Building on the Foundation

  The Truth is not in style, but we who are Christians, God's called-out ones, have a great deal of responsibility to the Truth. God didn't call us so we could live cushy lives, safe away from all the danger and persecution. He didn't call us so that we could be raptured away and never have to suffer; no, He called us for a purpose.  What is this high purpose, this mission, that He has called us to? As I already said, we have a responsibility as God's children, which lies with the Truth. The Truth has gone out of style in modern years; in fact, it has never really been in style. The Truth makes people uncomfortable; it pricks their conscience and reveals that they have things that they need to change, things that they are doing wrong. The Truth makes waves and causes disruptions to the standard operations of society; it requires a change of practices and a rejection of lies. Even other Christians are made uncomfortable when someone speaks Truth that might make waves.  T...

  In our previous study of covenants , we discussed the blood covenant. We saw that Almighty God takes covenants very, very seriously — especially our covenant with Him. And we also saw that God deems covenant-breakers worthy of death! To that study could be added the following passage in Romans 1, where the apostle Paul listed many of the abominations of the heathen. Here are verses 29-32 in the KJV: 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 32 Without understanding, covenantbreakers , without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death , not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. “Covenantbreakers” is Strong’s # G802, asynthetos in Greek. It can be tra...

  A fun catchphrase going around the various churches goes something like this: "Are you saved, brother?” “I am saved!” The word “saved” gets thrown around with great abandon in the churches; in fact, it is taken straight out of the Bible. It seems like a very spiritual thing to say, and it certainly sounds like something that we should be. The problem is, saved from what? What are we, or have we been saved from? In your average church, it’s taken to mean that all you need to do is just believe, and you will be saved, no baptism, repentance, or anything else necessary. Well, saved from what? What is it that I even need saving from? The popular idea is the law of Moses—that oppressive, old-fashioned creation of a human that failed in its very purpose. There are a couple of problems with this line of thought that should be obvious straight away. First, the law wasn’t from Moses; it was from God. Second, since it was from God and everything created by Him was excellent and perfect, t...

  When is it okay to judge someone else’s actions as right or wrong? No one likes a judgemental person, but what if we are supposed to be making judgments? How else do we determine who is of God and who isn’t? These are all excellent questions, mostly because I only ask excellent questions, but is there an answer for them? That is another excellent question. At various times in my life, these questions have rattled around, with first, one answer coming out on top, then another. Today I would like to attempt a satisfactory answer to these questions using the best source for answers to all good questions, the Bible.  John 8:15-16 NKJV "You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.  16 "And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I [am] with the Father who sent Me.   It would appear Christ Himself did not judge in His time on earth. His time was not yet; He was here to offer a life preserver to a doomed humanity. He did pass judgment, though,...