and “follow their heart”. Doing this puts all the pressure on you, and oftentimes it is a pressure that no human can live up to. Besides, following your heart only works if what you are aspiring to is currently “trendy” and not looked down upon by society. Nothing takes the air out of “being yourself” more than others thinking the “self” you have chosen is unacceptable.

So, the question is, why should you take on all this pressure? Why should you be responsible for designing the “perfect you”? If it is going to be enjoyable on any level at all then you will have to design a “you” that adheres to the whatever the current society deems trendy and in vogue. And many things that are fashionable today are downright morally reprehensible.

You shouldn’t have to be responsible for that. That’s why you should look to the Bible, the Word of God for your identity. If you do, then all of the identity pressure will be removed and you will finally be free.

You might ask, “How will I be free if I have to follow a rule book like the Bible? Won’t that make me less free?” It might seem like that on the surface, but I assure you that following the design God has laid out in the Bible will allow you to finally find freedom, not lose it.

If you put yourself in God’s hands and allow Him to direct your life (through His Word and will) you will finally achieve the freedom you were looking for all along. Don’t define your identity by earthly standards because whatever you choose to “go after” could be taken from you at any moment by illness, misfortune, or death. Put your hopes in things eternal and place your identity in the hands of your Creator. I’ll end this blog with one verse that sums this up better than I ever could:

Mat 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

For Your Audience or For God?

By Jay

On November 13, 2021

In Bible & Doctrine

I have not posted a blog in quite some time and apologize to either my readers or to the ether (more likely to the latter) for my neglect. If things are not on my mind I typically choose not to write – but I’m breaking this cycle today. I really don’t know what I will write but I believe that it will have something to do with the title of this essay.

I think it does a person well to ask themselves if they are living life for an outside audience (those of flesh and blood) or if they are living life for God. If one is living life for an outside audience I believe that one should be ready to stifle their assertions and tone down their message. This especially applies when one is discussing the controversial topics that God puts forth at truth.

For success delivering messages in this world:

Only reveal truths that people will like, can handle, or will tolerate.
Make it exciting and full of hope (even if the topic isn’t really so full of hope after all).

If one were to follow these two guidelines then I am quite confident that they would have “worldly success”. However, worldly success is like a vision of island vapor oscillating in the desert heat – it lulls but fails to satisfy. Still, so many trade their honor and integrity for such an illusion. In fact, they often trade their very souls for such a vacuous mirage.

Didn’t Eve (and Adam too) trade the Garden of Eden for such illusory power? Did they not partake of that forbidden fruit only to turn to one another reviling their nakedness? Too often today we see those promoting truth (that of Jesus our Savior) pushed to the wayside for the glory of a promising mirage…

Alas, the journey to the mirage is one of carefree and impetuous whim – no worries, only castles in the air. But will the charade be so full of glory when one dips their head to the shimmering aquatic hallucination and receives nothing aside from a mouthful of dry sand? Such it will be in the day of judgment and such we should seek to avoid.

Climbing Down the Ladder of Success

By Jay

On August 24, 2021

In Bible & Doctrine

Recently I looked up someone on the internet (someone famous) to see how they were doing. It turns out they had passed away recently. I was saddened by this and decided to look into their history – or rather how they had attained their success.

I was able to piece together some of the “moves” they had made to climb the ladder of success. A marriage to someone big in the industry here, a friendship with a big player there. When you combine that with some talent you very likely have yourself a star (how bright or long that star shines is a different story).

Then it came into my mind – if this person was not a Christian then they had actually climbed down the ladder of success during their lifetime. They had failed in their ultimate achievement…and now it was all over. No more hits, no more crowds, and alas – no more chances.

What misery to work so hard just to have it all turn to ashes in your hands at the moment of death. Let us all put the ultimate achievement at the head of our lives – let us all follow Christ and achieve true happiness through the glory of God.

Salvation by Calling On the Name of the Lord

By Jay

On August 3, 2021

In Bible & Doctrine

In today’s society it is far more common to hear about someone “asking Jesus to come into their heart” than it is to hear about the plan of salvation. This is a shame, because unless one fulfills all of the components of the plan of salvation one cannot be saved.

This “asking” of Jesus is often put forth as “calling on the name of the Lord.” We are indeed supposed to “call on the name of the Lord”, but in order to do so we must find out exactly what that means. Here is a verse from Acts 2 that seems to back up the fact that we simply call upon His name:

Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Peter here is talking to those at Pentecost and it seems that he has directly told them the key to salvation. But alas, just a few verses later we find that those at Pentecost asked Peter for further information. Why? It seems they must have sensed that there was a deeper aspect to this “calling on the name of the Lord.”

Act 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

According to most denominations Peter should have said, “I already told you what to do, call upon the name of the Lord and be saved!”

But he didn’t. This is what he said:

Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, 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.

It’s pretty simple really. In the middle of this century a lot of men “called on” a girl, which mean’t a lot more than walking up to the door and saying “Hey Mary Jo!” It meant he wanted to be their suitor – possibly ending in marriage. This “calling on” would include dates, dinners, conversations, and eventually the ceremony of the wedding.

Here Peter was telling those at Pentecost (those who were ready to accept the doctrine of the New Covenant) to “call on” the Lord. They instinctively knew (as mentioned above) that this meant more than just asking Jesus to save them. This is why they then asked Peter “what shall we do?”

Yes, they sensed that calling on the Lord meant a lot more than just saying “Lord, Lord”. By the way, didn’t Jesus tell us that?

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Many critics of the Bible claim that the verses that say to simply “call on the Lord” to be saved (Rom 10:13, Joel 2:32) are contradictory with what Christ said in Mat 7:21. Indeed, these verses would be contradictory if one believed that calling on the Lord was the only necessary component to salvation.

Thankfully, we know that there are multiple meanings to statements (just like the ‘calling on’ dating example above) and the rest of the Bible clearly tells us every component of the plan of salvation. If one does the research and looks over the plan of salvation put forth by the church of Christ they will come away convinced of the true pathway to heaven:

First, you need to HEAR and BELIEVE, Rev 22:17, Mark 16:16, Acts 16:31; you need to REPENT, Acts 2:38; Acts 17:30, Luke 13:3; you need to CONFESS, Mat 10:32; Rom 10:10, you need to be BAPTIZED, Gal 3:27; 1 Pet 3:21, Acts 8:38-39, Col 2:12, Eph 4:5, John 3:5, Acts 22:16, then you need to LIVE FAITHFULLY 1 Cor. 15:58; Rom 6:1-2, Rev 2:10.

We should only trust the inspired Word of God when it comes to our salvation. We should never trust man to tell us the truth on these matters – we should always check the Bible for ourselves.

Peter was a man but on Pentecost he spoke with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Today, we have that same inspiration – and it is found in the Bible. Let us always use God’s inspired Word as our compass and North Star:

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and isprofitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Troublesome Times are Here

By Jay

On July 28, 2021

In Bible & Doctrine

As of July 28, 2021, we are seeing the (somewhat) unexpected return of some troublesome times. The pandemic seems to be far from over and a sense of fear is running through the population.

Thankfully covid isn’t leading most people to hospitalization and death, but the fact remains: this still isn’t over. I think this is made all the more difficult because many of us thought the pandemic was drawing to a close.

Troublesome Times

As Christians we must remember that the Bible tells us that there will be troublesome times in our lives. There will be sickness, death, and hardships of all kinds. Still, we mustn’t lose our faith in Christ, who can see us through all of the great difficulties of life. Here are a few verses that might help to cheer you up during these days of hardship:

Psa 46:1 To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psa 46:2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

Psa 46:3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

God will be with us no matter the troubles that befall the earth. We must remember to focus on our eternal home, not the temporary home we have here. This earthly home is finite and will certainly pass away regardless of the state of the pandemic.

Isa 51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

If we hold fast to the doctrine given to us by God (the Bible) we will be able to withstand all of life’s hardships and trials. This does not mean it will be easy to withstand these difficulties, but it does mean that we can do so successfully with the help of God. By overcoming these hardships we will be able to achieve a home that is not temporary – a home where no evil or calamity will invade our perfect peace.

Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

I also want to add something else. God will also take care of us here on earth! Let us never forget the words of Jesus:

Mat 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Mat 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

In conclusion, we must trust God through these difficult times. Be as safe as you can and do what you can to keep others safe, but remember that God is in control.

With trust in God we can overcome far more than the pandemic, we can overcome the trials and temptations that keep us from living in God’s good grace. Let us all strive to live faithfully and (through prayer, obedience, and love) lean on God in all of the great difficulties we face.

Love One Another

By Jay

On July 21, 2021

In Bible & Doctrine

This week I watched a few Vacation Bible School classes from a church of Christ in Ohio. The lessons were put together well and revealed a lot to me about the way we should love our brothers and sisters in Christ. The lesson made me think of 1 Corinthians 13 – a chapter that is well known for its emphasis on love.

The truth is that when I read 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 I feel a little intimidated. I feel intimidated because it nails down the proper way to love so completely that it almost seems unattainable. Here is the section that intimidates me most (if only we could get all of these perfect!):

1Co 13:4 Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

1Co 13:5 doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil;

1Co 13:6 rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth;

1Co 13:7 beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Can you imagine always being supremely patient and kind and never being prideful or arrogant? Can you imagine never being rude, resentful, or irritable? Can you imagine never rejoicing in wrongdoing, but always rejoicing in truth? Can you imagine always bearing all things, hoping all things, and enduring all things (with a good attitude)?

Well, actually, we can all probably imagine doing all of these things some of the time – and we all can probably pick out which of those things we are best at (and sadly which of them we are worst at as well). However, can you imagine doing all of these things all of the time? Can you even imagine doing all of these things most of the time?

I would say that most people do some of these things some of the time, but very few do all of these things most of the time. To expand further I know that nobody does all of these things all of the time (sorry for the tongue twisters there).

The thing that we should remember (and the thing that should make us feel better) is that we don’t have to perfect our loving ability right from the get-go. There was only one man that did all of the aforementioned things all of the time, and that was our Savior Jesus Christ.

So, does that mean we should just let ourselves off the hook? I mean obviously we are not Jesus. Are we are all just imperfect sinners that shouldn’t even try to improve our ability to love? No, I believe we should take Paul’s words and work consistently to improve in our ability to love and care for our brothers and sisters in Christ. We can never be perfect in our ability to love but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to be better at it each and every day.

During the last year many nerves have been tried and many emotions have been pushed to their limits. Politics. Pandemics. Riots. You name it. So, I think it is a good time to take inventory of our ability to love each other Biblically (imperfections and all).

If you have time to sit down and read 1 Corinthians 13 this week I would highly recommend it. This chapter provides a clear and concise outline of the way God wants us to love each other as the body of Christ. Enhancing our ability to love Biblically will not only serve to strengthen us individually, but it will serve to strengthen the unity of the church as well.

Counting Our Blessings

By Jay

On July 13, 2021

In Bible & Doctrine

Jas 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Blueberries. Water. Measuring cup. Car. Gas. Grocery store. Vision. Family. Soap. Computer. Books. BIBLE.

That may seem like a strange start to an article but I think that the preceding words are just obscure enough, just “normal” enough, to deliver my point with the greatest clarity. So, what point am I trying to make exactly?

That we have blessings right under our noses every day – and that those blessings are delivered to us by the Father of lights (God). Now, those are just a few blessings I thought of off of the top of my head, but we all have many, many blessings in our lives. Let’s take this a bit further (stay with me here).

On this hot July day in 2021, I currently have a very reliable car and I have access to plenty of gas. Those are wonderful blessings, but on the downside my car also needs an oil change. I dislike getting oil changes, it’s boring and I have to deal with salesmen trying to get me to buy other things like tires and wiper blades. It also takes up a few hours of my day.

So, what do I concentrate on more, the great positives or the tiny negative? The fact that I have a great car and plenty of gas or the fact that I have to go to the dealership for a couple of hours to get an oil change? Sadly we (and by we I mean me) often concentrate on that one tiny negative aspect of something instead of on the vast multitude of blessings that God has given us.

In America today we really have to watch this. We live a life of comparative comfort and luxury compared to the rest of the world. When Jesus was speaking of the church at Laodicea in the book of Revelation, he spoke of their “riches” and how they had become reliant on their wealth instead of trusting in God:

Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

With our relative affluence here in America we sometimes have the tendency to take our blessings for granted. We can begin to think that we are supplying ourselves with our blessings and we can even start to resent anyone or anything that interferes with our machinations. We should all remember that our blessings come from God. Everything from food, clothing, and shelter to the very breath that sustains us, all comes from God.

When we think of our blessings in this manner we can begin to think on the positive aspects of our life instead of the negative. We start to see all of the wonderful things that God supplies us with every single day.

When we think of our blessings in this manner we can begin to live a life of thankfulness (to the Father of lights) for everything good we have in our lives. And, when we start to think of our blessings in this manner – that oil change doesn’t seem quite so bad.