We all know of people who know the truth, but for some reason there is something that is holding them back. Here is a list of things that are responsible for individuals not doing what they need to do.

1. More of a love for the things this world has to offer (Lk. 18:18-23).
    
2. More of a love for man than God (Jn. 12:42-43).
    
3. Not convicted of sin and is willing to live in it (Rom. 6:3-9,17,19).
    
4. Having a feeling of comfort in almost obeying (Acts 26:27-29).
    
5. Waiting for a convenient time (Acts 24:24-27).
    
6. Unwilling to gladly receive the word (Acts 2:41).
    
7. Lack of faith (Heb. 11:6) 
    
8. Lack of understanding (Acts 8:30) 
    
9. Simply not willing to make the commitment (Matt. 11:28-30).

Remember: Anyone willing and wanting to obey the gospel – can!

Chuck

Defending the truth

As I write this bulletin, there are plans for me to meet with a local religious leader and one of their members to talk about the Bible. The member just wants the religious leader and I to present what the Bible teaches about salvation so she can determine who is telling the truth.  I think open discussions are great and would be thrilled if more people could listen. When I present from the Bible though, I need to remember the points our Lord makes about defending our faith.

Consider the event in Matthew 21:23-27. Jesus was in the temple teaching when the elders and chief priest confronted Him. They wanted to talk about the idea of authority and asked Jesus a couple of questions. Let’s break down this encounter to learn how to stand up for what we believe.

Have a willingness to talk

The first thing that we notice from our Savior is that He didn’t run away. He actually welcomed the opportunity to have a discussion openly.  Christ didn’t say he would talk about this later, privately, when no one else is around. As a matter of fact, it was while He was in front of those people, whom He was teaching, that he agreed to talk (verse 24).  There is something seriously wrong with any religious teacher who would refuse to talk about what he believes openly.

Establish that it goes both ways

Nobody wants to participate in a discussion where someone is on the defensive all the time. It is never fair to force one person to defend what they believe while the other person just asks further questions.  These situations are never profitable for people who are genuinely seeking the truth. When Jesus was asked questions (verse 23), He also stated that he would gladly answer their questions if they would answer His (verse 24).  If both parties state and defend what they believe, listeners can decide for themselves. If someone refuses to state what they believe or will not defend it, we should be concerned.

Focus on facts, not personalities

All-knowing Jesus could have easily belittled or made fun of the religious leaders who confronted Him. He could have brought up past events or, knowing their hearts, even challenged their motives. Notice that He did not though. Truth and true motives will surface during the discussion. Jesus asked them a simple question, and they refused to answer (verse 25-27). I recognize that focusing on Biblical facts will anger some people, but this just reveals that they are more interested in “winning” the argument rather than sharing Biblical truth. Truth does not need to be defended with name-calling, belittling, yelling or lost tempers.

Do not be afraid to expose error

The short confrontation between Jesus and the leaders of the synagogue ended when Jesus told them that because they would not answer His question, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things,” (verse 27). If someone wants to talk about the word of God, they need to be prepared to face the consequences. Jesus was not going to apologize, nor did He need to. By refusing to answer questions from Jesus, these men demonstrated that they could not refute His teachings. This is evidence that Jesus was right.

We do not need to sugarcoat our faith to defend it.  We must be willing to state that if “2 + 2 is 4”, than any other answer is wrong. We cannot be for something without being against something contrary.  This requires courage. Remember, the only thing that suffer from sound investigation is error. Let us all be willing to give an answer for the hope that is within us (I Pet. 3:15).

                                                                                                   Chuck                                              

How not to sin

In our first article, we pointed out that we sometimes sin but are never forced to. Some may struggle with this idea and wonder how sin can effectively be resisted. While this is easier said than done, our Lord has left us with ways to escape temptations (I Cor. 10:13).

We must start by hating every false way (Psa. 119:104). It is impossible to resist temptation if we are comfortable with it and actually enjoy the evils that surround us.  It becomes easier to transgress when we think some sins are not as bad as others.

There is power in prayer. Jesus, early in His earthly ministry, taught His followers to pray. “Father, do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one,” (Matt. 6:13). Also, during the night of our Lord’s betrayal He told Peter, James and John to pray to avoid entering into temptation (Matt. 26:41). These sorts of prayers are a good preventative measure and help us stay focused on spiritual things rather than the enticing nature of the temptation.

However, prayer is not going help a person who does not turn away. Paul mentioned that we ought to “Flee youthful lusts” (II Tim. 2:22). People who play with fire get burned. We need to realize that when a situation is obviously leading toward sin, we need to get out of that situation. Remaining in the situation and just trying to resist means we may eventually wear down and succumb. Consider how the Corinthians were told that evil companions corrupt good morals (I Cor. 15:33). We must know when to walk, or run, away.

Another great tool that can help us resist sin is to confess faults to one another (James 5:16). If brethren are aware of what tempts us, they can help hold us accountable. God obviously does, but our Lord also knows the value brethren can offer each other by bearing one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2).

Taking sin seriously is the only way we can have victory over it. Remember, sin is so bad that Jesus Christ had to sacrifice His own life because of it!  Let it not be in vain.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Chuck