The Fullness of the Time

THE FULLNESS OF TIME

    God’s Great Plan – JESUS!  Good and evil are in our world.  Jesus entered the world to save it.  Jesus brings God’s unfailing love and faithfulness (grace and truth).

    “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:17 (NKJV)

    “Christ is coming!  The prophets witnessed to this hope.”

    The fact of the expectation of Our Lord among the Jews at the time of His coming is accepted by all students of their history.  It is the fact that, at His Coming, Something had filled the Jewish people with the conviction that the Redeemer, the Messiah, was to come, that He would come about this time, that such and such would be His circumstances, His characteristics, the marks by which He might be known.  This expectation was not merely of an event, or of a person in general, but was detailed in its knowledge of what was to be.  This expectation, and the figure of Him that was to be, was marked clearly. He was to be born of a Virgin. He was to be born at Bethlehem; and yet by an apparent contradiction He was both to come out of Egypt, and was to be called a Nazarene. He was to be of the line of David.

    God’s Right Time!

    “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”  Gal 4:4-5 (NKJV)

    “By observing, that God sent forth his Son born of a woman, the apostle insinuates, that Christ is the seed of the woman, promised at the fall to come and bruise the serpent's head.” McKnight   [note Romans 16:20]

    “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."  So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:  "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."  Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife,  and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.” Matt 1:21-25 (NKJV)

    “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures,  concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”  Romans 1:1-4 (NKJV)

    The Apostle John wrote that God Himself became flesh in Christ (John 1:14). Jesus' humanity and divinity were complete, not partial. The two ideas—Jesus as 100-percent divine and 100-percent human—form the bedrock of a Christian understanding of Christ.  The idea that the Word became human (literally became flesh) stunned both Greeks and Jews.  The Lord's glory in the Tabernacle (Exod 40:34-38) was now present in Jesus Christ

    “I believe in the God I see revealed in Jesus of Nazareth.”  N.T.Wright 

    “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”  2 Cor 4:6 (NKJV)

    “The image of the true and living God, once revealed in all its glory, is to be reflected into all the world, as was always God’s intention. The mission of the Church can be summed up in the phrase “reflected glory.” When we see, as Paul says, the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, we see this not for our own benefit, but so that the glory may shine in us and through us to bring light to the world that still waits in darkness and the shadow of death.”  N.T.Wright

        “The nativity is about Almighty God sending His one and only (begotten) Son down to this earth. This is His gift to us, not for Christmas, but for eternity. He doesn’t want us to admire it, anymore than we would merely admire a gift given from a loved one. He doesn’t want us to merely acknowledge His gift. He wants everyone; He wants you, to receive His gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, by inviting Him into your life.”  DJ

    “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16 (NKJV)

     Trust God and obey Him.     

ADVENT

ADVENT - CLASH OF TWO KINGDOMS

     ADVENT is the name of Christ’s First Coming.  Jesus turned things upside down when He came to Earth. His Coming is the strategy of God and the tactics of the Son. It’s about life, death, blood, confrontation, darkness, light, and war. It’s the clash of two kingdoms.  GOD WINS!

     “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”  Isaiah 9:6-7 (KJV)

     Jesus Came to Overcome Darkness

     “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.' "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”  John 1:14-17 (NKJV)

     Jesus Came to Overcome Blindness
     There are at least four ways that show Jesus has overcome the darkness and given sight to the blind.
     “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.  For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake.  For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Cor 4:3-6 (NKJV)

     Advent is a clash of two kingdoms—darkness and light. Christ is the only way that darkness can be overcome and through him we can receive sight. His power over nature and death, his understanding of human nature, and his zeal for God conquer all that is dark.

    Jesus Came to Deliver Us
Christ is the gate and the good shepherd.
Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:1–6, 23–24; John 10:1–21
     “O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!"  Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.  He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.” Isaiah 40:9-11 (NKJV)

     “For thus says the Lord God: "Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out.  As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day.  And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land; I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country.  I will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. There they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.  I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down," says the Lord God.  I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment." Ezek 34:11-16 (NKJV)

     Advent is world-altering and life challenging. It is power beyond anything we can imagine, coming with humble tactics that strip human nature of self-sufficiency, self-justification, and self-enthronement.

     Jesus Came to Reveal His Glory
Jesus was Almighty God who came to earth for our benefit.
     “Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.  And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.  I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.  And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” John 17:1-5 (NKJV)

     John gives us an advantage when we read his Gospel—he tells us exactly why he wrote it and what he wants us to get out of it, and lets us know what the Advent season is all about. John 20:31 says, “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

PRAYING AND FORGIVING LIKE GOD

Praying And Forgiving Like God

        Things happen in our world and forgiveness seems impossible.  We have very strong feelings (James 4:1-6) yet God will help us to repent and forgive if we will ask Him.  Jesus on the Cross could say: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  They thought they were doing the right thing by crucifying Jesus the Son of God. 

        God Himself is the greatest example of forgiveness.  “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”  Hebrews 8:12.

                “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”  2 Cor 5:18-19 (NKJV)  [Trust & Obey]

        1. Neither do we understand life.

        "Holy Father, there is so much that I do not understand.  Death has come into the family, hard times, financial difficulties, or things that I thought were punishments sent by You.  People said, "It's God's will," and I became bitter and resentful toward You.  [compare Luke 13:1-6.]  Purify my heart and mind today.  Help me to look always to You and Your Glory and Your amazing Love."

        Jesus said: “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”  Mat. 6:14-15.

        "Lord Jesus Christ, I ask today to forgive everyone in my life.  I know that You will give me the strength to forgive.  I thank You that You love me more than I love myself and want my happiness more than I desire it for myself."  [compare Psalm 130]

        I must first forgive myself.

        "Heavenly Father, I forgive myself for all my sins, faults and failings.  [compare Psalm 51 in this context.  “Wash me, cleanse me.”].  I forgive myself for unbelief in Your goodness, and for not truly believing in Your love for me.  I release stored up bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness.  I forgive myself for not spending enough time in prayer, for allowing myself to be distracted from praise and worship to You.  I forgive myself for any sins against purity, for compulsive behavior, for hurting my parents or friends, for wounding people with words and behavior.  Thank You, Heavenly Father, for the grace to forgive myself and the power to change."

        As we forgive our debtors.

        "Heavenly Father, I forgive my mother for any negativity and unlove she may have extended to me throughout my life.  I forgive her for any times she may have hurt me, resented me, been unreasonably angry with me, or punished me unfairly."

        "Heavenly Father, I forgive my father for any negativity and unlove he may have extended to me throughout my life.  I forgive him for any nonsupport, lack of love, affection or attention." 

        "Lord, I extend forgiveness to my sisters and brothers, my spouse, my children, my mother-in-law, father-in-law, son/daughter in law, and other relatives by marriage, who may have treated my family with a lack of love.  For all their words, thoughts, actions or omissions which injure and cause pain, I forgive them."

        Forgetting the past.

        “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  Phil 3:13-14

        "Heavenly Father, I forgive those who have hurt me the most, those who are the hardest to forgive.  I now choose to forgive, even though I may still feel angry and hurt.  I also make peace with the one family member, the one friend, the one church leader who has hurt me most in life." 

        "Lord, I beg pardon of all these people for the hurt I have inflicted on them, especially my mother and father, and my marriage partner.  I am especially sorry for the three greatest hurts I have inflicted on each one."

        "Thank You, Jesus, that I am being freed from the evil of unforgiveness.  I praise You and Thank You for granting me repentance and forgiveness and setting me free.  I want to offer my life to You as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

        “For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”  2 Cor 3:17-18 (NLT)

        "Holy Spirit, pour the love of God into my heart [Romans 5:5].  Fill me with Christian love, holy joy, and all the fruit of the Spirit [1 Thess. 1:5-6; Gal 5:22-25].  Mold me and make me after Your will.  [2 Corinthians 3:17-18]  I claim the Victory, in Jesus' Name.  Amen."

JESUS THE REVOLUTIONARY

JESUS - THE REVOLUTIONARY

R. D. Ice

Levi the Pharisee hurried to the gate ¹

to speak to the others about

the crisis presented by this Jesus

“The Son of Man,” as he calls himself.

Jesus is young, not yet fifty years old. ²

But he claims to have seen

Abraham, of all people.

"Abraham rejoiced to see my day."

And Jesus shows no respect to God. ³

I heard him say, “Abba, Father.”

Doesn’t every child say “Abba, Daddy.”

Who does this Jesus think he is?

God in human form?

We cannot have young people -

this upstart Jesus - destroying

our cherished Tradition, our

depository of knowledge, our

faith in God Above.

This Jesus just doesn’t understand  ⁴

the way we do things,

our cherished traditions,

the holy forms we have developed

over these many years.

“Watch out!” Gamaliel said. ⁵

“You might be fighting against God.”

“If Jesus isn’t who He claims to be,

nothing will come of it.  But

if He is the Son of God, you cannot

overthrow Him.”

After all is said and done, Jesus

was right, and Levi was wrong. 

Neither youth nor age

was the crux of the matter.

Being right with God was.

Jesus came with power and authority.

Blind eyes were healed.  Deaf ears

were opened.  Crippled legs were

made strong.  Even the dead

were raised to life in a powerful way.

Levi should have known.  God

had been speaking through

the Law, the Prophets, the Psalms,

giving clues and identifiers

to clearly show the Messiah

when He came.  ⁶

"God shall raise up a Prophet," ⁷

Moses said, "like unto me."

"Him shall you hear!"

But Levi did not hear.

"You search the Scriptures," Jesus said. ⁸

"You seek eternal life."

"But these very Scriptures testify

of Me, the Son of God."

Levi's mind was firmly made up.

He did not know that he was following

what seemed to be fact, yet was not.

Like a horse wearing blinders,

his vision was restricted and clouded.

"When anyone turns to Jesus," Paul said, ⁹

"the blinders are taken away."

"The natural man needs God's help."

"The Spirit illuminates our understanding."

"It shall come to pass," Joel wrote, ¹⁰

"God shall pour out His Spirit."

"Whosoever calls upon the Name

of the Lord shall be saved!"

Jesus is still the Revolutionary.

New generations discover Him,

and old generations may fail

to recognize that they have not

been following His Way fully.

But to all who believe in Him ¹¹

Jesus gives the authority and

privilege of becoming and continuing

to be God's children and friends.

                ¹  John 11:45-53

                ²  John 8:56-59

                ³  Mark 14:36; John 6:46

                ⁴  Matt. 15:3-9; 23:23-26

                ⁵  Acts 5:33-39

                ⁶  Luke 24:44-49

                ⁷  Acts 3:22--26

                ⁸  John 5:39-40

                ⁹  2 Cor. 3:14-17; 1 Cor. 2:12-16

                ¹⁰ Acts 2:16-21; 11:15-18

                ¹¹ John 1:12-13; Matt. 8:11

FATHER-SON-HOLY SPIRIT

Father, Son, Holy Spirit!

    In October 2015 “The Search For The Lord’s Way” had four lessons on “One God: Three Persons.”  Campbell said it this way: Jehovah the Father, Jehovah the Son, Jehovah the Holy Spirit.  The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the great I AM.  Solomon said the ways of God are past finding out.  Yet God speaks to us in ways we can understand.

    “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”  2 Cor 13:14

    “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”  Jude 1:20-21

    “When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased." Luke 3:21-22

    We show forth the Lord’s death & resurrection.

    By the water of His baptism and the blood of His death (1 John 5:6-8; Heb. 9:11-15) JESUS became the Savior of every human being who would “trust & obey.”

    The goal is not to abandon the world, but to keep ourselves IN CHRIST and salvage as much as possible from this evil world.  Christians do renounce the falseness of the world, but do not reject the Creation itself.  [note Romans 8:19-23.]

    We confess, in accordance with Holy Scripture and with the Holy Spirit’s help, that Jesus Christ is the one and only Savior of the world.  In Him, we see not only the fullness and the glory of God, but also the model and power for our own freedom from the bondage of sin and death.

   “Since the children are made of flesh and blood, it's logical that the Savior took on flesh and blood in order to rescue them by his death. By embracing death, taking it into himself, he destroyed the Devil's hold on death and freed all who cower through life, scared to death of death.”  Heb 2:14-15 (MSG)

    Christianity is centered in Jesus! 

    In the midst of many competing voices, the Church seeks to hear, trust, and obey Jesus the Lord and his commandments (1 Cor. 8:5-6).  True authority in the Church derives from and furthers obedience to this Lord.  True authority in the Church holds the community accountable to this Lord, especially when teachings and practices arise that undermine or deny His Lordship.

    Paul was willing to step back and put Christ first!

    “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”  Acts 26:18

    Jesus had to share completely our human nature and human experience.  Even though Jesus in the flesh was a man (a male), He was able to be the Savior of both men & women.  In contrast to angels, He was made like the seed of Abraham - likeness of sinful flesh (Rom. 8:3) - and He was tempted in every way that both men & women are tempted.  See Heb. 4:15; Isaiah 53:3-5.  His atoning sacrifice was for both men & women.   “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”  Galatians 3:28

    Jesus said: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.”   John 12:32-33

    Jesus promised Another Helper.

    "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"  Luke 11:9-13

    “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter (Helper) will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:”   John 16:7-8 

    “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8 

GOD'S TOUGH LOVE

GOD’S TOUGH LOVE

    “Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?  For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.  Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Hebrews 12:9-11 (NKJV)

    “Tough Love  Another version of "being cruel to be kind". To show somebody some tough love today will save them heartache in the future but may cause a small amount of upset for the receiver immediately after the "Tough Love" has been dispensed. They would suffer more if you let them get on with their life with no interference from third parties.”  Urban Dictionary

    “Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."  So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.” Gen 11:7-8 (NKJV)

    God created mankind in His own image and He wishes for our success.  God’s purpose was for humanity to spread over the Earth.  The Tower was being built in opposition to God.  God created panic by confusing language and probably different physical characteristics (skin color, etc.).  “Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight.” 

    “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,  so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;”  Acts 17:26-27 (NKJV)

    Goodness and severity.

    “For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.  Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.”  Romans 11:21-23 (NKJV)

    And, it is important to remember that our unchanging God is the same God who banished our first parents from paradise due to disobedience, flooded the world due to sin, and sent His only begotten Son to earth to suffer and die to reconcile us with Him. God remains the same today as He was yesterday.

    Chastisement - discipline.

    “So don't feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children?  My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline, but don't be crushed by it either.  It's the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects.  God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God?  We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live?  While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best.  At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.”

Heb 12:5-11 (MSG)

    Life is on-the-job-training for Eternity.

    “The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see.   The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.   By faith, we see the world called into existence by God's word, what we see created by what we don't see.”

Heb 11:1-3 (MSG)

    “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life--  the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us--  that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.  And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.”  1 John 1:1-4 (NKJV)

    “Living in the light means that the believers will see that they are sinners, but they will also realize that Jesus is their Advocate to make them right with God” —NLT Study Bible

CERTIFIED BIBLE-THUMPER

Certified Bible-Thumper

    The Bible says it.  [Thump.]  I believe it.  [Thump.]  That settle it.  [Thump.]

     But, what does the Bible say?  Apostle Paul wrote: for the letter kills but the Spirit gives life...the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament...now the Lord is the Spirit.  [2 Corinthians 3:6-8]

    Christians worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  The Bible shows us who we are and shows God teaching us and guiding us into eternal life.  The Bible speaks of Jesus the only-begotten Son of God.  We see God’s Vision Of The Ages and how Jesus is God’s Lamb to take away the sin of the world.  As we see turmoil and confusion and conflict around us, we turn our eyes to that City whose builder and maker is God.

    The Gospel is the Power of God.

    “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”  Gal 1:11-12 (KJV)

    “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.  And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.”  1 Thess 1:5-7 (NKJV)

    True Apostles were called by God.  They learned the Gospel by direct revelation from the Risen Son, and by the Scriptures. 

    “Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me."  And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.”  Luke 24:44-45 (NKJV)

    “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”  2 Tim 2:2 (NKJV)

    1. Paul met Jesus face to face and was directly certified to preach the Gospel of Christ’s doing and dying and rising to life again.  He was given direct knowledge by the Holy Spirit.

    “Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), and all the brethren who are with me.”  Gal 1:1-2 (NKJV)

    “Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?  If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.  1 Cor 9:1-2 (NKJV)

    “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.  None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."  In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”  Heb 8:10-13 (NKJV)

    “This is He who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.  For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.  And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.”  1 John 5:6-8 (NKJV)

    “And Jesus Christ was revealed as God's Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross (literally This is he who came by water and blood): The truth is that Jesus' baptism and death confirmed his identity as the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus of Nazareth was and is truly the Christ, the Son of God, from the beginning and forever.  5:7-8 three witnesses: The Spirit descended on Christ at his baptism (see John 1:32-34). The water is the water in which Christ was baptized (see Matt 3:13-15; Mark 1:9-11). The blood is the blood that Christ shed at his crucifixion (see Mark 15:37-39). —NLT Study Bible

    “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”  Psalms 139:23-24 (NKJV)

    “But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.”  Prov 4:18 (NKJV)

Jesus The Son came in human form;

flesh & blood, in order to defeat

the devil and the forces of evil.

Why is our world the way it is???

A wise man said: “How can you

have a top without a bottom?

or a front without a back?”

The contradictions of our world

are part of God’s Plan.  He gave us

freewill and we can choose Him.

And yet He chooses us in Christ.

Because He loves us, He wants us

to love Him and draw near to Him

with clean hands and a pure heart.

To make this possible, He sent Jesus

The Lamb Who Takes Away Sin -

by the sacrifice of Himself.

We love Him because He first loved us!

     [Thump!!!]

THOUGHTS ON CANE RIDGE REVIVAL

LOOKING BACK TO THE CANE RIDGE REVIVAL

"It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me."  John 6:45; Isaiah 54:13.

"Look here!  In the paper!  A Great Camp Meeting!  They're going to have Holy Communion at Cane Ridge in August!  We could go to that!  It would only take three or four days to get there.  And I think the Lord would be especially pleased if we would go to this."

A preacher wrote about the spiritual condition of the people in 1800 as they moved westward from the coastal area.  "How many thousands … never saw, much less read, or ever heard a Chapter of the Bible! How many ten thousands who never were baptized or heard a Sermon! And thrice ten thousand, who never heard of the Name of Christ, save in Curses … ! Lamentable! Lamentable is the situation of these people."

At the Cane Ridge Revival, people came to a three day Gospel Meeting climaxing on Sunday with the celebration of the Lord's Supper.  When they arrived there, the preaching was:  REPENT!  AVOID HELL!  JESUS DIED FOR YOU!  THERE IS POWER IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB!  GOD WILL FORGIVE YOUR SINS!  TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION!  COME TO JESUS NOW!

Barton W. Stone believed the Cane Ridge Revival was a work of God.  Christ was preached, lives were changed, God's purposes were accomplished.  Certainly Satan was there also to do his worst.  But as Jesus said to the Pharisees: "If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you."  Matt 12:26-28 (NKJV)

Christ was preached at Cane Ridge, and just who was doing this preaching?  Apostle Paul wrote: "What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice."  Phil 1:18 (NKJV)

Robert Rainey wrote in 19th Century England this comment.  "It is not true that the preaching of Christ serves no purpose and yields no fruits, in cases where it is not carried on in the right or the best spirit. . . Now the Apostle, looking at this, is glad of it. He is not glad that any men, professing Christ, give way to evil and unchristian tempers. But he is glad that Christ is preached. There were cases in which he vehemently contended with such persons - when they strove to poison and pervert Christians who had learned the better way. But now he is thinking of the outside world; and it was good that the making known of Christ should gather strength, and volume, and extension. And the Apostle knew that the Lord could bless His own message, imperfectly delivered perhaps, to bring thirsty souls to Himself, and would not fail in His unsearchable wisdom to care for those who came, and to lead them in the ways He thought best. Let Christ be preached. The converts do not belong to the denominations, but first of all to Christ.  Neither is it appointed that the denominations shall permanently hold those whom they bring in; but Christ can hold them, and can order their future in ways we cannot foretell. . . . But GOD is not tied up to give no success to men acting under wrong motives: at least, if we are not to say He gives the success to them, yet in connection with them He is well able to take success to Himself. Through strange channels He can send blessings to souls, whatever He gives or denies to the unworthy workmen. Souls truly gathered in will soon get beyond their teaching."

Salvation is too important to be left entirely in human hands.  God does want everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4).  Some picture God as an Old Man with pad & pencil writing down everything He can find to keep us out of heaven.  Some work hard to "prove" that no one can be saved!  They are "defenders of the truth."   Some Jewish leaders condemned the miracles Jesus did as being from the devil.  But Jesus was RIGHT - and the Pharisees were wrong.  "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."  John3:14-17 (NKJV)

Although Satan seems to be turning everyone away from God, this cannot be true.  God is always working in ways we may not know.  HIS DIVINE PURPOSE CANNOT BE DEFEATED!  The battle between the Church and the Devil has already been settled in heaven.  The Ascension of Christ meant the downfall of Satan, and every act of Christian sacrifice confirms it!  Read Revelation ch 12.

Leapfrog ahead from the First Century to Cane Ridge in 1801.  Stone believed that the evidence he saw of obedience to God and changed lives and then they  continued in faithful obedience was proof that God was present in what had happened there.  We see things like these in the New Testament.  Compare Acts 19:11-20 and note the results.  Live were truly changed!

Many factors went into the Great Revival at Cane Ridge.  We note The Great Awakening in America in the 1730s and 1740s which had tremendous results. The number of people in church multiplied, and the lives of those converted showed a true Christian morality.

Quite by surprise there was a tremendous outpouring of response to the preaching of Jonathan Edwards. This movement of the Spirit surprised people because it produced something unexpected: people professing conversion to Christ. What Edwards said was: "You can't control salvation." But Puritans heard him saying, "if you try, God will aid your salvation." Phrases like "It is in your power to use means of grace" and "One can strive against corruption."  Edwards wanted to make the point that salvation ultimately is in the hands of God, and that He empowers the Christian to resist evil. And people responded to what they viewed as an invitation to seek after salvation.

Alexander Campbell spoke of a "Christianity at large" which viewed the Ancient Order seen in the New Testament as superseding sectarianism to gather all to be One In Christ.  Whitefield said: "Father Abraham, whom have you in heaven? Any Episcopalians? No! Any Presbyterians? No! Any Independents or Methodists? No, No No! Whom have you there? We don't know those names here. All who are here are Christians...Oh, is this the case? The God help us to forget your party names and to become Christians in deed and truth."  In essence, Whitefield reduced Christianity to it's lowest common denominator--those sinners who love Jesus will go to heaven. Denominational distinctives were down played. This theme was picked up by Samuel Davies, one of the principle leaders of the Awakening in Virginia.

Denominational barriers broke down as Christians of all persuasions worked together in the cause of the gospel. There was a renewed concern with missions, and work among the Indians increased.  Methodist "circuit riders" who rode from place to place worked to spread Christ and the Awakening.

America was much smaller back then and this Revival was mostly in the New England States.  It is difficult to believe that in 1782 not one permanent settlement existed in the whole of Ohio (except perhaps Indian villages) and that by 1800 Ohio population was around 70,000 for the whole State.

Before 1800, western Kentucky was sparsely populated. The French & Indian war against the settlers had been a disaster.  Midnight raids by terrorists - for that was what they were - created hopelessness and spiritual ignorance.  Some of these early settlers were outlaws fleeing punishment by hiding in the wilderness. There were also decent God fearing citizens that came looking for a future.  But it was a time of violence and fear.  Men like Big & Little Harp (America's first serial killers) committed great crimes against the settlers.

Today we have Church every Sunday (Lord's Day).  And every Sunday is Holy Communion.  But it was not so in those days of the Frontier.  There was not a church on every corner.  Organized worship was mostly nonexistent.  They did not know they could gather in a house-church assembly to praise God and eat the Supper of the Lord.  Yet times of Holy Communion would be held in Revivals - three or four day meetings with all-day preaching and climaxing in the Supper on Sunday.

It is difficult to for us today to understand what happened at Cane Ridge.  Our America is anti-supernatural (yet we believe everything we see on TV).  Bultmann wrote: "we cannot use electric lights and radios and, in the event of illness, avail ourselves of modern medical and clinical means and at the same time believe in the spirit and wonder world of the New Testament."  And some in the church do think that way.  In the world of politics it would be the worst possible sin to be an intensely committed Christian.  Yet read the Book of Acts.  God The Holy Spirit jumps out at every page.  Peter healed people (Acts 5:12-16).  Amazing things were done in Samaria (Acts 8:5-8).  The Holy Spirit sent Philip to the Ethiopian Nobleman and sent Paul to Macedonia.  God is awesome, powerful, shaking things up, but above all - Loving, Cleansing, and Saving.
The effect of Cane Ridge on people was powerful.  "...everyone was crying out for mercy.  The anguished screams caused trees to sway ... mother, she fell and was breathing hard, like a sheep on a hot day...The eyes of the crowd were blazed with the glory of heaven, seeing only the divine and the celestial."   Stone said: "I saw sinners every where, of every age and sex, rich and poor, bond and free, old and young, weeping, praying, and converting to God--I saw enemies become friends, and sweetly united in the bonds of love--I saw brotherly kindness, meekness, gentleness, obedience, all the divine graces, growing and abounding among the saints of God. The Bible was read with intense desire to find the truth. This, this I call a revival. This I call the work of God."

Jesus said in a parable "Go out into the highways and byways and compel them to come in."  (Matt. 22:9-10).  Note they gathered both bad and good.  The sorting would be done later.  (Some want to presort people before preaching to them.  But the identity of wheat and tares will be shown by what they produce.)

God is interested in results.  God was being true to Himself when He worked miracles, and also when He gave orders to do things in an unusual way.  Compel them to come in!  And this was the order of things in the Kentucky Revival at Cane Ridge in 1801.  Stone believed that the Hand of the Lord was at work in these things.  Repentance and changed lives were proof to him.  "Bring forth fruits of repentance."  And this was surely happening!

The Kingdom of God is a spiritual nation of people who are called by the gospel of Christ.  Their relationship and loyalty is to God-in-Christ.  In the Lord's Supper we are to "show forth His death until He Comes."  Christians, then, are to be a living demonstration of Who Christ Is.  We let our light shine by the love and good works we do to the "least of these."

Elder David Purviance wrote in his Biography.  [note: I have revised some of the language for clarity.  RDI]
"In due time a great camp-meeting to be held at Caneridge, in the coming month of August, was advertised widely. Such was now the general interest of the public mind, that when the meeting came, it was attended by about 25,000 souls. Persons were said to be in attendance from most of the States in the Union [as it was in 1801]. Particularly were gathered together, on that memorable occasion, the thousands of Israel [the church], from all the religious orders of the land. Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, &c., &c., were there, as one mighty spiritual host, assembled together, to fight the battles of the Lord. They had come up to the help of Zion. They preached and prayed and praised together; they mutually labored together for the salvation of sinners. Their objects and aims were the same; there was no schism (sectarian division).  Nay, more than this. Together, in sweetest, holiest, symbolic communion, they sat down at the One Table of the One Lord, and together commemorated His sufferings and death, affording to a gazing and admiring world, a monumental exhibition of an answer to the memorable prayer of the incarnate Jesus (John 17), to His and their Heavenly Father for the union of His people. Such were the glories of the times that many good people thought assuredly the Millennium (Golden Age) had begun to dawn upon the world.

THE GREAT MEETING AT CANE RIDGE commenced on Friday before the third Lord's day of August, 1801. From the commencement the roads were literally crowded with wagons, carriages, horsemen, and people on foot, all pressing to the appointed place, till by the Sabbath day (Sunday) the grove that was then open near Cane Ridge meeting-house, was filled with wagons, tents, and people. It was supposed that there were between twenty and thirty thousand people there. Elder Stone in his Journal remarks, "A particular description of this meeting would fill a large volume, and then the half would not be told." Stone's Biography, pg. 38.

For the sake of the present and future generations, I will attempt a faint description.- From the very commencement, an uncommon solemnity appeared to rest on the countenance of the people. Not infrequently several preachers would be speaking within the bounds of the encampment without any interruption to each other. Wagons, stumps, and logs were used for stands. The preaching and exhortations were interesting and impressive. Salvation free to all mankind was proclaimed, and the willingness of Jesus to save all that would come (John 6:37) was urged universally by the speakers. "The word of God was quick and powerful, and sharper than a two-edged sword;" many sinners were cut to the heart, and fell prostrate under an awful guilt and condemnation for sin. This was not confined to any one class. The moral, genteel and well raised, the giddy and profane, the wicked, the drunkard, and the infidel, the poor and also the rich, as well as the proud and vain, with all their gaudy attire, were brought down by the SPIRIT of the ALMIGHTY, and they appeared to have forgotten every thing in this world in view of their souls' eternal salvation.  [Compare Acts 2:36.  "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"]

LET UNITY BE OUR POLAR STAR!  Stone and the Campbells intended to join hands with true believers in a united effort to LIFT UP THE CAUSE OF CHRIST.  Stone was first, and from Cane Ridge the gospel "spread like fire in dry stubble."  The Campbells - father and son - joined in, along with a host of others.

Stone spoke of four thoughts on the unity of believers.

1. Book union.  He spoke not of the Bible, but of creeds [patterns] which may be written in a book, or be unwritten, but still followed. Creeds written/unwritten when used as tests of fellowship tend to divide rather than unite.

2. Head union.  He spoke of a common understanding of the Bible.  Stone's words, "Each one believed his opinion of certain texts to be the very spirit and meaning of the texts - and that this opinion was absolutely necessary to salvation."  Daniel Somer once wrote in frustration: "The New Testament is the Book we divide over."  Paul warned: "for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."  2 Cor. 3:6 (NKJV)  And: "But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter."  Romans 7:6 (NKJV)

3. Water union.  All who have been baptized into Christ are one in Christ.  Stone says, "Water union was defined to be a union founded on immersion into water. But fact proves that this union is easily dissolved, and that immersion will not keep those who are immersed, united."  In Stone's words: "How vain are all human attempts to unite a bundle of twigs together, so as to make them grow together and bear fruit! They must first be united with the living stock, and receive its sap and spirit, before they can ever be united with each other. So must we be first united with Christ, and receive his spirit [Spirit], before we can ever be in spirit united with one another. The members of the body cannot live unless by union with the head—nor can the members of the church be united, unless first united with Christ, the Living Head. His spirit [Spirit] is the bond of union. Men have devised many plans to unite Christians - all are vain. There is but one effectual plan, which is, that all be united with Christ and walk in Him."

4. Fire union.  By this Stone meant what we read in 1Cor. 12:13.  "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."  And: "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."  Eph. 4:3   The Greek can be translated: "Do your best to preserve the unity which the Spirit gives by means of the peace that binds you together."

This is the only way to be faithful to Scripture. In the words of Stone: "We have been too long engaged with defending ourselves, rather than the truth as it is in Jesus.  Let us trust our little selves with the Lord; and rest not, till by faith in the promised Spirit and by incessant prayer we receive and be filled with it, like they were of old in the ancient order of things."

The question we face then is not "How can we work toward unity?" but rather "How will we be faithful to the call to maintain the unity of the Spirit?"

The Psalmist wrote: "A song of Ascents. Of Solomon.   Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain." Psalms 127:1 (NKJV)

The apostles and disciples could not begin their "witness" until God-The-Holy-Spirit came in power.  They were to tarry in Jerusalem until that time.  Jesus said of The Spirit: "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--"  John 14:16 (NKJV)

PS: What would another "Cane Ridge" look like today with Twitter and Facebook?

A STATEMENT ON THE BIBLE

A STATEMENT ON THE BIBLE
Rhoderick D. Ice

[This is taken from a work by a group of conservative-evangelical Bible scholars from 1977 through 1987, "The International Council on Biblical Inerrancy."  I have digested this and put it into "Church of Christ" terminology.]

1.  As the revealed word of God, the Bible is the authority of God Himself and confirmed by our Lord Jesus Christ who is Lord of the Church.
We do not believe it is possible to divorce and separate the authority of Christ from the authority of the Bible, or to pit one against the other.
2. We believe that Christ Jesus is both God and Man in one Person.  Just so we believe that the Bible is God's word placed in human language.
We do not believe errancy exists in Scripture (in the ancient languages) any more than that in Christ as Man there is any sin on His part.
3. We believe that Jesus Christ is the center of the Bible, both Old and New Testaments - His Person and His work.
Anything which rejects or obscures this Christ- centeredness (such as questioning His maleness or Jewishness) is contrary to the teaching of Scripture.
4. We believe God The Holy Spirit who inspired the Scriptures acts through the Bible today to create faith in the Bible's message.
We do not believe The Spirit ever contradicts the message He has already inspired.  But we believe The Holy Spirit is always present with us.
5. We believe The Holy Spirit enables believers to seize Bible truth and apply it to themselves.  We believe The Holy Spirit works into us what Christ has worked out for us.
We reject the idea that the natural man is able to see spiritual things apart from The Holy Spirit.  [note Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:14.]
6. We believe the Bible speaks in normal human language and normal use of language, following the rules of grammar and interpretation.
Although salvation is of prime importance, we deny that this is the only function of the Bible.  Willful deception is of course wrong, but so it unintentional misunderstanding and confusion.
7. The clear, logical meaning is usually that which is intended.
But the Bible must sometimes be understood in a "poetic sense" rather then the bare meaning of the words.
8. We believe the Bible applies to all cultures and all times: sometimes only in a particular situation, and sometimes in a wide sweeping way.
We believe the universal and particular must not be determined by cultural and situational factors (although these factors cannot be dismissed out of hand).
9. We believe there are patterns of Bible study which may properly be used to understand just what the Bible is saying and how this applies to us.  Even though the name applied to the technique may be unfamiliar to us, this fact does not disqualify the use of patterns of study.
We do not believe the message of Scripture should be dictated by the interpreter's own frame of reference.  Campbell tried to approach the Scriptures each day as though he had never seen them before.  (This of course was impossible, but it shows how he tried to eliminate any bias on his part.)
10. The Bible speaks to us in a variety of literary forms.  The inspired message was written down in the language of the writer.  Peter noted that Paul sometimes wrote things hard to understand.
We do not believe that any limitations of human language in any way dim the truth which God has spoken to us.
11. We believe that God intended the Bible to be translated into the many languages of Man.  We believe the Bible speaks our languages across all cultural and temporal barriers.  Compare Acts 2:7-12.
We do not believe the Bible is so tied to the culture of those from whom it came that it then becomes impossible to understand in our frame of reference today.
12. We believe the translators of the Bible should fulfill their mission as though the original writers were now writing in the target language.  How would Paul, for example, write his message in our language today?
Methods of translation which are insensitive to the demands of cross-cultural communication, or which distort biblical meaning, are wrong.
13. We believe one must have a "poetic soul" to properly understand much of the Bible.  When one is deaf, you must shout loudly for him to hear.  When one is blind, you must draw large scrawling pictures for him to see.  Certainly Jesus used these techniques to communicate the truth.  "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off."
We do not believe that those schemes which deny the Bible's historical accuracy are correct.
14. We believe that the biblical record of events, speeches, and teachings, though presented in a variety of ways and forms, are historical fact.
We deny that the biblical writers invented fictions or accepted things merely traditional.  Note Peter in 2 Peter 1:16-21.
15. We believe the literal grammatical-historical sense is most often correct.  We must of course take note of all figures of speech and literary forms.
We believe a figurative sense must be called into question and examined closely, even though other factors may eventually show that the figurative sense is the correct one.
16. We believe legitimate critical techniques should be used to know the meanings of the Bible text.  We use critical techniques to read our daily newspaper.
We do not believe any method of technique should be allowed to question the truth or integrity of the Bible writer's meaning and teaching.
17. We believe the Bible is logical and consistent, that it cannot contradict itself, and that it is its own best interpreter (when used according to the laws of language).
We deny that later writers misinterpreted earlier writers of Scripture when quoting from them or referring to them.  New Testament writers made a wide use of the Old Testament part of the Bible in showing Jesus as the fulfillment of the promise to the fathers.  Note Acts 13.
18. We believe the Bible's own interpretation of itself is always correct; never contradicting, but showing the writer's intent.  The words of a prophet include, but are not restricted to, the prophet's own understanding.  God's intention may reach far beyond what the prophet understood when it comes to fulfillment.
We do not believe the prophets always understood the full implications and meanings of their own words.
19. We do understand in the frame of reference of things we already know.  The preunderstandings of the interpreter should be in harmony with biblical teachings and subject to correction by them.
We do not believe Scripture should be "forced" into agreement with "alien" biases, such as naturalism, evolutionism, scientism, secular humanism, political correctness, and relativism.
20. We believe that God is the author of all truth.  Things biblical and those outside the Bible are consistent. The Bible speaks truth when it touches nature, history, or anything else (even though it is not a scientific textbook).  Also, some things outside the Bible may help to make clear what the Scriptures teach.
We deny that science may be made to disprove the Bible, or that science as currently understood has a higher priority than the Bible.
21. We believe the various things taught in the Bible, specific and general, are in harmony with each other and with the true facts of nature.
Scientific theory changes from time to time.  We deny any conflict between scientific fact and the true meaning of any passage of Scripture.
22. We believe that Genesis chapters 1 to 11 are factual when understood, as is the rest of the Bible.
We deny that the teachings of Genesis chapters 1 to 11 are mythical and pure fancy.  While there may be an element of "poetic truth," we find no need to revise the Bible to fit current "theories" of the origin of Creation.
23. We believe the Bible speaks clearly about sin and salvation.  We believe in the finished work of Christ Jesus and being put right with God by faith in Jesus Christ.
We understand that not all passages of Scripture are equally clear or that all have an equal bearing on the message of redemption.
24. We believe that God intended the average person to understand the Bible without depending on the expertise of scholars.  However, we do not reject those who have devoted their lives to studying the Bible.
We deny that anyone should ignore the technological study of those equipped to study the Scriptures in depth.  We must depend on the truth and accuracy of those who translated the Bible into our language.
25. We believe the one who is preaching should study to permit Scripture to speak to him, and then pass on to the hearers this good news of God.  Correct preaching faithfully expounds the word of God spoken in the Bible.
We deny the preacher has any message apart from what God has revealed to us in the Bible.