What Does the Bible Say About Why Am I A Member of the Church of Christ #14?

We begin this episode by continuing our discussion of the importance to understand that the Bible is complete and we cannot add anything to it or remove anything from it. It is our guide for everything we do in our lives as well as what the church does, how to be saved and what we are to teach. Consequently, we need nothing else to guide us, particularly any man-made documents to specify what the church does like most denominations have. We note that even if the sign says "church of Christ" one must examine if that church follows the New Testament in all that it does. We next begin our discussion of what the Bible says about being saved. We note that God wants all people to be saved. We note what Jesus says about a narrow and a wide gate and how they relate to one's spiritual life. Jesus discusses a proper foundation as well. We look at that. We include in this episode a short discussion of sin, what it is and what it does, as well as what we, as Christians, can do about it. We move to a discussion of the importance of understanding when the Bible is literal and when it is figurative in what is written. We talk about what Peter by the Holy Spirit said about when we are speaking about God and His word. We look at some plain passages that say what one must do to be saved and what many in the denominational world say about them. We discuss the example of Philip teaching the Ethiopian eunuch about Jesus and what the eunuch learned and did. We ran out of time before we completed this discussion. So, we will begin the next episode with it. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience. 

Transcript

Fred Gosnell: 0:00

This is a presentation of the Woodland church of Christ meeting at 3370 Broad Street in Sumter, South Carolina. We meet for worship on Sunday at ten thirty am and five thirty pm. We meet for bible study at nine thirty am on Sunday and seven pm on Wednesday. If you have questions or comments on this lesson, you may email them to Arnie Granke at agranke440718@twc.com or to Glenn Landrum at scbamaboy2003@yahoo.com or to Eric McClam at ericmcclam50@outlook.com or to Fred Gosnell at fgosnell@ftc-i.net,

Arnie: 0:55

Good afternoon. This is what does the Bible say, brought to you by the church of Christ at Woodland here in Sumter, South Carolina. And my name is Arnie Granke. We've got Fred Gosnell and Glenn Landrum and Eric McClam with us this evening to talk about some Bible things. We've been speaking about being members of a church of Christ, and what has been involved in that and and why we are members of of the church of Christ. And we hope that that program will be of use to you, give you some information to work on, and if you have any questions at all, by all means, we would invite you to give us a call and we'll deal with your question. We would be glad to do that. Glenn, where do we want to begin this afternoon?

Glenn: 1:58

Well, we'll pick up where we left off last last week. And last week we had just read Galatians, one eight and nine. And if you were to look at Galatians, one eight and nine, Paul is talking to the or he's right, has written to the the Christians in in Galatia. And he told them that he was very amazed that they were so soon, that it so quickly that they had departed from the truth that they were following something else. And he told them something very, very interesting and very important to us to understand. He told them, said That even if an angel from heaven comes and teaches something different than the than the gospel, the teachings that you've already heard, that that angel, or that person that comes and teaches that should be accursed or damned, they should be condemned. So we mentioned that that there's, there's a lot of ways that God's word is changed by people even a little bit. And we gave the example of Satan, how he did that in the Garden of Eden with with Adam and Eve. And instead, instead of saying that you shall surely die, when they ate of the that fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, he said, You shall not surely die, he added one little word, and that changed the whole meaning of what God had told them. Of course, yeah, you know, the result of that, Adam and Eve ate from that, that fruit, and they they died at that time, not a physical death, but they died spiritually. And so immediately they did just like God had told them, but Satan got them to commit sin by doing that. So we're at a passage now. We're trying, we're showing and trying to impress upon you how important God's word is the Bible, how important the Bible is and that we need, we need to go strictly by the Bible. We don't need to add anything to it or take anything away from it. Second Timothy, 3, 16, and seven and 17. We've read this before. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is. profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction and righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. And there's another passage that we we use a lot that goes along with that. Second, Peter, one, two, verse two through four says, Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of our and Jesus, our Lord, as his divine power, has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by glory and virtue. By the which, have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. These two passages speak for themselves, but what we ought to get from them is that God's word is complete, all encompassing, and it is all we need to guide us in the conduct of our lives, the conduct of the church, the work of the church, how we are to be saved and what we need to teach. We need absolutely nothing else, particularly any man made, documents, creeds, confessions, catechisms, bylaws or anything else. If the church you are a member of has any of those and if you are in a denomination, it is probability that the church you are meeting with does have one or more of those things. There is only one church that we know of that completely adheres to God's word, and that is the church that belongs to Christ. And just because church of Christ is on the sign outside the building, you may find that it is not truly the church of Christ when you start to meet with the assembly. There are some groups who wear the name church of Christ, but do not completely follow God's word. If you find that to be the case and start looking again or identify to the people there the issues and see if the group will change to meet the standards established in the New Testament. Your first step is to learn. And if you are listening to this broadcast, whether on the radio or on a computer, you can use this to help you begin the journey you. If you are listening on a podcast, you can go back and listen to previous podcasts. They are all titled, so it should be easy to pick what you want to listen to first. Of course, choosing will depend on where you are in your journey with God. Just in this course of lessons, we have covered many of the basic teachings, including what you need to be do, do to be saved information about the Church and its worship. We will be covering some more coming soon. Many people look at God's word and think, Well, I'll just follow the moral teachings of Jesus, and I will be okay. But they don't realize that Jesus commissioned His apostles to go into all the world teaching His Word, and they would be guided by the Holy Spirit, which is the third person of God. So everything we read in the New Testament after Mark Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, is also God's word and is every bit applicable to us as the Gospels are. Just because the letters written by Paul, Luke, John, James, Jude and Peter did not, for the most part, contain the direct words of Jesus. It does not mean that they do not contain the words of God. So God wants everyone to be saved. The sad point to be made about that is that most people will not obey the gospel and will not follow God, therefore they will not be saved. You can see that in Matthew 7, 13 through 23.

Fred Gosnell: 8:56

Yeah. And we'll go ahead and read that. Well, one quick thing PThe things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. So so all of the other writings in the New Testament come from the Lord. So just because it's not Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and God's quoted doesn't mean he didn't say it. So in Matthew 7, 13, through 23 Jesus has been speaking to the people there, and he says, Enter by the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction. And there are many who go in by it, Because narrow is the gate and difficulty is the way which leads to life. And there are few who find it. Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruit, you will know them. Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that does the will of my Father in heaven, Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, done many wonders in your name? Then will I declare to them I never knew you depart from me. You that PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS. Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of mine does them. I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock, and the rain descended and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it did not fall for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house and it fell, and great was the fall of it. So we usually read or cite these, these passages in small sections, but we want to present it as a whole at this time. We see that Jesus is providing some specific warnings to the people he is speaking to during the sermon on the mount. He first warns them that the path to heaven is one that is very narrow. It is not easy to stay on that path. Compare this to what many teach today, that all you have to do is say, I believe in Jesus and your sins in the past and the future are all forgiven and you're bound for heaven. No. Jesus warned them that the path to heaven was one that was not easy to stay on or follow. Why was one of the primary reasons that it is difficult to stay on that path? Well, because there are many false teachers, false prophets, teaching things that are contrary to God's truth, we can know them by comparing what they teach to what God's Word says. Of course, the difficulty with that is that very few people know what God's Word says. Jesus then gives a specific example of those who thought they were pleasing God, but were not. So, Verse 21 tells that only those who do the will of my Father will enter the kingdom. The last four verses talk about who is wise and who is not wise. Only the ones who build their hopes on a firm foundation would be wise. So we have talked about what that firm foundation is. It is Jesus Christ, according to First Corinthians, 3, 11, no foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Eric: 12:30

And built on the foundation of Jesus Christ means that we are using his plans, his blueprint, his pattern for what we believe. We cannot vary from that plan, blueprint or pattern. To vary for it means that we build something different, that he planned, that He died for. So how important is it that we follow the words in the New Testament? It is the utmost important to our salvation. Think about all the things that that we have mentioned about this, do not add or take away from God's Word. He does not he, he that does the will of my Father enter in the narrow gate. These phrases and many more do not give us the picture that God accepts any way other than his way. Most people teaching about God and Jesus water down the truth and try to make it something different than it is, really is Why? Think about that example we cited a few moments ago about Satan in the Garden of Eden, Satan does everything he can get people to believe something different than what God and Jesus actually taught. The example in the garden was the first example we had, and it will be the most important one we have. But we often forget it. We forget that it is Satan who was behind every untruth we hear, because it makes a difference, just like it made a difference with Adam and Eve. They simply ate a piece of fruit that looked appealing and probably taste good.when we bite on someone's word with a little bit of difference from the word of the Bible, we do the same thing. We spiritually die. Now let's look at Isaiah, 59 verses one and two, and it says, Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot be, cannot save nor hear his heavy nor His ear is heavy that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that he would not hear. When we sin, we separate ourselves from God, so that we cut off all communications. See that it says our sins have hidden His face from us. What is sin? Sin is doing something against God's will, or against the law or against his law. So let's look at first John three, verse four, which says, whoever committeth sin also committeth lawlessness. And sin is lawlessness.

Arnie: 15:30

We try to put sin into categories of breaking little laws and big laws, sort of like little lies compared to murder. God has not done that. He has simply said that sin is lawlessness. Telling a little lie accomplishes the same thing with our relate in our relationship with God, that murder does. The physical, earthly consequences will be a lot different, but we're still separated from God. Of course, we have to have a way to forgiveness, and so John writes in First John, chapter one and verse nine, he said, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So what do we make of this lesson? We've learned that it's important to rightly divide the word of truth and to use it correctly. To use it correctly is vitally important. It's so important that it makes a difference in our salvation. If you'll open your Bible, if you have it there beside you, and look at Timothy. Timothy Matthew, chapter seven, beginning in verse 13, and just remember that what we had read a few moments ago. Remember that Jesus said out, I never knew you depart from me you who work lawlessness. If Jesus would tell people who claim to be doing great things for him, such as prophesying in his name, casting out demons, doing wonderful works in his name. What will he do with us who do not follow what He has given us in His Word? Whose fault is it when we have his word available to us, but we don't do what it says? Of course, we do not know everything in the beginning, but we do have the Bible to use to compare to what people say. And hopefully, when someone says something about the Bible, they'll cite the scriptures so that we can check the validity of what's been said with God's word, just like the Bereans did in Acts chapter 17 there. I'll just read the passage to you, because you probably wouldn't have time to get it open by the time I've read it anyway. Acts chapter 17 and verse 11, These were more honorable than those in Thessalonica, and that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. So if, if anyone does not give you a scripture citation on this, or any other idea, any other passage, by all means, ask for it, okay? Those who are listening to this radio broadcast or podcast, be sure that you're checking everything we say with the scriptures. Don't take our word for it. Look it up and and read it for yourself. We try to always cite scriptures that support anything that we say. If you don't get scriptures to support what is being said, there may be something wrong with the message you're hearing, and we don't want that to be the case on this radio program or in the church for that matter, either. Also make sure what you hear actually matches what the Scriptures say. If you hear someone cite a scripture and explain something different from what it says, Stop verify what the scripture in the Bible says. Here's a good example of what we're talking about, Mark chapter 16 and verse 16 says, He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned. Many teach that this does not say that person needs to be baptized to be saved. That's, that's an absurd teaching, since Jesus directly said that those who believe and are baptized will be saved. He mentioned two things associated with being saved, believing and being baptized. So make sure that anything you hear someone say matches what the Bible says. I'm a member of the Church of Christ because it because the people that make up the church teach to follow and follow God's Word, the Bible. Not man's made up doctrines, creeds, catechism, bylaws, and what have you. The church believes and teaches only God's word and all of God's word.

Glenn: 20:53

Okay. Well, we're going to move to to our next session now, and we have spent a good bit of time making the case that in order to find the church that the New Testament speaks of and teaches that we must be members of, we must rely completely and exclusively upon God's Word, the Bible. Not only do we need to rely on the Bible, but we must use it correctly and in most cases, literally. There are some portions of New Testament that are figurative, but most of it is literal. Revelation is a book that is primarily figurative, and it is that that way for a reason. John was writing to Christians in the first century who are being and being tormented and treated terribly and being killed. So he wrote those letters to the church, churches in different areas. Those teach us how to be saved, information about the church, the conduct of Christians in the church, the worship of the church and the work of the church is supposed to do. That's what the Bible teaches us. Yes, the Bible tells us all those things. In many cases, denominations have added their own ideas or doctrines on all of those areas, which tell us that those things that have been added or are different from what the Bible, which is God's word, teaches. We, as members of Christ's Church, do apply most of the teaching we find in the New Testament literally. There are some scriptures that are figurative, but in most cases, or in those cases that where they are figurative, the Holy Spirit meant for those things to be figurative and not literal. By being strict about applying the teaching in the Bible primarily as literal, we have been labeled by others as being too dogmatic, picky, too technical, strict and legalistic. There has been a saying coined many years ago by members of the Lord's church. We speak where the Bible speaks, and we are silent where the Bible is silent. Even though that saying or phrase is not a scriptural statement, it does echo the sentiment that we read in first Peter four, verse 11, If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as the ability which God supplies, then in all things, God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Fred Gosnell: 23:36

Of course, he's speaking to Christians here. And Peter makes the statement above. Of course, this statement was penned by Peter, but he was directed by God through the Holy Spirit. It simply says that if we are speaking about God, His Word, we need to speak just like or say the same things that are in the Bible. There are 1000s of commentaries on every section of every book in the Bible. Of course, those commentaries are some person's thoughts or beliefs about what the Bible says. Of course, all of those people are uninspired. So many times, those people who have written those commentaries, they go well beyond, or they fall way, way short of what the Bible actually says. So remember what was said just a few minutes ago, that for the most part, we should read the Bible literally and not figuratively, particularly when a passage is very plain, we should not try to interject our own thoughts on what it means. In the last lesson, we gave an example of one of the passages many people skew the meaning of Mark 1616, in which Jesus says, He who believes and is baptized will be saved. So there's nothing tricky about that statement, nor is there any kind of hidden meaning. It simply links two things together that are required for a person to be saved, believing and being baptized or being immersed. Yet, most of the dominational world teaches that it is not what it is saying. It is plain and simple, Believe and be baptized and you will be saved. Does God's word teach anywhere else that there are other things we must do in order to be saved? Of course, yes it does, and we have covered them. So prior to believing, one must hear the Gospel Romans 10, 16, and 17, but they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says Lord who has believed our report. So then faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of God. So a person must hear the gospel in order to obey it. This is logical and therefore makes sense. We cannot believe or respond to anything without hearing and understanding. So a great example of that is in Acts 8, 26, through 39 and Eric's got that for us.

Eric: 25:46

And that passage says, Now an angel of the Lord spoke to9 Philip saying, Arise and go toward the south along the road which goeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is desert. So he arose and went and behold a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning and sitting in his chariot. He was reading Isaiah, the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philip, go near and overtake this chariot. So Philip ran to him and hearing him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, Do you understand what you are reading? And he said, How can I unless someone guides me? And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. The place in the scripture where he read was this. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shears is silent, so he openeth not his mouth. In his humiliation, His justice was taken away. And who will declare his generation, for his life is taken from the earth? So the eunuch answered Philip and said, I ask you, of whom does the Prophet say this? Say this? Of him, or some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and, beginning at the same scripture, preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road, there came some water, and the eunuch said, See here is water. What hinders me from being baptized? Then Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. So he commanded the chariot to stand still. Both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more, and he went his way rejoicing.

Arnie: 27:58

That's a rather long passage to read for this illustration, but the whole account is good, and it helps us to understand the point that we're making about the Bible, what the Bible teaches about being saved. We've brought up the example of many people saying that Mark 16, 16, does not teach that baptism is necessary for salvation when it clearly says so. We could not leave the idea hanging that the Bible only teaches believing and being baptized. So we're mentioning the other things the New Testament teaches about being saved. We've covered this before, but it's always good to cover it again. The message in Acts chapter eight is a great one. Philip had been approached by an angel of the Lord instructing him to go south of Jerusalem into the desert. He met the Ethiopian eunuch who had been to Jerusalem to worship. The Ethiopian was reading a passage from Isaiah 53 in which Isaiah was prophesying about Christ, but the Ethiopian did not understand who the passage was speaking about. Verse 35 is very important for it says that Philip opened his mouth and, beginning at this scripture, preached Jesus to him. So they had gone a little further riding in the chariot with with the eunuch was that he was driving when he came in some water. So he asked Philip, what hinders me from being baptized? Philip told him that if he believed in Jesus, the Son of God, he could be baptized. Then they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him after the eunuch had made a confession of his belief.

Glenn: 30:09

Well, we're at the point where we have to stop at this time, and we'll we'll pick up at this point next time with explaining a little bit about this verse and this passage, and talking a little bit about this passage, there's a lot in it that that is, that is very important, and we can learn a lot from this. So that's where we'll pick up next time talking about this passage in Acts Eight, and I think you'll you'll enjoy hearing it.