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The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them
to observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19,20).
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May 11, 2014
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Contents:
1) Neither Protestant nor Catholic (Robert Hines)
2) News & Notes
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-1-
Neither Protestant nor Catholic
by Robert Hines
It's pretty easy to see that this congregation or church is not
Catholic. There is no Roman priest in charge of the parish or
nuns to serve, no Vatican connection or leader status for the Pope,
and no incense or infant baptisms in our worship and work.
Since it is obvious we are not Catholics most will say we must be
Protestants.
The assumption made is that Christians are either Catholic or
Protestant. If you are not one you must be the other.
But we are not Protestants either. We are not of the
Protestant Reformation that protested the excesses of the Catholic
Church and sought to reform it. Beyond Catholic tradition and
Protestant theology we are, simply, Christians.
We understand that this sounds strange in a religious world
complicated with so many denominations. If you ask a man today
what he is religiously he doesn't say "I am a Christian." He
says he is a Baptist or a Methodist or a Presbyterian or a
Pentecostal. In the New Testament, followers of Jesus were
content to be, simply, Christians (Acts 11:26).
Christ's people were described by God in several ways in the
Scripture, long before Catholics and Protestants existed. To
God they were His children (1 John 1:1-3). To Christ they were
His disciples (John 8: 31-32). To each other they were
brothers (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). And to the world they
were, simply, Christians (1 Peter 4:16).
We are not claiming to be the first denomination, the best
denomination, the most conservative denomination, the
non-denominational denomination, or a denomination at all! We
simply follow the New Testament to be Christians, in the unity
Christ called for (John 17:21) as an invitation to the world, there
for all to see.
-- Via The Beacon, April 2, 2013
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"But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I
trust in the lovingkindness of God for ever and ever. I will
give thee thanks for ever, because thou hast done it; And I will
hope in thy name, for it is good, in the presence of thy saints"
(Psalm 52:8,9).
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-2-
News & Notes
Steve Jackson (Jackson Moon's grandfather) is undergoing
tests for sleep apnea. Let those of us who are Christians be
praying that all will go well for him.
Let us also continue in prayer for the following:
Bob Tate (Ken Robertson's brother-in-law) has been in the
hospital undergoing tests to determine what has been causing his
poor health. Lately, he has not been feeling well, has lost
much weight, and has been experiencing various symptoms.
Steve Wolfgang's surgery on May 20 to prevent further
nerve damage to his back went well, though there has been the normal
need for pain medication.
Norma Burton, who is in her early 90s, continues to receive
physical therapy, due to having fallen several weeks ago and
breaking her hip, with the goal of helping her to be able to walk
again.
Richard Crews no longer needs to wear the brace, due to his
surgery for his rotator cuff, bicep, and ligaments; but will need to
continue with physical therapy for a few more weeks.
Let us also continue praying for the health of Virginia
Fontenot, Shirley Young, Cheryl Crews, Peggy Lefort and Terry
and Pam MacDonald.
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel, for that is how faith comes (Rom.
10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the deity of Christ (John 8:24; John
3:18).
3) Repent of sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts
8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins
(Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet.
3:21)
6) Continue in the faith; for, if not, salvation can
be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Park Forest
CHURCH OF CHRIST
9923 Sunny Cline Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70817
Sunday services: 9:00 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 6 PM (worship)
Tuesday: 7 PM (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/go
(Gospel Observer website)
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/audioser.html
(audio sermons)