The church of Christ has been purchased with the blood of Jesus Himself (Acts 20:28). The church of Christ is also the pillar and ground of truth, for it has no mission but that of doing the work that God has given for it to do (1 Timothy 3:15, John 18:36). That isn't to say that the church won't be among men, because it will; the church began in Jerusalem about 33 AD on the day of Pentecost (Luke 24:46, Acts 1 and 2).
The work of the church isn't to be having dinners, ball games, bingo, car washes, two or more collections; support to colleges and other human institutions, or providing secular courses such as math, reading, computer, etc. Yet we see so much of this and more being done by churches, and people just come to believe that the church can be involved in anything that we choose. However, man must realize that the Bible is to be our guide, and that we must use it in order to prove what we do in religion (1 Peter 4:11, 2 John 8, Matthew 7:24-27, John 8:3). Churches must have authority for all that is done and practiced. The Bible teaches that the work that Jesus has prescribed for his blood-bought body is to be the care of saints (Acts 11:26-30, Acts 5:32-37). The support of preachers of the gospel (Phillipians 4:14-20, 2 Corinthians 11:8-9). And the local church is to care about the edification of its own spiritual welfare (Acts 20:28, Ephesians 4:11-13). By what authority does your church do what it does? (Mark 11:28). Hope to hear from you or to see you at the services. Just when you think you've heard the worst concerning child abuse, you hear something else that lets you know, "you ain't seen nothing yet." Just recently there was a story on the local news concerning a man who locked a child inside a dog house for his punishment. Now no matter what the child had done wrong, how can one justify locking him in a dog house? This type of cruelty really gives truth to the phrase, "in the dog house."
But the horror doesn't end there. This idiot lit a cigarette and started blowing smoke into the doghouse in order to torture the child! What kind of nut case is this guy? Doesn't he understand that second-hand smoke is dangerous to anyone inhaling it? Yet this man went ahead and threatened the child's health with this kind of stupidity. But fear not, the authorities got the man, and he was arrested. Thank God! There is just too much abuse directed at the children; I'm speaking of beating them until they die. Smoking, drinking, taking drugs, viewing or listening to immoral movies or songs around them. Keeping the child values pure is not in the plans of many parents. Some single parents are having sex with others in the house, demonstrating to the child how to live an immoral life. Also with one night stands, comes the danger of the parent subjecting herself and the child to a possible killer or weirdo. Treat your children right, and if you don't want to do so, DON'T HAVE CHILDREN!!! (Matthew 7:11, Matt. 23:37, Mark 10:13-16, Colossians 3:21, 1 Thessalonians 2:7). Hope to hear from you or to see you at the services. Jesus Christ existed before the creation of the world, and He assisted in its design (Colossians 1:14-19, John 17:5). Jesus Christ died for the sins of every man on earth because He was the only one qualifed to do so (1 Corinthian 15:3-4, 1 Peter 1:18-25. Hebrews 9:11-28). Jesus will come in judgment upon this earth, and every man will stand and be judged by Him.
Jesus Christ built one church, and He will save ONLY that church from damnation (Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 5:23, John 10:9,16). Man made churches are no good because they only lead men to hell. Matt. 7:15-23, 1 Peter 2:1, Matt. 15:13, Proverbs 16:25). If men don't believe in Jesus Christ, they won't be saved from the wrath of God (Acts 4:12, John 3:36, John 4:42, John 14:6, 1 John 4:15, 1 John 5:10-12, Heb. 5:9). Jesus Christ gave the word of God unto men, and He allows the choice to either receive or reject it (Matt. 7:34, Matt. 10:32, Romans 10:13-14, John 3:11-21). In the word of Christ, you willr ead no statement tell Christians to "kill the unbelievers!" Jesus is not evil, and he won't kill a person or put him in jail because he chose not to become a Christian. Jesus permits believers and unbelievers to live together (Matt. 5:45, Matt. 13:24-30). Hope to hear from you or to see you at the services. |