​It is practically certain that the phrase “sound doctrine” is not one that you hear every day; in fact, it is possible you have never heard it at all. Even though both words are English, and we may know what each word means, they have a strange sound when put together. Despite the strangeness of this phrase, it is found in a handful of texts in the New Testament. While that may alert us to its importance, that does not tell us much about what it means. What should we make of this phrase and what God intends to communicate through it?
 
            We should first consider the underlying meaning of “sound doctrine.” In every instance, it simply refers to healthy teaching. While no translation words it that way, that is the basic idea the phrase carries. To be more specific, the word “sound” refers to that which is free from error. It describes a state of completeness that has no fault in it. When we take that and apply it to teaching, then, we describe instruction that is meant to influence the hearers to do what is right. That is why we usually find the phrase as a contrast with instruction that destroys and tears down the hearers. The basic meaning of the phrase helps us grasp that it has to do with the instruction we receive from teachers and preachers, but to wrap our minds around how impactful it is, we must dig deeper.
 
            Of all the New Testament authors, Paul is the only one to use this phrase. In its first appearance, the apostle warns Timothy that some teachers have arisen who desire to teach the law of God given through Moses but are entirely ignorant of what it means (1 Timothy 1:5-7). To correct that problem, Paul writes that the law of God has a purpose, and that purpose is to identify sin (1 Timothy 1:8-10). In this list, Paul focuses on attitudes and activities that are unlawful before God, which makes them sinful. Notice that at the end of his list Paul writes, “and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.” Apparently, the list Paul provides is not exhaustive, because there are other sins that may contradict sound doctrine. From this, we must recognize that sound doctrine impacts how we understand God’s law and how we view sin. A single article cannot sufficiently draw these points out, yet we must state that if we are taught unhealthy teachings about law and sin, then we will fail to live the life God intends. We will instead be deceived about these significant topics and act in ways that contradict sound doctrine, which harms the gospel and dishonors God. Sound doctrine matters because it affects our perspective on what God expects for how we live!
 
            The apostle Paul goes further in his letter to Titus. There, he commands Titus to say that which is “proper for sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). Paul does not launch into an extended discussion about worship or benevolence but instead focuses on how various groups in the Lord’s church live their lives. The older men, Paul writes, should be examples to others (Titus 2:2). The older women should demonstrate godliness in their conduct and teach the younger women how to live for Christ (Titus 2:3-5). The younger men should think clearly about life (Titus 2:5). Slaves should obey their masters and be faithful so that they may honor God’s instructions in how they live (Titus 2:9-10). Do you see the picture that emerges about sound doctrine? What we consider is not just a series of unrelated topics and ideas strung together; rather, we see instructions that benefit Christians of every age and in every place so that they may lead lives that honor God. It is important for teachers and preachers to discuss worship, church government, and many other subjects of concern, yet those instructions are not directly specified as “sound doctrine” like daily, Christ-centered living is. Sound doctrine matters because it influences how we conduct our lives day-to-day in the Lord’s work!
 
            The final text in which the phrase “sound doctrine” appears is in Paul’s second letter to Timothy. Paul warns Timothy that there is a time in the not-so-distant future that some brethren will no longer “endure sound doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). He indicates that this will happen because they will pursue their own desires and find teachers who will give them what they want. Of the texts that use the phrase “sound doctrine,” this is perhaps the most significant. The reason for its significance is that it clearly shows “sound doctrine” contradicts our personal desires. It will not allow us to think or live as we please but instead calls us to deny self. That has never been, nor will it ever be, a popular declaration, but it is a necessary one if the doctrine is sound. Sound doctrine matters because it calls us to leave our personal desires behind and embrace the truth God has revealed!
 
            No matter how strange the phrase may sound to our modern ears, “sound doctrine” matters. It is through that healthy teaching we learn how to honor God through our perspectives and lives. Like any teaching, it will only be effective if we take heed to what it says. We would hardly wish to be like those Paul described as having “itching ears” that seek something other than healthy teaching. Instead, we wish to be people who yearn for the good instructions God has given us and earnestly strive to practice them each day.

Of all the buildings humanity has constructed over the millennia, none are so beautiful as the temple Solomon built during his reign. It was a large structure built with the best materials known to man. Cedar, gold, bronze, and other valuable materials made up the temple. It is said that the temple was God’s “exalted house” and that it was “great” (1 Kings 8:13; 2 Chronicles 2:5). There is no question that the temple of God was indeed glorious. We marvel at the description Scripture gives of it and perhaps wish we could have seen it with our own eyes. Yet for all the beauty and glory of the temple in Solomon’s day, there is a more beautiful house than that in our world today, but it is not a temple upon which we lay our eyes; instead, it is a heavenly kingdom built by God through Jesus Christ. How could it be that such a kingdom is a more beautiful house than the temple that is described as “exalted” and “great”?

What makes the heavenly kingdom of Jesus Christ a beautiful house is not its appearance but its purpose. In his first letter, Peter explains the purposeful beauty of the Lord’s church. He first observes that, unlike Solomon’s temple, the house we consider was built by God upon Christ. He is the “chief cornerstone” (1 Peter 2:4, 6-8). In construction, the cornerstone is that which bears most of the weight. It is fitting for Peter to apply this image to Jesus, because in His heavenly kingdom, which is the church, He has the first place in all affairs. In fact, without Jesus, the kingdom would not exist at all! The reality that Jesus is the cornerstone of this kingdom calls those who dwell in it to make Him the center of their lives. Perhaps that is why Peter observes that those who trust in Christ see Him as “precious,” which refers to His exceeding value. For the church to be the beautiful house God intends, Christ must always be at the center of what it does. Otherwise, its beauty is greatly diminished!

​Peter’s next observation is that it is made up of “living stones” that are being “built up a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5). Unlike the temple of old, that which makes up the heavenly kingdom of Jesus is living and active. It is not a cleverly arranged assortment of wood and metal but is instead made up of God’s holy people. Each child of God who lives in Christ’s kingdom is a living stone that contributes to the overall whole. Peter further notes that these living stones become a “holy priesthood” that offer up “spiritual sacrifices” to God. This means that these people are engaged in service to Christ. They, like the priests of old who served in the temple, are busy with God’s work. It is essential that we realize the church is not just a building we visit but a people to whom we belong. While we enter church buildings to worship and fellowship, we cannot allow that brick-and-mortar to become the center of our faith. Each day, each child of God lives and works as a living stone that makes up the heavenly kingdom of Jesus. When this charge is taken seriously, the beauty of Christ’s kingdom shows forth in the good works and spiritual sacrifices that His people offer.

Finally, Peter notes that praise and honor to God takes place in the heavenly kingdom of Christ. The people, or living stones, that make up the church reflect on the blessings that have been bestowed upon them and cannot help but proclaim God’s praises (1 Peter 2:9-10). The beauty of Christ’s kingdom is put on vivid display when His people worship His name with respect, zeal, and gratitude. They show to others the impressive beauty of the church, not because of any fancy buildings or comfortable pews, but because of the God the church seeks to glorify. Even when the life of those living stones endures difficulty and hardship, they still dedicate themselves to God’s praise. Surely this portrays how beautiful Christ’s kingdom is.

Solomon’s temple was an “exalted” and “great” building, but it pales in comparison to what Christ built with the church. The difference lies in why each is seen as “beautiful.” While the temple Solomon built was pleasing to the eye, the house Christ built is pleasing to the soul. Christ’s kingdom is more enduring and significant than Solomon’s temple ever could have been because it is not based on a single location or structure but instead on the everlasting sacrifice of Jesus. While buildings are built and destroyed, what Christ built remains to this day, and the living stones who make it up—the children of God—continue to work for His glory. Why not consider how beautiful Christ’s kingdom is and see how its beauty can change your life?

Every so often, the question comes up about musical instruments in worship. In reality, many people do not understand why the Church of Christ does not allow instruments in their worship and when the question comes up, most often, it is an honest question.

The question is generally answered, that the New Testament does not authorize musical instruments in worship of the church that Jesus built. And, of a truth, if one was to search the New Testament for authorization, they would not find such authorization. That should settle the matter, but then one might ask, “What about David, didn’t David use musical instruments in worship”? And the answer is “Yes”. But we need to look at the whole story.

If one is going to argue that we must use musical instruments because David did, then why wouldn’t he argue that we have to make animal sacrifices like David did in Psalms 66:13-15? Or maybe have worship dances as David did in Psalms 149:3?  Or why wouldn’t he argue also that we can have many wives like David did in 2 Sam 5:13? Or that we have to worship on the Sabbath like David did? David certainly did all those things. See the real question is, “Are we allowed to so pick and choose how we want to worship from the Old Testament?”

This is one of the problems we run into when we do not “rightly divide the word of God”. We need to recognize the Law of Christ is different than the Law of Moses and we today, do not live under or worship under the Law of Moses. We live under the Law of Christ. Of a truth, people did worship differently in the Old Testament, but we cannot worship that way today simply because we would violate the Law of Christ. In Eph 2:11-15 Paul states that Jesus has abolished the law of commandments (i.e. Law of Moses). Paul also states in Gal 5:1-6, especially vs 3 that if a man wants to keep part of the Law of Moses, he is bound to keep it all. In other words, Paul was telling the Jews and is telling us, “You can’t pick and choose what you want to keep from the Law of Moses.” And Paul was a Jew that, at one time, lived under the Law of Moses!

It's like the law of our land. The speed limit, at one time, was set to 55 mph. Before that, on the interstates it was 70-75 mph. During the time the law changed to 55 mph, you could get a citation if you continued to drive 70 or 75 mph. Rightly dividing the Old Testament and the New Testament laws is that simple. There was a time when the Law of Moses was in effect, but that is not true today. Today, the Law of Christ is in effect and we dishonor Christ when we try to live by or worship by the Law of Moses.
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Which brings us back to musical instruments in worship. Yes, they did worship with musical instruments in the Old Testament. We must recognize that we do not worship like they did in the Old Testament. We live under the law of Christ and in the law of Christ, as such, there is no authority for using musical instruments in worship.

In most modern media that portrays Jesus, He is shown as someone to whom everyone can relate: He is unassuming, fun-loving, and tolerant of those around Him. You do not have to look far to find television shows and ad campaigns that exalt these values to extreme degrees. In fact, you almost get the impression that nothing else Jesus said or did mattered to the creators of these programs. The challenging statements of Jesus are cleverly omitted, His harsh words for evil people are ignored, and His emphasis on repentance and self-denial are set aside in favor of other, more appealing values.

These portrayals take their cue from modern culture rather than the Bible. It is part of a drawn-out effort to strip Jesus of His holy identity so He is more “approachable” for modern people. Americans in particular cannot stomach the thought of a Jesus who is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” despite the fact that it is an inspired utterance concerning Him (Hebrews 7:26). No, we cannot accept a Jesus like this because then we can no longer lay claim to Him and His benefits while living in ways contrary to His demands. If we can bring Jesus down to our level, though, then we can feel comfortable living however we choose. After all, Jesus is no different than we are, right? He sinned and fell short of God’s glory, too! The Bible rebukes this blasphemous thinking and presents a Jesus who embraced the power of a righteous, sinless life despite the difficulties He faced.
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We first need to be clear that Jesus lived as a human being. As such, He understands the issues that arise in life, specifically with respect to temptation. Satan grievously tempted Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). If Jesus had no choice but to withstand temptation, then could we say He was tempted? And if these temptations had no genuine power behind them, then would it have mattered for Jesus to face them? The whole point of this account is to teach us that Jesus did face legitimate temptations, yet He did not fail. Jesus instead chose to resist Satan and to send Him packing with the word of God.

That is why Hebrews testifies that Jesus can aid those who are tempted because He knows what it is like to suffer from it (Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:14-16). Who better to help us amid trial than someone who has been through the same? At the same time, Jesus did not fail amid temptation like we do. Frankly, no one reading this article can claim he has never sinned when he faced temptation. That is what makes Jesus stand out so much: He overcame genuine trials without failure. While Jesus is like us because He lived in the flesh, He is different from us because of His sinless character. He succeeded where we so often fail.

The reality of Jesus’ success in the face of temptation naturally challenges us to do better. If Jesus suffered genuine temptations and lived in the flesh yet remained free from sin, then what is our excuse? The Hebrews writer will make that point in different terms to encourage his readers to remain faithful (Hebrews 12:1-3). Here these Christians floundered in their faith despite not even suffering to the point of bloodshed (Hebrews 12:4). They had no excuse, and we do not have one, either. Jesus’ success gives us an example that shows us how we ought to navigate the challenges of life. Yet the belief that Jesus is on our level undermines the power of His example. It basically changes it into something you can take or leave whenever you want. Where is the transformative power of Jesus in that line of thought? It is completely dried up. In Scripture, Jesus’ example is uniformly presented as that to which we conform our lives. It is never presented as optional.

 While Jesus is like us because He lived in the flesh and faced legitimate trials, He is unlike us in so many other respects. His success amid difficulty and His righteous example show how different Jesus is from how we typically live. That is why we want to maintain a perspective that sees Jesus as “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” lest we drift into false and blasphemous beliefs about Him. Instead, we want to strive to reach for the holiness, innocence, and purity that Jesus teaches us to have. Are we willing to rise to the challenge of Jesus’ righteous life?

In the world that many call “religious”, which I would suggest would include all the denominations (about 45,000 at last count) there is one thing that is universally agreed upon. That being that one must believe in Jesus Christ. While there are a few denominations, that still call themselves “churches” that don’t believe in Jesus, by far and large the majority of the denominations teach and follow the fact that one must believe in Jesus to have eternal life. 

Because of this, many say belief in Jesus is the single most important thing a person can do. And again, most of the denominations would agree. But this is where the denominations are also divided. It is not the “who” but the “how” one believes that divides them. The “belief only” doctrine of salvation is taught by many. But the question is, is that the kind “salvation doctrine” that Jesus taught? 

Jesus definitely taught one must believe in Him. “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” - John 11:25. So the question is answered, but is there more? Definitely!

The word “believes” is the Greek word, πιστεύων, transliterated pisteuo, and carries with it the idea to “trust in Jesus”. It is a hollow word if the believer does not trust. So, we see there is more to believing than just a mere word. There is trust in the one who is believed.

““But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” - Luke 6:46. Jesus said if we call Him Lord, then we must do what He says, obey. This is where trust is shown. We must show that we trust Jesus enough to do what He says. And this is where denominations are divided big time! Notice what else Jesus said:
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” (John 8:31)

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” (John 11:25) 

“I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3)

““Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32–33)

“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16)
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The question is… what man has the right to pick and choose which of the commands of Jesus he will follow? Do you? 

The following article comes from the desk of David Bobbitt, one of the men of the Madisonville church of Christ.

​During the reign of Hezekiah, the bronze snake that Moses had made in the desert to save the Israelite people from the bite of poisonous serpents was destroyed.  For generations the Israelites had carried it with them, calling it Nehushtan and venerating it as a holy object.  According to 2 Kings 18:3, they had even burned incense to it!  Recognizing that it had taken the people’s focus away from the Lord, Hezekiah destroyed it along with all the other idols and high places where the Israelites worshiped.

Man’s capacity for doing evil seems boundless and Americans have followed in the ways of ancient Israel by creating mythical beings to be venerated by children.  The Bible commands us to teach our children the ways of the Lord, not foist upon them stories of beings, who like God, give them good things.  Whether it be Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, or any other such mythical being, are these not idols who usurp the praise and devotion rightly belonging to God?

The History of Santa Claus is revealing.  The modern-day version of Santa Claus appears to be a combination of Saint Nicholas, England’s Father Christmas, and the Norse god Odin, who gained access to homes to leave gifts by going down the chimney.  Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop of Myra, which today is part of Turkey.  He was known for his generosity toward the poor and downtrodden.  He is said to have given three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian dowries to prevent them from falling into prostitution.  He was the patron saint of children, whose feast day was celebrated on December 6th. Puritans and other Protestants initially rejected the celebration of Christmas, on the grounds that it was inconsistent with Bible teachings, but eventually, accommodations were made.  Protestants coopted the holiday by giving gifts to children on December 24th and 25th instead of December 6th to avoid any association with the Saint Nicholas celebration and its ties to the veneration of saints, which they considered to be idolatry.

In America, once Protestants secularized the celebration of Christmas, the holiday devolved into a riotous affair featuring drunken mobs roaming the streets damaging property and threatening the upper-classes.  Presbyterians, Baptists, Quakers, and other Protestants continued to regard December 25th as an ordinary day without religious significance throughout the first half of the 19th century.  Nonetheless, by the 1850’s many Protestant churches had invited Christmas back into their assemblies.  They discovered that by embracing a secularize form of the holiday, which included Santa Claus, a decorated tree, and gift giving, Bible class attendance was greatly improved.

Although it may not be a sin to celebrate Christmas in the privacy of one’s home, three things ought to become apparent.  First, Santa Claus has no place in the church whatsoever because God should receive thanks for all good things that we receive, not some mythical being.  Second, like the Israelites of old who worshiped Nehushtan, we risk committing idolatry by replacing God with some mythical being with gift-giving powers.  Finally, we jeopardize the souls of our own children with our lies and deceptions.  One study found that one in sixteen children suffered long-term negative effects once learning the truth about Santa Claus. Some children went so far as to reject the religious beliefs of their parents once they discovered that they had been lied to.  They reasoned that if their parents had lied about the existence of Santa Claus, they might also have lied about the existence of God.  Philosopher David Kyle Johnson wrote, “It's a lie, it degrades your parental trustworthiness, it encourages incredulity, it does not encourage imagination, and it's equivalent to bribing your kids for good behavior.”

Yet even today some Christians can be heard telling their children or grandchildren that if they are not good, Santa Claus won’t come to see them!  Shouldn’t we rather be concerned about them pleasing God?  A poem about Saint Nicholas ends with these words: “Saint Nicholas, my dear good friend! To serve you ever was my end, if you will, now, me something give, I’ll serve you ever while I live.” Ironically, Jesus refers to the bronze serpent made by Moses in John 3:14-15, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”  God has given us the greatest gift possible, eternal life through the blood his son Jesus.  We should thankfully obey him and serve him only.  Acknowledge the Lord, and him alone, as the only giver of good gifts.

If there is one thing we hate to do, it is to confess wrongdoing. No one wants to be mistaken on any point. As you read this article, chances are you believe you are doing what is right in your life. By no means do you see yourself as perfect, but by no means do you see yourself as flawed, either. We often straddle the fence between these two extremes with false humility and defensiveness. We use this wishy-washy perspective as an excuse to dodge correction and instruction that would make us better. After all, if we feel we are right, then who has the authority to tell us we can do better? It is no wonder our society often rejects the message of the gospel which forcefully points out our sins and failures before God. We can scarcely read the Bible without confronting the reality that we are wrong, mistaken, and deeply flawed. That is why rather than outrunning our sins we should instead confront them through confession.
 
David’s words in Psalm 32 demonstrate the blessings we will find in confession. In that psalm, we also find the curses that come with denial of wrongdoing before God. The king does not specify the sin with which he struggled, but it is evident he tries to hide it. He opens the psalm with two statements of blessing:
 
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit” (Psalm 32:1-2).
 
In these words we find the sobering reflections of a man overtaken by sin but who eventually confesses it before God. There is no hint of excuses or blame-shifting in these words. Instead, David tells us that we are blessed when God forgives our sins and no longer counts them against us. How can we experience these blessings if we are so busy trying to outrun our evil deeds, words, and thoughts? To ask it is to answer it, friends. That is why David writes of his failure to avoid confession:
 
“When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer” (Psalm 32:3-4).
 
David, the strong and mighty warrior-king, becomes a shriveled-up weakling when he conceals his sin from God. Guilt and shame press in on him, and it makes his life unbearable. While the so-called enlightened people in our day see guilt and shame as what others impose onto us, the Bible sees these feelings as how we acknowledge our wrongdoing and seek to make it right. People certainly do use guilt and shame as tools against us, but that problem does not make the feelings themselves the issue. These feelings are meant to produce repentance. Because he feels guilt and shame, David finally confesses his wrongdoings to God:
 
“I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:5).
 
Forgiveness becomes David’s when he admits he is wrong. His confession becomes the avenue through which his sin can be put away. God is faithful and just to forgive the sins we voluntarily confess and put away. Why would we want to shy away from such a blessing? We will only hurt ourselves when we avoid confession. As this psalm teaches, the Lord is eager to forgive, but He cannot and will not forgive the proud and unrepentant. Later, David will write a warning to his readers so that they will not be stubborn in times of confession:
 
“Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you” (Psalm 32:9).
 
When we know we have done wrong, the temptation is to sweep the matter under the rug and hope no one finds out. If someone does find out and confronts us, the temptation is to harden our hearts and reject the correction. We must all resist these temptations and confess our evils before God, and in some cases, confess them before others. The Lord knows we are flesh and that sin is a reality in this world. He is not a harsh, overbearing Master who browbeats us for our flaws but is instead a gracious and forgiving One who wants to help us grow stronger. When we run away from Him and refuse to confess, then we run away from the only hope we have. We also reject the only strength we will have to overcome our weaknesses. David learned that confession is the path to God’s forgiveness. The question is whether we will learn the same lesson and come clean before God. Let us all reflect on this psalm and what it calls us to do.

We have all been there before. We sit down after a long day of work to watch television, and, six hours later, we glance at the clock and wonder, “why did I bother watching TV for that long?” Perhaps we choose to browse the internet before dinner. Fast forward three hours and dinner is cold. Again, we wonder, “why did I bother sitting at the computer for that long?” Maybe we decide to be more productive and do some yardwork. After hours of raking leaves, pulling weeds, and trimming tree limbs, we bask in what we have accomplished. A week later, however, we see that everything we did was undone by nature. As with the previous two situations, we wonder, “why did I bother doing all that work just for it to go back to be the same way it was before?”
           
            These are all neutral examples, but what if we apply the same attitude to a situation that is far more serious? It seems that modern Christians are tempted to adopt the “why bother” attitude concerning the Lord and His work. Consider these statements: “I stopped mentioning religion to my family years ago since they’ll never listen anyway” and “the church will never grow with all these false teachers around.” Maybe some truth undergirds these statements. Yet, regardless of their truth value, Christians are more likely to give up on the work altogether and let others do it for them. Such should never be.
 
            Interestingly, this is not a new problem. Malachi, the fifth-century B.C. prophet, spoke to people who took the “why bother” attitude to the Lord’s work. They asked, “where is the God of justice” and said, “it is useless to serve God” (Malachi 2:17; 3:14). Why would they feel this strongly? Because, like us, their circumstances were troubling. Hostile foreigners surrounded and ruled over the Jews. Judah was in disarray due to the wars fought there. And, worst of all, the people likely felt that God’s promises had gone unfulfilled. No wonder they had these feelings. No wonder they did the bare minimum to survive (Malachi 1:7-8, 13). And no wonder Malachi was commissioned to rebuke them (Malachi 1:1).
 
            Brethren, when we adopt the “why bother” attitude to the Lord’s work, we run the same risks these people did. We will no longer give our best to God, but will merely give Him our leftovers. The Lord deserves better. We cannot allow our temporary discouragements to hinder our race for eternal reward. We must be persistent in reaching the lost. We must be consistent in our conduct and our worship. And, above all, we must do all things wholeheartedly for the Lord. He will not forget our labors, but what if we have nothing to show Him (Hebrews 6:10-12)?

The following article is from the desk of Hardie Logan, one of the men of the Madisonville church of Christ.

I would like to tell you about a friend of mine.  I'll call him Todd and though that is not his real name Todd is a spiritual man, he goes to worship every Sunday, Sunday evenings, Bible classes on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings.  He is a moral man, he doesn't beat his wife or run around on her, he doesn't lie or cheat or steal.  Basically, Todd is a good man.

But Todd is a gambler.  When I told him I thought he was a gambler, Todd was hurt.  He argued with me and proceeded to tell me how he was against gambling, how he had never gambled in his life.  I believe Todd was telling me the truth, but I still contended that he was a gambler.  I told him if we could talk, I would show him that he was a gambler.  He agreed.

Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God--"

I turned in my Bible to the above verse and asked Todd to read it. We had talked about this verse before. Todd would have us believe there is nothing needed to go to heaven because salvation is a gift. It is a free gift from God, and we all know you don't do anything to earn a gift. I fully agreed with Todd that it is a gift and there is nothing that one can do to earn or merit a gift and then I asked Todd to read another verse.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

Todd loved these two verses. He immediately praised me for bringing out two of the best verses to prove that nothing is needed to go to heaven. There is the gift that Ephesians is talking about. The gift is Jesus Christ. But, you see, there is more in this verse than just Jesus. "whoever believes in him should not perish." I asked Todd a question, "Todd, what about the people that don't believe in Jesus, are they saved also, according to Ephesians 2:8?"

I then went further, "if we are saved by grace only, then there is a contradiction between Ephesians 2:8 and John 3:16.  John 3:16 says very plainly that “whoever believes in him should not perish.”

And there is contradiction with Ephesians 2:8 and other verses also.

Luke 13:3 "I tell you, ‘No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.’"

John 3:16 and Luke 13:3 says that we, you and I, have to do something to be saved.  Luke 13:3 says straight out that If whoever is not willing to repent, they will perish. The verse in John 3:16 plainly says the if one is not willing to believe they will perish.

According to my friend Todd’s way of teaching about salvation, John 3:16 and Luke 13:3 are direct contradictions to Ephesians 2:8, for they say that a person has to do something to have salvation, they have to believe and they have to repent.  But my questions were just beginning.

Romans 10:9 "because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Acts 10:48 "And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days."

To teach that there is nothing that a person has to do to be saved is plain and simple, to teach a doctrine that does not come from the Bible.  It would cause contradictions in the Bible and the Bible does not have contradictions.

I asked my friend Todd, "if we have been saved by grace, as stated in Ephesians 2:8, when does that happen?"  You see, salvation comes when we have done what God has commanded to do to be saved.  We must hear the Word of God, we must believe it, we must confess Jesus Christ, we must repent of sin and we must obey Him in baptism.  It seems so simple and yet people make it so hard. One thing that is easy thing to do, is gamble. 

​From the outside looking in, the church of Christ has some seemingly odd practices. Perhaps you have heard that we do not use musical instruments in our worship. Our praise comes only from our voices. You may have also heard that we participate in the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, every week. While various denominational groups partake quarterly or annually, we partake each Sunday. It is possible you learned that we baptize those who believe in Christ in water so they may receive the forgiveness of sins. All these practices are labelled as “odd” by many outsiders. Some go further and suggest that these practices are against Scripture. While we could have long conversations from the Bible about these practices and others that we do in the church of Christ, it better serves us to consider what makes this church different from all the rest in terms of its origin and ownership.
 
            One of the most significant differences between the church of Christ and the vast array of denominations is that this church started in the first century. I know what you may be thinking: how is that possible? Many of the towns where churches of Christ are located did not exist 2,000 years ago! What we mean, then, is that the church as an entity started in the first century. The prophet Daniel wrote concerning the start of the church. In Daniel’s second chapter, the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, had a dream of a large statue with different parts that was suddenly destroyed by a stone. Daniel revealed the dream and interpreted it for the king, and through the course of the chapter, he tells Nebuchadnezzar that in the days of the kingdom represented by the feet of clay and iron, God would establish His kingdom. God’s kingdom would break all the other kingdoms and last forever (Daniel 2:44). As history reveals, the kingdom of clay and iron that Daniel saw was the Roman Empire, which ruled most of the known world from the second century B.C. until the fifth century A.D. If God’s kingdom was established in the days of that kingdom, then it follows that the church was established between those historical boundaries.
 
            That prophetic text brings forth a question: how do we know the kingdom of which Daniel wrote is the same thing as the church? In the New Testament, we discover that Jesus and His apostles referred to them interchangeably. While we admit that the term “kingdom” carries with it more meaning than just “church,” it is clear they express different ideas about the same entity. First, Jesus told His apostles that some of them would still be alive when the kingdom of God appeared “with power” (Mark 9:1). That further narrows the establishment of the kingdom from Daniel’s prophecy, but it also shows us that Jesus predicted the arrival of the kingdom as a real body. Later, Jesus would say that the coming of the Holy Spirit onto the apostles was when they would receive power (Acts 1:8). Together, these passages teach us that, when the apostles received the Holy Spirit, the kingdom would also arrive. That means Acts 2 marks the beginning of the church of Christ, which is when 3,000 people were added to it (Acts 2:41).
 
Second, the apostle Paul wrote that those who obey Christ are transferred from the “power of darkness” into “the kingdom of the Son of His love,” which refers to the church (Colossians 1:13). Jesus predicted the arrival of the kingdom and stated what would precede its arrival, and later, Paul spoke of it as a present reality in the first century. We see how the origin of the church of Christ is rooted in history, not just in the United States, but in the days of the apostles all those years ago. Alexander Campbell and other men may have issued the so-called “Restoration Plea” in the 19th century, but they did not start a new denomination. Sadly, that is what many did throughout history. All denominations can be traced back to a time long after the first century ended, but the church of Christ has its roots in that era.
 
Another major difference between the church of Christ and the denominations of the world is that it belongs to Christ alone. Fundamentally, all denominational bodies naturally belong to someone other than Jesus. Countless synods, associations, and counsels control the denominations of our age. Christ is mentioned by these bodies, but He is not the final authority. In the church of Christ, Jesus calls the shots. We recognize the reality that Jesus promised to build His church (Matthew 16:18). There is no other divinely ordained church builder than Jesus. Sadly, that indicates denominations are outside the promise of Jesus because someone else had to build them. The church of Christ can lay hold of that promise because Jesus alone builds us up and controls our teaching and practice. There is no headquarters or governing body in the church of Christ, for Jesus is our head in all matters (Ephesians 1:22-23). Although we understand that Scripture refers to the church in numerous ways, we humbly wear the name of Christ because we do not wish to be known by any other title or authority (Acts 4:8-12). Our sole desire is to be known for our association with Christ and our faithfulness to His teachings. We strive each day despite our imperfections to loyally serve Jesus as His disciples. From those efforts, we wish to be known for our love and unity in the truth Christ has brought down to us (John 13:34-35; 17:20-23).
 
While there are other important differences between the church of Christ and the denominational world, these two points make the distinction clear. All denominations have their historical roots in different and often contradictory faith traditions, and nearly all of them are controlled, not by Christ, but by some other authority. The church of Christ goes back to the first century and was the only entity to which the saved were added. Additionally, the church of Christ looks to Jesus for all that it teaches and practices. We struggle in that effort, but together, we carefully consider the Scriptures to ensure all that we say, do, and think pleases Christ. After all, that is the goal for which all should strive (2 Corinthians 5:9).