“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” (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB).
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Contents:
1) The New Man’s Anger (Heath Rogers)
2) “The Glory Due To His Name” (R.J. Evans)
3) “Just As I Am” (Frank Himmel)
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The New Man’s Anger
Heath Rogers
“‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil” (Eph. 4:26-27).
As Paul describes putting off the old man of sin and putting on the new man, we might expect him to deliver a complete prohibition against anger. This emotion produces words and actions that cause pain and destruction. To our surprise, Paul says we can “be angry.”
The new man “was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24). It is impossible for God to lie (v. 25), but He is very capable of displaying anger when things violate His righteousness and holiness. Jesus expressed anger and righteous indignation (Mark 3:5; John 2:14-16). Being made in God’s image (Gen. 1:26-27), we are capable of anger. God allows us to retain this natural emotion, but we are warned to control it.
Anger is dangerous because it is a very strong emotion. All strong emotions are doorways to sin. Cain was angry about God rejecting his offering. “Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it’” (Gen. 4:6-7, NASB). When we find our anger being aroused, a warning should go off in our head – we are getting dangerously close to sin! If we stay in this state very long, it will give the devil the opening he needs to lead us into performing his will. “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).
Our anger must be resolved quickly – “Do not let the sun go down on your wrath.” The setting of the sun marks the end of the day. Unresolved anger must never be left out overnight. It robs us of a peaceful night’s sleep. We spend hours demonizing the objects of our anger, making them sworn enemies deserving of our wrath. Given the opportunity, anger will turn inward and take root in our heart as bitterness, hatred, and resentment. This residual poison leads to malice and vengeance. None of this belongs in the new man.
We can either control our anger, or it will control us. Christ expects His followers to learn to control all their strong emotions. Anyone can become angry. However, learning to be angry at the right thing, for the right reason, at the right time, and in the right way requires serious spiritual growth and self-control. This is part of putting on the new man.
— via Articles from the Knollwood church of Christ, February 2026
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“The Glory Due To His Name”
R.J. Evans
I guess it must have been at least twenty-five years ago that I purchased two books on THE NAMES OF GOD. In reading through them, I discovered how much we can learn about God as He has revealed Himself by various names in Scripture. In the congregation where I preached and served as one of the elders, we had a younger brother who was an excellent Bible student and teacher. (He is now a gospel preacher for whom the church here at Southside provides financial support.) One day I handed him copies of the two books and suggested that he look them over. I told him I believed he should work up a series of lessons on the subject and teach the class. He agreed, and did an outstanding job, and it was a wonderful class (it actually became two parts—two quarters, with thirteen lessons each). Since that time, this brother has taught classes on this subject in various churches.
Again, THE NAMES OF GOD in their original language reveal so much. For example, to better understand God’s character and His loving, redemptive purposes for man, we have some of the following names in Scripture: God (Elohim); Lord (Jehovah); God Almighty (El Shaddai); Most High God (El Elyon); Lord (Adonai); Everlasting God (El Olam); Lord of Hosts (Jehovah Sabbaoth). As you can imagine, a deep search into the meaning and significance of each name is awesome.
In this article, we are not considering the names of God, per se. However, there are “names” in verses of the Bible that are so meaningful as to what or who God is to each of us. With this in mind, let us consider important words (or names, in one sense) that mean so much to all who are children of God. Think of it this way—God is our…
RESTORER. “The Lord your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you” (Deut. 30:3).
HOPE. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:13).
COMFORT. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3).
HELPER. “So that we may say: The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Heb. 13:6).
PROVIDER. “And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide [YHWH Jireh]; as it is said to this day ‘In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided’” (Gen. 22:14).
REFUGE. “The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble” (Psa. 9:9).
HIDING PLACE. “You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance” (Psa. 32:7).
PEACE. “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (Jn. 14:27).
STRENGTH. “The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices; And with song I will praise Him” (Psa. 28:7).
LOVE. “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 Jn. 4:8).
FORGIVER. “Who forgives all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases” (Psa. 103:3).
With this short list of verses of Scripture, we receive a better understanding and get a glimpse of the glory, love, majesty, and power of God. “Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (Psa. 29:2).
— Via bulletin article for the Southside church of Christ in Gonzales, Louisiana, August 27, 2019
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“Just As I Am”
Frank Himmel
The song Just As I Am is a commonly used invitation song. The idea in the song is that we cannot make ourselves right with God on our own; apart from Jesus’ blood we have no hope. That is precisely the New Testament picture (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; etc.).
I fear, however, that some folks have an erroneous idea about Jesus saving us “just as we are.” They seem to think that He saves us without any change in our conduct. That is opposite to the New Testament picture.
Jesus’ charge to the apostles was “that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations” (Luke 24:47). Forgiveness is extended to those willing to abandon sinful conduct, not to those who insist on continuing in it.
Paul wrote to the Corinthian Christians,“Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you…” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). He did not say such are some of you, but such were. They changed their conduct in connection with being washed, sanctified, and justified (v. 11).
“Just as I am,” if referring to our own helplessness, is a comforting sentiment. But to suggest it means salvation without repentance is to hold out false hope.
— Via The Beacon, August 4, 2024
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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 Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins. For every accountable person has sinned (Romans 3:23; Romans 3:10), which causes one to be spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). Therefore, repentance of sin is necessary (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30). For whether the sin seems great or small, there will still be the same penalty for either (Matt. 12:36-37; 2 Cor. 5:10) — and even for a lie (Rev. 21:8).
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; 1 Pet. 3:21). This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27). For from that baptism, one is then raised as a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), having all sins forgiven and beginning a new life as a Christian (Rom. 6:3-4). For the one being baptized does so “through faith in the working of God” (Col. 2:12). In other words, believing that God will keep His word and forgive after one submits to these necessary steps. And now as a Christian, we then need to…
6) Continue in the faith by living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Matt. 24:13; Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday: 9 a.m. Bible Class (except for the last Sunday of the month Song Service) and 10 a.m. Worship Service
Wednesday: 7 p.m. Bible Class
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
https://thomastedwards.com/go/all.htm (This is a link to the older version of the Gospel Observer website, but with bulletins going back to March 4, 1990.)