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

THE
SPIRIT’S
SWORD

Volume 21, Number 42
09/08/2019

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:

• Gospel Meeting September 13 - 18, 2019
• A Pattern that Frees from Sin
• Sermon Outlines:
  • Five "Firsts" for Success
  • Exhortations to Young Men
• Noteworthy News: Wear Anything You Want

Gospel Meeting September 13 - 18, 2019

The Mt. Baker
Church of Christ

1860 Mt. Baker Highway • Bellingham WA

Invites you to our
GOSPEL MEETING
With Evangelist

Brett Hogland
(Blue Springs, Missouri)

SEPTEMBER 13 - 18, 2019

Friday, Saturday, Monday–Wednesday at 7:00 pm
(Sunday Sept. 15^th at 9:30 and 10:30 am; 6:00 pm)

Theme: Conquering Giants

Friday:

Conquering Giants

Saturday:

Truth and Relativity

Sunday Class:

Emotionalism

AM Sermon:

In the Beginning

PM Sermon:

Homosexuality

Monday:

Social Drinking

Tuesday:

Materialism

Wednesday:

The Spirit of Fear

Bring your Bible and join us for a period of Bible study

(From I-5 take Exit # 255 and go East 4.2 miles)
For more information please call (360) 752-2692

A Pattern that Frees from Sin
Joe R. Price

For a very long time we have heard warning cries against “pattern theology” and how we must get beyond viewing the New Testament as a blueprint. For example, “But there is no (emp., theirs) infallible method for interpreting Scripture. There is no heaven-given system of Bible study…we reject a rigid ‘pattern theology’ that simply proposes to transplant religious-cultural forms from the Bible to the 20^th or 21^st century” (Rubel Shelley and Randall J. Harris, The Second Incarnation, 19, 31).

We are being warned against binding “Church of Christ” traditions. We agree it is sin to bind man-made traditions as if they are essential for pleasing God. Yet, these warnings have at times failed to clearly identify the traditions we must keep, namely, those delivered by the apostles (1 Cor. 11:2; 2 Thess. 2:15).

Establishing Bible authority (and therefore, God’s approval) by Bible-revealed commands and direct statements, by apostolic-endorsed examples, and by necessary inferences from the Scriptures is scorned by mockers as merely the construct of men. (Even though Acts 15:6-19 reveals God’s approval of these three ways to establish divine authority.)

The apostle Paul taught the word of Christ forms a pattern of doctrine that we must preach, believe, and obey. The pattern of teaching he wrote about is not a human creed, nor is it so-called “Church of Christ” tradition. The pattern of tradition of which he wrote is apostolic: “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you heard from me” (2 Tim. 1:13). This apostolic pattern is formed by inspired words, “the words of our Lord Jesus Christ” that accord with godliness (1 Tim. 6:3). Those who oppose the pattern of the gospel can only offer the world a formless, shape-shifting message that lacks the power to save sinners from sin’s bondage and its death (Rom. 1:16-17; 6:23).

Apostolic tradition says, “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness” (Rom. 6:17-18). The “form” or pattern of doctrine (teaching) to which the Romans had been delivered was none other than the gospel of Christ, the “power of God unto salvation” to all who believe (Rom. 1:16). This passage says sinners were freed from sin when they obeyed the gospel from the heart. The gospel is the “form” (pattern) of teaching that saves us from our sins.

The gospel pattern includes hearing the gospel and believing Jesus is the Christ, along with confessing one’s faith (Rom. 10:9-10, 17). It includes repenting of sins as well as being baptized (into Christ Jesus, into His death, and into death to sin, Rom. 6:3-4) to be saved (Acts 2:37-38). The sinner who follows this gospel pattern is saved (1 Pet. 3:21). The one who does not believe and obey this gospel pattern remains lost in sin (Mk. 16:15-16).

“God be thanked” for the pattern of the gospel that frees us from the bondage and death of sin (Rom. 6:17-18). It is God’s pattern. He calls sinners to obey it from the heart to be saved.

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

Five "Firsts" for Success
Joe R. Price

Scripture Reading: Micah 6:6-8

1. The devil tries to confuse our loyalties, to minimize our obligations to God, and to forfeit our blessings, Gen. 3:1, 2-6; Jas. 1:6-8.
2. Can withstand with God’s help, Eph. 6:10-13.
3. Five “firsts” for our spiritual success.

I. GIVE GOD THE FIRST HOUR OF EACH DAY.

A. To Pray, Mk. 1:35.
B. To Read, Psa. 119:33-40.
C. To Meditate, Psa. 1:1-2; 119:97.

II. GIVE GOD THE FIRST DAY OF EVERY WEEK.

A. To Worship Him, Acts 20:7.
B. To Encourage Brethren, Heb. 10:24-25; Col. 3:16; 1 Cor. 14:26.

III. GIVE GOD THE FIRST PORTION OF EVERY PAYCHECK.

A. According to Your Success, 1 Cor. 16:2.
B. Purposefully, 2 Cor. 9:7; 1 Chron. 29:3,6,9
C. Cheerfully, 2 Cor. 9:7; 1 Chron. 29:13-16.

IV. GIVE GOD THE FIRST CONSIDERATION IN EVERY DECISION.

A. Priority Firmly Established, Matt. 6:33-34; Lk. 14:25-33. (Col. 3:1-3)

V. GIVE GOD THE FIRST PLACE IN YOUR HEART.

A. A Decision of Faith, 1 Pet. 3:15.
B. Action of Love, Matt. 22:37 (Jno. 14:15).
C. Sacrifice for Eternal Life, Matt. 19:16, 20-22 (Phil. 3:7-8).
D. The Determination of Hope, 1 Pet. 1:3, 6-9.

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

Exhortations to Young Men
Joe R. Price

Scripture Reading: Titus 2:6-8

1. Strength and exuberance of youth a blessing when directed by wisdom, Prov. 2:1-9 (1:4).
2. Youthful overconfidence (pride) combined with lack of experience can lead young men and women into spiritual danger, Prov. 1:10-19.
3. Titus to exhort (call near) the young men to help them mature in Christ, Titus 2:6-8.

I. GIVE ATTENTION TO THE WAY YOU THINK.

A. Be Sober-minded, Titus 2:6 (1:8, temperate, 2:2); Rom. 12:3; 1 Pet. 4:7.

II. GIVE ATTENTION TO YOUR PATTERN OF INFLUENCE.

A. Be a Pattern of Good Works, Titus 2:7; 1:16; Eph. 2:10; 1 Tim. 4:12; Phil. 2:19-22.

III. GIVE ATTENTION TO THE DOCTRINE (TEACHING) YOU FOLLOW.

A. The Teaching (Gospel) You Profess, Titus 2:7 (1 Tim. 4:6, 16; 6:3).
B. Traits of Godly (True) Doctrine (7); 1 Tim. 6:3; 4:13, 15-16; 2 Tim. 2:15.

IV. GIVEN ATTENTION TO YOUR SPEECH.

A. What You Speak, Titus 2:8; Eph. 4:25; 5:4.
B. How You Speak, 1 Tim. 5:1-2 (do not chastise, upbraid, be too familiar), Lk. 2:46-47; Lk. 2:46-47; Eph. 4:1-2.

Conclusion
1. Young man’s strength and stamina is his advantage and glory (beauty), Prov. 20:29.
2. Young men must learn to couple physical vigor with spiritual strength, for that is where great gain is found, 1 Tim. 4:7-8.

NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the light of Scripture)

Wear Anything You Want
Joe R. Price

When the bride said she “could wear anything” to the wedding as her maid of honor, Christina Meador took her sister literally. She showed up wearing a T-Rex dinosaur costume (“Maid of honor shows up to wedding in T. rex costume after being told she could wear anything,” Rasha Ali, usatoday.com). Her big sister said it was her statement against modern wedding expectations.

The “wear anything” philosophy is very prevalent in faith and religion. It is based on human will and wisdom, not on a knowledge of Christ and His will (Col. 2:8-10, 3, 20-23). It sounds appealing, but it is not from God. For example:

1) “It doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you are sincere.” This fails to acknowledge we can be sincerely wrong, and therefore lost in sin. Saul was a sincere persecutor of the church (Acts 9:1; 22:3-5; 23:1; 26:9-11; 1 Tim. 1:13). Cornelius was a sincere man who needed to be saved (Acts 10:1-2, 6; 11:14). God-approved faith is built on the word of Christ, not on sincere consciences, confident emotions, or personal experiences (Prov. 14:12; Rom. 10:14-17).

2) “It doesn’t matter what you practice religiously, God is concerned with the heart.” True, God is concerned with the heart (Prov. 23:7; Matt. 22:37-40; 1 Cor. 4:5). He is also concerned with our conduct. We cannot call Jesus “Lord” in disobedience and expect Him to accept us (Lk. 6:46). To please God we must be “doers of the word” from a heart of faith and love (Jas. 1:22-27; Heb. 11:6; Acts 10:34-35).

3) “It doesn’t matter how I live, because this life is all there is.” The empty tomb of the resurrected Jesus exposes this lie (Lk. 24:1-7; 1 Cor. 15:1-4). A judgment is coming after we die and are resurrected, and we will either receive eternal life or eternal condemnation (Heb. 9:27; Jno. 5:28-29).

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Oh yes, it matters to God what we believe, what we practice religiously, and how we live.

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