And take…the sword of the Spirit, which  is the word of God.   Ephesians 6:17

THE
SPIRIT’S
SWORD

Volume 15, Number 13
05/13/2012

Published by
Mt. Baker
church of Christ

Location:
  
1860 Mt. Baker HWY
Mailing Address:

       P.O. Box 30821
 
Bellingham, WA 98228
       (360) 752-2692

Sunday:
Bible Classes..........9:30 AM
Worship..10:30AM; 6:00PM

Wednesday:
Bible Classes.........7:00 PM
All sing last Wednesday

Web sites:
Mt. Baker church
Bible Answers

Editor......Joe R. Price


Elders
Morris Bass
Rick Holt

Deacons
Aaron Bass
Rich Brooks
Mike Finn
Dan Head



 

In this issue:


Dishonoring God and Marriage
Joe R. Price

President Obama’s announcement that he personally approves of same-sex marriage was not unexpected. Politicians make political calculations and we have witnessed that once again. There is little doubt that the politics of reelection led him to publicly state a view he held once before (in 1996) and to which he “evolved” again.

Same-sex marriage is just one type of defilement that dishonors the marriage bed (Heb. 13:4). To dishonor marriage is to dishonor God, who gave it. He will judge all who hold marriage in contempt by their sin treatment of it and those in it. Fornication (sexual immorality) does great harm to marriages and families (not to mention the souls of those caught up in such sin, 1 Cor. 6:9-11). Therefore, Christians oppose the sin of fornication in all its forms (whether it is premarital, extramarital, LGBT, same-sex marriage, polygamy, etc.).  God’s will is our sanctification, not moral defilement. He has called us to holiness, not to the passion of lust and sexual immorality (1 Ths. 4:3-7). One who opposes this truth is rejecting God Himself (1 Ths. 4:8).

Compromisers give comfort and cover to fornicators and adulterers. Some do it by teaching false doctrines that accept sinners in their sin of adultery (Matt. 19:9). Some do it by remaining silent, refusing to rebuke the sinner about his sin. Consequently, the sinner remains lost and Christians are influenced by sin (1 Cor. 5:1-8).

Here are some additional ways marriage is dishonored:

     1) The husband who treats his wife selfishly (instead of loving his wife like Christ loved His church) dishonors marriage (Eph. 5:25-29).

     2) The wife who does not respect her husband by submitting to his leadership (like the church is to submit to Christ) dishonors marriage (Eph. 5:22-24).

     3) Husbands and wives dishonor marriage by fighting, quarreling and holding grudges against each other instead of forgiving one another (Eph. 5:31-32).

     4) Husbands and wives dishonor marriage by ending their marriages for any reason under the sun instead of honoring the vow they made before God to love, honor and cherish each other “until death we do part” (Matt. 19:4-6).

The good news is God forgives the sin of dishonoring marriage when we repent and put away the dishonoring sin to live in purity (Acts 26:20; Heb. 12:1-2; Col. 3:5-10). 

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I Love to Tell (and Hear) the Story
Joe R. Price

When I begin to think “I’ve already preached that” or “what can I say that has not already been said,” I remember a familiar song we sing: “I love to tell the story, For those who know it best. Seem hungering and thirsting To hear it like the rest.” Another song comes to mind; “Tell me the story of Jesus, Write on my heart every word; Tell me the story most precious, Sweetest that ever was heard.” The story of Jesus is timeless and timely. It never grows irrelevant. All of us need all of it, and those who know the story the best never grow tired of hearing it yet again. We must hear, know and live every part of the grand old story of the cross of Jesus and the love of God; we must implant it deep within our hearts (Jas. 1:21-22). We want to drink deeply and often from the fountain of truth that surges from inspired Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:14-17).

     Preachers must never fear preaching what their audiences needs to hear, regardless of how often they have already preached it. The apostle Paul set the example when he said, “For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe” (Phil. 3:1). Peter knew the benefit of repeating the truth which his audience already knew: “For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth” (2 Pet. 1:12). The constant warnings and remind­ers contained in the Scriptures protect us from sin while exhorting us to reach new heights of faithful­ness.

     Truth is not new. Someone properly said, “If it is the truth, it is not new, and if it is new, it is not the truth.” Preachers must not become discouraged and grow weary of preaching the simple gospel message of salvation in Christ (1 Cor. 1:18-25; 2 Cor. 4:1). Faithful gospel preachers must remain vigilant and continue “contending earnestly for the faith” (Jude 3). The fight against error and those who advance it can weary the body down to the bone, but not to the discouragement of the soul. Christ assures us victory over sin and death (Rom. 8:37; 1 Cor. 15:54-57; Rev. 2:10; 17:14).

     More and more preachers are preaching everything from financial planning to psychology to politics these days. How will these topics possibly save sinners? How do such topics teach us to repent of sin and avoid it, to live righteously and to prepare to go to heaven when we die (Tit. 2:11-14)? Preachers must preach the gospel, period (1 Tim. 4:6; 2 Tim. 4:2). Brethren must demand gospel preaching from preachers, not ear-scratching fables (2 Tim. 4:3-4). Hold the preacher accountable if he does not; the Lord certainly does (1 Cor. 9:16).

     Just as preachers must not fatigue of preaching the “whole counsel of God”, those who listen to gospel preaching must not tire of hearing the grand old story of Jesus, His love and His truth. We dare not follow the impulses of the Athenian philosophers “to tell or to hear some new thing” when it comes to “the word of the truth of the gospel” (Acts 17:21; Col. 1:5). We want to “hear all things commanded” us by our God (Acts 10:33). Our hearts are ready to receive the truth of the gospel: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 13:9, 10-17; Lk. 8:8, 15, 18; Acts 17:11-12). Give me the Bible!

     When we start longing for some­thing new from the preacher, the Bible class teacher or the elders, we had better heed the warning; our ears are starting to itch and we are looking for someone to scratch them (2 Tim. 4:3-4)! When we complain about hearing “another” Bible lesson on the “same old subject” we are dangerously close to an attitude of complacency toward truth and compromise with sin and error. Love for the truth is necessary in order to be saved as well as to avoid believing a lie and perishing in sin (2 Ths. 2:10-12).

     Truth never grows tedious (tiresome) to those who love it. How about you? 

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You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS

Mothers are a Gift from God

Scripture Reading:   Proverbs 31:25-31

1. Motherhood a God-given role exclusively given women, 1 Tim. 2:15.
2. Motherhood is learned, Tit. 2:4.
3. Bible mothers teach good lessons for mothers while teaching children (and fathers) to appreciate them every day.

I. BLESSINGS TO GIVE YOUR CHILDREN.

  A. Jochebed: The Blessing of Life and safety, Exo. 2:1-10; Heb. 11:23; Prov. 31:27 (1 Tim. 5:14); 29:15.
  B. Hannah: The Blessing of Devotion to God, 1 Sam. 1:9-11.
  C. Eunice and Lois: The Blessing of Teaching God’s Word, 2 Tim. 1:5; 3:14-15; Prov. 1:8-9; 31:26.

II. CHALLENGES OF MOTHERHOOD.

  A. The Challenge of Time: Use it Wisely, 1 Pet. 4:7; Eph. 5:16.
  B. The Challenge of Patience: Develop Self-control, 1 Cor. 9:25; Phil. 4:6.
  C. The Challenge of Multi-Tasking: Managing Household, 1 Tim. 5:14; Phil. 2:3-5; Prov. 31:28-29.

III. GOD’S ADVICE ON MOTHERHOOD.

  A. Avoid Favoritism and Comparisons of Children, Gen. 25:27-28.
  B. Set Godly Examples for Your Children, Ezek. 16:44-45.
  C. Be Thankful for your Children, 1 Ths. 5:18; Judges 13:8.

Conclusion  A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish man despises his mother.” (Prov. 15:20)

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You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS

Understanding Authority Bible Authority (1)

Scripture Reading:   Matthew 8:5-13

1. Centurion understood authority, Matt. 8:9.
2. “Great faith”, servant healed (Matt. 8:10, 13).
3. Contrast faith of centurion and the “sons of the kingdom” (8:10-12).
4. Proper understanding of and submission to God’s authority is crucial to genuine faith.

I. THE RIGHTS OF AUTHORITY, Matt. 8:8-9 (Lk. 7:7-8); Matt. 28:18.

  A. The One with Authority has the Right to Rule, 8:9; Psa. 2:6-7, 10-12; Eph. 1:21-23.
  B. The One with Authority has the Right to Bless, 8:8 (Rom. 13:3-4); Jno. 17:2.
  C. The One with Authority has the Right to Judge, 8:9; (Jno. 19:10); Jno. 5:26-29.
Lesson: Our faith must acknowledge Christ possesses the right (power) to rule, to bless and to judge our submission to Him.

II. SUBMISSION TO AUTHORITY, Matt. 8:8-9; Lk. 7:7-8.

  A. Some are Unwilling to Yield to Authority, 2 Kgs. 5:1,9-14; 1 Sam.15:13-14; Isa. 30:8-11
  B. Some Willingly Yield to Authority, Matt. 8:8; Jno. 9:6-7; Acts 26:19.
Lesson: We will receive the blessings of faith from the authoritative one (Christ) only by submitting to His authority, Matt. 8:8, 13; 28:18-20; 7:21.

III. FAITH AND AUTHORITY.

  A. Living by Faith is Respecting and Obeying Divine Authority, Jno. 12:48-50.
  B. Shall We be Faithless or Believing? Matt. 8:12-13
Lesson: Living by faith is ultimately a question of whether we submit to Christ’s authority.

Conclusion  How great is your faith? Matt. 7:21

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NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the light of Scripture)

Civil Rights and Homosexual "Equality"
Joe R. Price

The homosexual agenda of acceptance and inclusion frames its perceived lack of equality in marriage as a struggle for civil rights. We are being asked to view the push to legalize same-sex marriage as parallel to the struggle for racial equality.

     The attempt to insert civil rights into this debate is a non sequitur (it does not logically follow). Issues of race equality are not equivalent to sexual orientation and practice. Race is not chosen, it is the result of ancestry. On the other hand, homosexual conduct is not inherited, nor is it natural (Rom. 1:27). It is chosen conduct.

     The Bible supports this distinction, and Bible believers draw their faith from it (not from the shifting sand of human conceit and self-determinism). Concerning race, God “has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26). Adam and Eve are the parents of us all (Gen. 1:26-27; 3:20). Respecting race, all people ought to be treated equally; such is a moral (and hence, a civil) right.

     God also created gender and sexuality (Gen. 1:27-28). (Man did not create marriage.) God created marriage for male and female, both to propagate the race and to answer the problem of loneliness by providing marital companionship that is morally pure and fulfilling (Gen. 2:18-25; 1 Cor. 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4). Marriage, from “the beginning of the creation”, has been between male and female (Mk. 10:6-8). Attempts to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples do not promote marriage “equality”; just the opposite. It endorses a corrupted imbalance, a grotesque and unnatural form of marriage.

     How one expresses himself sexually is not a matter of civil rights and “equality”, but of either moral purity or defilement (1 Cor. 6:18; 1 Ths. 4:3-5). God has revealed His will on marriage, and pleas for “equality” do not change this seminal fact: God judges as sinful the immoral practice of same-sex marriage (Heb. 13:4). Same-sex marriage fundamentally and morally corrupts marriage as God designed it. Christians must oppose it. 

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Created by Chuck Sibbing.  05/14/2012

The Spirit's Sword is a free, weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA
Send all questions, comments and subscriptions to the editor at: ssword@bibleanswer.com