WE DON’T BELIEVE WORKS SAVE US

This is a lesson in a series called “Things We Don’t Believe”. The church of Christ is often “accused” by other denominations of teaching error. One reason for this is because we don’t accept any change to the instructions and examples found in the word of God. There, in the Bible, we find complete authority belongs to Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18) and none belongs to man. Within the pages or the Holy Word of God, we find the pattern (Hebrews 8:5; 2 Timothy 1:13; Philippians 3:17)  everything the church does and all that pertains to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).

We chose to change nothing, add nothing nor take anything away from what is written (1 Corinthians 4:6), and we have become a “thorn in the side” to the many religious teachers in the multitudes of denominations who are even contradictory to each other.

Therefore, when we want to know how one soul can be saved, we “search the scriptures” (Act 17:11), and ask “what say the scriptures” (Rom. 4:30; Gal. 4:30), then we abide by what they say (2 John 1:9-11). Then we have confidence that like Paul, we “have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:7). Thus, there are many things we wish we could change, but not one word of the Bible is to change, for that would only bring condemnation from “…Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

The word of God must never change, we don’t believe baptism saves us, i.e., water saves us, but it is in baptism where one is dead to sin, buried with Christ and then raised to walk a newness of life (Romans 6:3-4), and it is in death that Christ’s blood was poured out (John 19:34) and there is where the saving blood is applied and at that time the repentant sinner’s sins are washed (Acts 2:38, 22:16).

In this lesson we address the accusation that we believe and teach one can be saved by works. We also don’t believe or teach that but we do teach that obedience to the commandments of God, Christ Jesus our Lord and King and Master are necessary. Many religious leaders have perverted the gospel of Jesus Christ, teaching that, “You are saved by faith / grace and nothing else”. Actually the scripture they pervert is from Ephesians 2 verses 8 and 9 which state, “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, lest anyone should boast.” You might compare the two teachings and notice that God never said “one is saved by faith and nothing else”. God says, “saved through faint” and He also tells us from where faith comes, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). 

In this lesson I will expound on that issue and others, to the end that we believe and teach what the scriptures say, that obedience to the commands of the New Testament, are necessary if one wishes to be saved. Not meritorious works, but works of faith as James stated, “But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [a]dead?” (James 2:20)…

THE RACE SET BEFORE US

The year, is 2023. Yesterday the Kentucky Derby was held… Mage surged late to win the 2023 Kentucky Derby, the prestigious first leg of the Triple Crown, in an official time of 2 minutes and 1 point 57 Seconds. If you’re into running last April 17 was the Boston Marathon – the winner was Evans Chebet from Kenya who ran the 26.2 mile race in just 2 hours—5 minutes and 54 seconds. Which is about 12.5 miles per hour—that is fast for us bipeds. You might have guessed that our message is about racing.

“1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the [a]author and [b]finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

From here I would like to present five short points for you.

1. We Must Run
2. We are Surrounded by So Great a Cloud of Witnesses
3. Lay Aside Every Weight, and the Sin which so Easily Ensnares Us
4. We Must Run With Endurance
5. We Must Look to Jesus Always

LOVE ONE ANOTHER
John wrote, “10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:10-11) 

Love One another is one of the 13 “one another”  commands in the New Testament. Yet it may be one of the lest understood in our modern times. Most mistakenly identify or define “love” as (1) anything that makes you feel good and or wanted. (2) Love is a word that is used to show kindness and respect to others. The word love has become so diluted that it is now on the same level as hello and goodbye. 

Yet the Bible word for love is quite differently defined. It is specific not generic. The word, which most people will recognize is [ἀγαπάω] pronounced “ag-ap-ah’-o”. I see this love clearly defined in three ways. 

1. As a sacrificial love – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
2. A love that serves – “27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:27-28)
3. Obedient Love – “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:8)

We need to understand this as many have adopted the “worldly” definition, and not the Bible’s. In this lesson, some strong pointed language will be met out. Not to harm, but to correct. Paul commanded preachers, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2). So, there will be a little of each in the sermon with the hope that brethren who are in error will be corrected in their own sacrifice for the Lord, their own service to Him and the members of the body, and their obedience to all the “one another”, commands of the Lord. To the end that their worship, their fellowship, and their obedience will all be according to the Spirit of truth. 

Many make false claims are made about the church of Christ, one addressed here is the claim that the church of Christ teaches the water saves us. Let me be perfectly clear here, we teach that we are saved be coming in contact with the saving blood of Christ, not water. 

Yet it is necessary to expound on the teaching pertaining to salvation, what Jesus said, what Paul said, and Peter. In this lesson of a series on the subject of what we do and don’t believe, and teach we will, by the scripture only, teach what we do believe concerning what saves us, what we must do to be saved and when and how exactly we do contact the saving blood of Christ Jesus our Lord, King and Savior. 

Question: Where is the key to happiness?
We live in a time where boredom, created by laziness causes depression and other forms of unhappiness.
This world places all hope for happiness in riches, relationships, and the possession of things.
Good news is that true happiness doesn’t have anything to do with the temporary pleasures in this world.
Good news because true happiness has everything to do with the singular hope of a eternal relationship with God and Christ.

The Book of Psalms with its very first psalm shares with us a key principle that can ensure true happiness…

There are many things I wish I could change. The price of gas, food, housing. The confusion that so many people have concerning gender, marriage, faith. The inability so many have to communicate different ideas, without lashing out. 

Yet there are things of the faith, clearly written in God’s word concerning salvation, the work of the church and the worship of the church that must never change. 

In this lesson I hope to expound on this so that the listener will clearly be able to understand that the Lord’s church which was built on the foundation that is Christ does not change with time and culture. John wrote, ““Holy,[a] holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” (Rev. 4:8). Fact is Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8). Jesus has all authority in heaven and earth, (Matt. 28:18), therefore, when it comes to the church’s practice, teaching, and worship, I myself, nor any other has authority to alter anything period. 

In this lesson we’ll discuss come things that must never change…

What is the Lord’s Church Part 2
In this lesson we will continue to identify the Lord’s church identifying characteristics of the Lord’s church as revealed in the New Testament. • By learning these marks, one will recognize the Lord’s church when he sees it. Let’s consider the following identifying marks of the Lord’s church. • The church exists, not because some men think it is a good thing, but because the Lord willed it to be established and providentially oversees its continued existence.
Prophecy and The Lord’s Church…

WHAT IS THE CHURCH?
The church is the body the people of God – 1 Pet. 2:9; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16
The ones who have hearkened to God’s call to come out of darkness and into the light.
As Peter said, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” (1 Pet. 2:9)
Men and women who believed the good news that God has provided salvation for sinful man through Jesus Christ.
Men and women who by faith take God at His Word, expressed by their obedience to His divine commands to “repent and be baptized” (Acts 2:38).
These are the recipients of Christ’s blessings, having received “remission of sins”.
According to the scripture because they have believed and been baptized, they are the saved. (Mark 16:16).
The church, then, in the universal sense is the body of believers – all of the saved persons in the world.

What may be more important to learn is what the Church is not! Many today view the church as a mystical body which has no visible organization…

Faith Triumphs Over Trouble

Have you ever felt like you cannot go on? Ever felt like you cannot trust God one day more? Ever felt like you can’t wait for God a moment longer? This account from the record of 2 Kings 6:24-7:20 paints a picture of a cycle from the depths of base depravity to the greatest heights as God’s deliverance turns sorrow to joy. The cycle we want to see is:

Faith under siege
Bring on the blame game
Realized God is the God of the Impossible
The God of the weak
Our response to God’s blessing

We must understand waiting is a hard thing, but God In His Time He makes all things beautiful (Eccl. 3:11). Silence doesn’t mean God is absent but we must continue to trust for “tribulation produces perseverance, perseverance produces character; and character, hope” (Rom. 5:3-4).

God is the God of the Impossible “…With God all things are possible” (Mk 10:27)…

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT

With contentment in mind, Paul brings another lesson to Timothy and us beginning with verse 11 where he says, “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness”  (1Tim. 6:11). Let’s zoom in on the words Paul used here, “flee these things”. Some examples, it was the angel of the Lord that told Joseph to “flee to Egypt”, to avoid the wrath of king Herod. Paul is saying that you must run away from a place or situation of danger.

As you flee from these things you must also pursue something, that is to say, you are not just running away from something—you are also to run to something. Running away from danger and running to safety.

Verse 12 Paul says we are to, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses”  (1 Tim. 6:12). The road that leads to eternal life is paved with obstacles, with temptations, with hard choices—and it is an uphill battle. Now listen to me carefully: The latter means you have set aside everything pertaining to this life, everything, even some relationships, in order to pursue Jesus, purse your King, having all you focus all your desire for eternal life.

If that is true then brethren, fight the good fight, lay hold of eternal life…