Author: Smith, Jeff

There is safety and popular acceptance in the camp of sin, but courage and faith require us to go out to Jesus and stand by his side no matter what. Are you ready for that?

Young ladies, adorn yourselves with godliness. Young man, put on the armor of light and walk properly, making no provision for the flesh (Romans 13:11-14). Your attire can incite lust just as easily as hers, so keep your shirt on in public and dress to befit godliness as well.

The appearance of the temporarily glorified Jesus foreshadowed the day of Pentecost when the permanently glorified master would be sitting upon David’s throne with all authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18-20), the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15). His future resurrection body was on display that day, the figure he would take on forever when he shed his earthly tabernacle after death.

It may not look like it, but your preacher is probably sowing the gospel seed through his modem in ways you cannot imagine. Don’t assume that he is wasting his time and your money when you find him with a keyboard and a Bible instead of knocking on doors. He may be answering one of hundreds of Internet queries that he will receive this year.

Why must the will of God be made subject to the popular approval of the church? Should not her opinions on worship be subject to the object? Or does she intend to offer God strange fire, in the doomed fashion of Nadab and Abihu, which he did not command?

The New Testament makes it clear that one is neither condemned nor saved by virtue of his diet. Still, if one garners spiritual benefit from fasting, he should not be discouraged in the exercise. His fasting should not become a public venture or means of self-exultation, however. This occurs far too often among those proud of their self-sacrificial custom.

They are ridiculously called “sensitives”: people who claim to have the ability to communicate with the dead, for a fee, of course. If your phone bills are high, imagine the overhead of running a business that connects with those beyond the grave. That must surely be long distance and then some.

Although translated “sorcery” or “witchcraft,” this work of the flesh involves not only occultism, but also the use of mind-altering drugs. The Christian should avoid both sides of this pernicious coin.

Romans 14 is the vehicle of syncretism in our day. Based on a poor study of this chapter, many preachers are teaching that anything done in good conscience is not to be rejected. I have read sermons and quotes from men advocating the tolerance of every one of the unfruitful works of darkness, and instead of mourning, they are puffed up over their tolerance and their “big tent” approach to evangelism. “Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1 Corinthians 5:6)?

The Catholic church has given the world a fundamental misunderstanding about sainthood and set it aside as a clerical award earned by works. The Bible makes no distinction between sainthood and simple discipleship. You can become a saint in life, but not in death.

Not abiding in Christ’s doctrine is going beyond it: going beyond what is revealed to that which is not and asserting that one can take advantage of God’s silence to authorize anything not specifically condemned. The principle is clear: going beyond what we can read is sinful; God’s silence is golden and must be revered and not broken.

Some ask, “Should I feel the indwelling of the Spirit?”. The question reflects a Calvinistic influence that salvation is better felt than told. Indeed you should feel that you are right with God, but you should not think that you are right with God just because you feel good. You should allow the Spirit to swing his sword into your heart and then examine your own deeds to see if they are fruits of the Spirit or works of the flesh (Gal. 5:16-26). When you are full of faith and doing right, you can trust, know and feel that the Spirit is in you. He dwells there, not literally, but in the figure of the influence of his word.

If you are without Christ, a defenseless pawn in Satan’s game, it is a wretched existence that leads only to a worse eternity. The seventh chapter of Romans closes with a hint that deliverance from this wretched existence is possible and in this lifetime, through the Redeemer.

Conjuring up the confidence to confess Christ before men prior to baptism is an important step unto salvation, but confession does not cease there. Instead, it becomes a daily obligation and blessing, the way in which the rest of the Christian’s life is defined and dedicated to God.

Understanding Bible love will enable us to be rooted and grounded in the love of Christ which passes all knowledge (Ephesians 3:17-19), so that all things may work together for good in us (Romans 8:28). Because genuine love is rooted in a devotion to God, obedience to his will should be the ambition of every saint; tolerance of error must be anathema. True love intervenes when the devil assaults a brother or sister in Christ and when heresy is proposed.

As the twentieth century slips into the shadows of history, the church of Jesus Christ is challenged to be more than the artificial churches around her. Rather than reflect a dumbed-down theology, she must restore her attention to the finer and deeper details of God’s blessed word. Christians must demand the whole counsel of God be preached and evangelists must refuse to provide anything less even when threatened with unpopularity or unemployment (Acts 20:27, 2 Tim. 4:1-5).

The Holy Spirit drew a line in the sand around Romans 14 by confining its application of tolerance to matters of authorized liberty. The call today is to push that line out into the realm of matters of the faith. The proponents of this interpretation are claiming to be very reasonable and restrained, promising that this tolerance of doctrinal diversity will never go so far as to cover matters like denominationalism, baptism and instrumental music. Surely they cannot envision such a thing, but should their children and grandchildren ever insert consistency into their arguments, all such matters will have to be placed into the reconstructed Romans 14. If this doctrine fits, why doesn t this one, Daddy? If your issue fits, why doesn t mine, Grandpa?

No doubt the reader can think of many other duties that belong to deacons. So long as they fit the qualifications of the office and the nature of serving Christ’s church, they should prove scripturally sound. Let deacons resist the temptation to take more upon them than is right or to operate outside the oversight of the bishops. Then they will truly obtain a good standing in the kingdom.

No one can earn his salvation for only sinless perfection would merit such a reward. The very first sin one commits makes it forever absolutely impossible for him to earn his salvation. A hundred good works cannot alone wash away a single sin. The grace of God, however, appears to all men as an offer of mercy washed in the blood of His own dear Son. Attention to the commands of the New Testament does not earn one his salvation but brings him into contact with the free gift he could never merit on his own (Romans 6:23).

Impure doctrine—speaking smooth things to satisfy an ungodly yearning for guilt assuagement rather than true redemption—both hinders the spread of the glad tidings of Christ and leads to a severance of fellowship with God and brethren. Tolerating impure doctrine is a deal with the devil, a willingness to exchange everlasting peace with God for a temporary peace on Earth among men. Woe unto both those who propagate and those who tolerate the cancer of impure doctrine.