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

THE
SPIRIT’S
SWORD

Volume 21, Number 34
07/14/2019

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
Rich Brooks

Deacons
Aaron Bass
Shane Bass
Mike Finn
Dan Head

In this issue:

• Juicy Gossip
• The Church of Christ (Part 2)
• Sermon Outlines:
  • Personal Morality
  • "You Who Love the Lord, Hate Evil!"
• Noteworthy News: Facts are Stubborn Things

Juicy Gossip
Joe R. Price

Both the Law of Moses and the gospel of Christ warn against the sin of talebearing. Moses wrote, “You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord” (Lev. 19:15-16). The apostle Paul warned, “And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not” (1 Tim. 5:13).

Talebearing (gossip) has been normalized as millions flock to the rumormongers as an avenue of their usual, information-gathering process. (If you doubt it, witness TV shows like Entertainment Tonight, TMZ, and Page 6, and publications like People Magazine and National Enquirer, whose website tag is, “Hottest Celebrity Gossip & Entertainment News.”) Society is saturated with talebearing – juicy gossip that tingles the ears with baseless assumptions, groundless speculations, and false accusations against others.

Israel was told not to be talebearers precisely because it is unrighteous judgment against others (cf. Jas. 4:11-12). Paul observed the temptation to gossip that idleness poses, and urged younger widows to avoid that conduct by accepting their God-given domestic responsibilities.

You see, talebearing is about having power over others. It draws people into its snare, leading them to abandon reason and fairness, causing some to even “stand against the life” of the innocent based on nothing more than hearsay (Lev. 19:16). The talebearer is an untrustworthy liar. Wisdom teaches us not to associate with such folks, because talebearing causes wounds and strife (Prov. 11:13; 18:8; 20:19; 26:20-22). The best way to put out the fire of talebearing is not to receive it. (And, being sure we do not start that flame.)

The Church of Christ (Part 2)
Joe R. Price

Jesus Christ, who is the head of His body, has all authority over the church of Christ.

Ephesians 1:22:23: “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”

Matthew 28:18: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

The church of Christ is not defined and maintained by the doctrines of men, but by the gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:16; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).

The church of Christ is discussed in two senses in the New Testament, universally and locally.

1) Universally stated, the church of Christ is composed of all the saved, regardless of time and location. It is the “general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven” (Heb. 12:23).

2) Locally stated, a church of Christ is composed of Christians who band together, a local congregation in a particular place (1 Cor. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1). Local churches are composed of “faithful brethren in Christ” (Col. 1:2). These local churches are described as “churches of Christ” (Rom. 16:16). Therefore, each congregation is a church that belongs to Christ (Gal. 1:2; Rev. 1:4; 2:1).

The denominational usage of the word “church” is not found in the New Testament. Namely, the church of Christ is not composed of churches. “Church” is not used in Scripture to define a group of Christians that is larger than a local church, yet smaller than the universal church. The denominational alignment of churches is not in the word of God. The church of Christ is not a denomination.

Nowhere does the New Testament teach one to “choose the church of your choice.” That is the doctrine of men. Jesus Christ calls every person to choose His church – the church we read about in the Bible, the church of Christ – by believing and obeying His gospel to be saved from sin (Acts 2:36-41, 47).

We ask you to compare Bible facts about the church of Christ with other churches, including the one you attend. If the comparison reveals differences, then we urge you to turn away from the doctrines of men and follow the doctrine of Christ (Col. 2:8; 2 Jno. 9). We invite you to obey the gospel that saves you from your sins. When you do, the Lord will add you to His church; the church of Christ (Acts 2:37-41, 47). -To be continued

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

Personal Morality
Joe R. Price

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 5:8-14

1. Immorality is always a present danger.
2. Presents the danger of turning the grace of God into lasciviousness, Jude 4.
3. Define immorality, Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-5, 8-12. Called to holiness, 1 Thess. 4:1-8.
4. Called to moral purity because of God’s grace and Christ’s return, Titus 2:11-14.

I. MORAL PURITY IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GRACE WE HAVE RECEIVED, Tit. 2:11.

A. We Must Abandon Sin because We have Received Grace, Rom. 6:1-2, 12-14.
B. Fleshly Wisdom (incl. immorality) is Opposed to Grace, 2 Cor. 1:12.
C. Immorality Forfeits Grace, He. 12:14-16.

II. MORAL PURITY MAKES A DEFINITE DISTINCTION BETWEEN CHRISTIANS AND THE WORLD, Titus 2:12.

A. We Must Deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts, Rom. 13:12-14.
B. We are “Not of the World,” Jno. 15:17-19.
C. A Clear Line of Demarcation Must Exist Between Christian and World, 2 Cor. 6:14-18

III. MORAL PURITY KEEPS US PREPARED FOR CHRIST’S RETURN, Titus 2:13.

A. Our Hope of being Glorified with Christ Compels Us to Live Pure Lives, 1 Jno. 3:1-3.
B. World’s Coming Destruction Convinces Us to be Morally Pure, 2 Pet. 3:10-14.
C. Our Job is to Kill Immorality within Us, Col. 3:4-9.

IV. MORAL PURITY IS ESSENTIAL IF WE ARE TO BE (AND BE SEEN AS) THE PEOPLE OF GOD, Titus 2:14, 6-8 (3:3-5, 8).

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

"You Who Love the Lord, Hate Evil!"
Joe R. Price

Scripture Reading: Psalm 5:1-8

1. The sin of hate is a destructive attitude, motive, and action, Prov. 10:12.
2. Bible speaks of hate in several ways:
a. Malicious animosity, Tit. 3:3.
b. Relative preference, Lk. 14:26 (Rom. 9:13).
c. Repugnance for evil, Heb. 1:9.

I. WE MUST HATE SOME THINGS BECAUSE GOD DOES.

A. God Hates Sin, Psa. 45:6-7 (Heb. 1:9); Mal. 2:16; Rev. 2:6. (Psa. 97:10; 101:3-4; 119:104)
B. The Sense in Which God Hates (Detests) Sinners, Psa. 5:4-6; 11:4-5; Prov. 6:16-19 (Jno. 3:16); Psa. 26:4-5; 31:6; 139:21-22.
C. There is a Time to Hate, Eccl. 3:8.

II. WHILE HATING SIN, BE CAREFUL NOT TO HATE (BE HATEFUL TOWARD) OTHERS.

A. Sinful Hate is of the World, Tit. 3:3.
B. While Hating Sin, God Loved the World, Jno. 3:16. (Active goodwill)
C. Condition When We Hate a Brother, 1 Jno. 2:9, 11; 1 Jno. 3:13-15; 4:19-20.

III. CHRISTIANS MUST DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HATE THEM , Lk. 6:22.

A. God Does, Matt. 5:43-48.
B. God Warns Us Not to Take Vengeance against Evil, but to Repay Evil with Good, Rom. 12:17-21.

Conclusion
1. The multi-sided nature of hate deserves deliberate and prayerful attention.
2. We are to hate what God hates, love what He loves, and put our trust in Him, Psa. 34:19-22.

NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the light of Scripture)

Facts are Stubborn Things
Joe R. Price

A Florida high school principal has been removed from his position for comments he made over a year ago about the Holocaust. William Latson wrote in an April 2018 email that “the curriculum is to be introduced but not forced upon individuals as we all have the same rights but not all the same beliefs” (“Florida Principal: Holocaust Is Not A ‘Factual, Historical Event,’ Marcy Oster, forward.com). He elaborated, “Not everyone believes the Holocaust happened…I can’t say the Holocaust is a factual, historical event because I am not in a position to do so as a school district employee. I do allow information about the Holocaust to be presented and allow students and parents to make decisions about it accordingly. I do the same with information about slavery” (“Doubting the Holocaust in Boca Raton,” Jeffrey Salkin, religionnews.com).

The holocaust happened. That’s a fact. The deeper problem here is when the facts of history are thought to be simply one’s “belief” about that event. When that occurs, the facts of history will be rewritten to fit our belief system. That is dishonest and very dangerous. Think with me.

Fact: Jesus worked many miracles (Acts 2:22; 10:38). After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, His enemies did not deny this fact (Jno. 11:44-53). They set out to kill Jesus because they refused the evidence His miracles gave that He is the Son of God. Unbelief did not change the facts.

Fact: The dead body of Jesus was buried in a tomb, and three days later the tomb was empty (Matt. 27:59-60; 28:1-8). The enemies of Christ lied and bribed the soldiers about why the tomb was empty, but they did not deny the fact that it was empty (Matt. 28:11-15). Jesus was alive!

Fact: The gospel is true and conspicuous (1 Cor. 15:1-8). These things did not happen in a corner (Acts 26:26). We can foolishly deny the gospel, or we can educate ourselves about it. We receive its “words of truth and reason” because it will save our souls (Acts 26:24-25; Rom. 1:16). “Let God be (found) true but every man a liar” (Rom. 3:4). Yes indeed, facts are stubborn things.

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