Month: May 2025

“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 Lord Turned and Looked at Peter” (Kyle Pope)

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“The Lord Turned and Looked at Peter”

Kyle Pope

On the night before Jesus’ death, after the disciples had run away in fear from the detachment of soldiers that had seized Jesus in the garden, Matthew tells us that Peter “followed Him at a distance” going into the high priest’s courtyard, where he “sat with the servants to see the end” (Matt. 26:58, NKJV). Only hours before Peter had confidently announced, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble” (Matt. 26:33), going so far as to boast, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Matt. 26:35). I have no doubt that Peter meant what he said. He loved the Lord, and had every intention of serving him to the death, but it is never wise to boast about the future or about our own strength. We never know what conditions the Lord may call upon us to endure.

Just a short time after Peter made his boast, he was more than willing to take up arms when the soldiers first came to seize Jesus. John tells us, “Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear” (John 18:10). To cut off someone’s ear some have speculated that it must have been that Peter aimed for the head, and only struck the ear because the man drew back, causing Peter’s sword to graze the side of his head. Clearly, Peter was ready for war! But Jesus had something else in mind. He told Peter to put his sword back in its sheath (John 18:11) then he touched the man’s ear and healed him (Luke 22:51). Peter knew how to fight, but how was he to respond to this? His commitment to follow Jesus even to death had not anticipated a call to willingly submit to the enemy! This was more than Peter could bear. Mark records, “Then they all forsook Him and fled” (Mark 14:50). It is interesting that Mark alone records these words. Papias, the second century bishop of Hierapolis, claimed that Mark was “the interpreter of Peter” and “whatsoever he recorded he wrote with great accuracy” since “he was in company with Peter who gave him such instruction as was necessary” (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 3.39.15-16). Is it possible that the Holy Spirit, through Mark, records Peter’s own recollection—“all forsook Him and fled”—Peter included?

In the High Priest’s courtyard, Luke tells us “they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together” (Luke 22:55). Peter is there with them, but having chosen to forsake Jesus, he is in the wrong place at the wrong time! The first to notice him is a young woman. She says, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee” (Matt. 26:69), but Peter denies it (Matt. 26:70). Peter’s decline into denial did not begin with an overt rejection of Jesus and his teachings. He wasn’t in the courtyard giving himself over to sin and indulgence, he simply refused to identify himself with the Lord and his people. To deny Jesus we don’t have to start out as infidels—we just have to be afraid to let others know we are Christians.

The woman’s question makes Peter nervous. So, as Matthew tells us, he moved “out to the gateway” (NKJV) or “porch” (KJV), when a girl says to him once again, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth” (Matt. 26:71). Matthew alone records Peter’s next step as denial “with an oath” saying “I do not know the Man!” (Matt 26:72). Peter had heard Jesus teach in the Sermon on the Mount “do not swear at all” (5:34). Now he not only denies his relationship to Jesus, but moves to violate his teaching! Chris Reeves writes, “Notice that Peter refers to Jesus as ‘the man.’ He wouldn’t even say his name! Clearly Peter wanted to disassociate himself from Jesus” (“When the Cock Crows” 9). This wasn’t a detachment of soldiers—it was a young girl! Augustine put it well, “Behold, the strongest column has trembled to its foundations at a single breath of air!” (Lectures on the Gospel of John, Tractate 113). After we have distanced ourselves from the Lord it becomes much easier to give in to sin.

After, what Luke tells us was about an hour (Luke 22:59), the two previous charges appear to have sunk in with the rest of those gathered in the courtyard. Matthew tells us, “those who stood by” (NKJV) or “the bystanders” (NASB) challenge him one final time, saying, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you” (Matt 26:73). Something about Peter’s accent or speech patterns made it clear, “he is a Galilean” (Luke 22:59), just like Jesus.

While all of this was going on, Jesus too was being questioned—not by the servants, but by the High Priest himself. At least part of this was within sight of the courtyard, allowing Peter to see what was happening to Jesus, and Jesus to see what was happening to Peter (cf. Luke 22:61). Gerhardsson has observed the interesting correlation between what happened during Jesus’ questioning at the very same time Peter was denying him. Jesus remained silent when accused by false witnesses (26:59-60a), even in the face of specific false accusations (26:60b-63a). Only when charged under oath to confess his identity, did Jesus break his silence and confess his true identity (26:63b-64). As Jesus endured this disgrace, Peter will deny him once (26:69b-70), then a second time under oath (26:71-72). Then, in the face of continued pressure (while Jesus confessed his true identity), Peter denied him yet again as he began “to curse and swear” (26:73-74).

While Scripture condemns fifthly language, which we might call cursing (Eph. 4:29), that is not what Peter was doing. From a Biblical standpoint to curse is to call condemnation or ill will upon another (cf. Deut. 28:15-68). The word translated “to curse” is katanathematizein meaning literally “to anathematize.” Although it is possible that Peter was calling condemnation on himself as a way to try and convince his accusers that he was not one of Jesus’ disciples, some scholars think something else was involved here. In the Second Century, Justin Martyr records that during Jewish revolt that was led by Bar Kochba, he forced Christians not only to deny Jesus, but actually to blaspheme, apparently by cursing Jesus (First Apology 31). Merkel asks, “Did Peter under renewed pressure in spite of his repeated protestations, resort to what would probably count in the eyes of his Jewish opponents as the strongest way of dissociating himself, that is, cursing Jesus?” (69).

When Peter did this, “a rooster crowed” (Matt. 26:74), or as Mark indicates “a second time the rooster crowed” (Mark 14:68, 72). This was probably an allusion to the Roman method of measuring the watches of the night. When more than one “cock-crowing” was referred to, the first signaled the end of the third watch, about 3:00 AM (cf. Mark 13:35). When two were referenced, it was what the Romans called secundum gallicinium /“the second cock-crowing,” around sunrise (cf. Ammianus Marcellinus, Rerum Gestarum 22.14.4). Just as Jesus had foretold, Peter denied him in the exact manner he had foreseen, and at the exact time he had foreseen (Matt. 26:34; Mark 14:30).

The fact that Jesus and Peter were within sight of each other is quite significant. When the rooster crowed after Peter’s last denial, Luke adds the striking words, “and the Lord turned and looked at Peter” (Luke 22:61). Peter had seen Jesus’ look of compassion for the helpless and hungry multitudes (9:36; Mark 8:2). He has seen his look of rebuke when Peter said he would not die (Mark 8:33), and his look of deliverance and salvation when he began to sink into the raging waves (14:31). Yet, now what a look of piercing disappointment, and shame must have shot through the darkness of the courtyard, as Peter would realize in disgrace, and horror that Jesus had not only foreseen his treachery, but knew the very moment when it was realized! The last words that Matthew tells us about Peter in his gospel are that “he went out and wept bitterly” (Matt. 26:75).

We know that after the resurrection, John records Jesus’ three-part charge to Peter to feed (or tend) his flock—believed to demonstrate Jesus’ renewed acceptance of Peter, mirroring Peter’s three-part denial (John 21:15-19). We know that, after his repentance, and restoration back to Jesus, in only a few days, Peter would stand before the same men who questioned Jesus while he fearfully watched from the courtyard and courageously confess his faith in the Lord (Acts 4:5-12). This is certainly a lesson about forgiveness and repentance. But Peter’s decline into denial is also a lesson about commitment. Service to the Lord will demand things of us we do not now expect—will we have the courage to bear them? Identification with Jesus won’t always be easy, but even the worst hardship we must bear in service to the Lord, is nothing compared to the shame and horror we could feel one day if in the Judgment the Lord must turn and look at us when we have lived a life that denied Him!

Works Cited

Gerhardsson, Birger. “Confession and Denial Before Men: Observations on Matt. 26:57-27:2.” Journal for the Study of the New Testament 13.4 (1981) 46-66.
Merkel, Helmut. “Peter’s Curse.” The Trial of Jesus: Cambridge Studies in Honour of C. F. D. Moule. Ed. Ernst Bammel. London: SCM Press Ltd., 1970.
Reeves, Chris, “When the Cock Crows.” Truth Magazine 44.1 (Jan. 2000) 9-10. 

— Via Faithful Sayings, Volume 20, Issue 17, November 25,2018  

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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 Classes and 10 a.m. Worship Service
Wednesday (all but the first): 7 p.m. Bible Classes 
 First Wednesday of the month: 7 p.m. Congregational Song Service (about 45 minutes of singing, followed by a short talk)

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.)

“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) Honor Your Mother (Doy Moyer)
2) Have a Heart…A Merry One (Bryan Gibson)
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Honor Your Mother

Doy Moyer

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12). It is appropriate to think about the roles of father and mother as those who have had the most impact in our lives. While we often focus on the men who were integral to the plan of God revealed in the word, we should equally remember the great influence of women. From Eve to Mary or from Ruth to Eunice, women’s roles in shaping both the world around us and the salvation in Christ are beyond measure.

Paul’s reminder to Timothy highlights the importance of this on a personal level: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well” (2 Tim 1:5). This made it so that “from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim 3:15). Never underestimate the value and significance of what mothers (and grandmothers) do.

Let’s think briefly about mothers in the book of Proverbs. First, note that both folly and wisdom are personified as women (see chapters 7-9). While the warning against following lady folly is critical, just as important is the exhortation to listen to lady wisdom. Read Proverbs 7:1-5 and note the need to treasure wisdom as a sister and friend. It is within this context of listening to wisdom that hearers are told to listen to mothers. A mother’s teaching is not to be forsaken (1:8). It is the foolish son who is a sorrow to and despises his mother (10:1; 15:20). One who chases away his mother brings shame and reproach (19:26), and the one who curses father and mother has his lamp put out (likely a reference to a shortened life — see Exodus 20:12; Eph 6:1-3). Mothers are not to be despised (23:22), but should rather be able to rejoice in her children (23:25). Godly mothers and wisdom go hand in hand.

We should also appreciate that it is a mother giving instructions to her son in Proverbs 31: “The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him” (v. 1). Note, too, that her son was a king. Yet he still needed to listen to his mother. She taught her son not to give his strength to women or wine. He was told to open his mouth for the mute and judge righteously, defending the rights of the poor and needy (Prov 31:1-9). Also in this context is the great passage that brings Proverbs to a close: an acrostic about the woman of virtue (Prov 31:10-31). What was personified as lady wisdom earlier in the book is now brought to life in a worthy woman who blesses her home and others as she fears the Lord. This is all part of a mother’s instructions to her son (yes, the passage on the virtuous woman was taught to a young man!).

The point to take away is that there is a connection in Scripture between a righteous mother and the wisdom that emanates from God. Children who listen to their mothers (and godly fathers) are going to be blessed. They honor and obey their parents. They bring to fruition the wise, godly attitudes, and counsel that their parents sought to instill within them. Parents are not to be despised or forsaken as they age. Rather, they are to be cherished, loved, and given due credit for their part in raising children that ought to bring blessings to the world.

There are reasons why we know something of the mother of Jesus. She was especially chosen as the mother of the Lord as He entered this world. When Elizabeth greeted Mary (both of whom were with child), she said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (Luke 1:42-45). Mary believed and was blessed, and she had the privilege of being “the mother of my Lord.” She raised Him as God desired. She suffered when Jesus suffered; she was pierced through when He was pierced. She stayed close to Him all the way through.

Let us, then, honor our mothers who rejoiced with us, cried with us, suffered with us, and will love us to the end. A godly mother is one of the greatest blessings given by God. Listen to her wisdom and counsel. Know that she longs to protect us from harm and will love us always. We ought to be deeply grateful. And remember, though we may lose an earthly mother, we have many more in the Lord by whom we are richly blessed (see Mark 10:28-30).

— Via Bulletin Articles from the Vestavia church of Christ, May 11, 2025

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Have a Heart…A Merry One

Bryan Gibson

“A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken…all the days of the afflicted are evil, but he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast…a merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones” (Proverbs 15:13, 15; 17:22). There’s no debating, then, the value of a merry heart.

That’s not to say that sadness is all bad, or that one should (or could) avoid it altogether. “Even in laughter the heart may be in pain, and the end of joy may be grief” (Proverbs 14:13). Albert Barnes, in commenting on this passage says, “Sorrow of some kind either mingles itself with outward joy, or follows hard upon it.” So it’s unavoidable, and it can also be quite helpful, even spiritually. “Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better” (Ecclesiastes 7:3).

To remain, though, in the depths of sorrow and discouragement can be hazardous to our souls, and the souls of others. Here are just a few reasons: 1) It’s hard to stay busy doing good when we’re discouraged—it “dries the bones” or saps our strength. 2) We’re more vulnerable to false teachers, because they like to prey on the miserable. 3) We’re also more vulnerable to the lusts of the flesh, looking for that “quick fix.” 4) We’re much more likely to cause strife among brethren, because in this state we tend to see everything in a negative light. 5) Our influence will be greatly diminished—no one likes to hang out with a joyless person, and they sure don’t see us as someone to imitate. 6) For the same reasons, we may even turn some away from the truth.

So how do we maintain a merry heart, even in the midst of sorrow? Proverbs not only commends the merry heart, it also tells us how to keep it.

Find JOY in the truth, in the ways of the Lord—not in what “seems right” (14:12), but in what IS right. The satisfaction this brings to our souls just can’t be replaced. “The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied from above” (Proverbs 14:14). “The path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18). “He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he” (Proverbs 16:20).

ENJOY the fruits of our labors—in the physical realm (“he who tills his land will be satisfied with bread”—Proverbs 12:11), but especially the spiritual realm. “A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul” (Proverbs 13:19), especially when that desire is to win souls (Proverbs 11:30).

Develop gratitude and contentment. “A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, but to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet” (27:7). We’re not entitled to anything, so let’s learn to be thankful for every “sweet” blessing—from the least to the greatest. “The leech has two daughters—Give and Give! There are three things that are never satisfied, four never say, ‘Enough!’ The grave, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water—and the fire never says, ‘Enough!’” (Proverbs 30:15-16). Gratitude and contentment—we’ll never be merry without them, and what’s worse, we’ll lose our souls.

Don’t drink the poison of envy, which in some cases may be the source of our unhappiness. “A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones” (Proverbs 14:39). “Rejoice with those who rejoice” (Romans 12:15)—that’s the antidote to this crippling sin of envy, and one more key to a merry heart.

REJOICE in the hope of eternal life. “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day; for surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off” (Proverbs 23:17-18). Can’t escape sorrow here, but we can there, and that prospect will surely sustain us through whatever difficulties we face in this life.

Hard to find more fitting words with which to close: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

— Via Plain Words from God’s Word, April 10, 2025

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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 Classes and 10 a.m. Worship Service
Wednesday (all but the first): 7 p.m. Bible Classes 
 First Wednesday of the month: 7 p.m. Congregational Song Service (about 45 minutes of singing, followed by a short talk)

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.)

“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) Celebrating Freedom (Kyle Pope)

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Celebrating Freedom

Kyle Pope

This past week our nation celebrated its annual memorial to our nation’s independence. For many, it is a day of cookouts and time off work. It’s a day of fireworks and fun with family. For those who served in the military, it’s a day to remember their sacrifice and friends who gave the ultimate sacrifice. At the heart of it all, this day is about freedom—the freedom we enjoy and remembering the price paid to purchase it. Let’s consider some things about what it means to celebrate freedom.

What Freedom Does Not Mean 

In today’s world, many imagine that freedom means anyone can do anything he or she might desire without limits or consequences. That is foolishness! When man has attempted this throughout history the result is lawless chaos that ultimately compromises the freedom of those who live under such conditions. Think about it, if my desire is to steal your property, your freedom to use and enjoy it is necessarily restricted. If your desire is to kill me, my freedom to live without fear is compromised. Speaking of the wickedness of Israel in the time of Hosea, the Lord explained that when, “there is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land,” the result will be, “swearing and lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery,” as “they break all restraint, with bloodshed upon bloodshed” (Hos. 4:1b-2). When this happens, it doesn’t result in freedom and happiness. Instead, “the land will mourn; and everyone who dwells there will waste away” (Hos. 4:3a). Law restricts some behavior in order to allow the free exercise of other behavior. Properly, all human law only derives its validity, force, and authority from God’s law. The Holy Spirit explains, “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but happy is he who keeps the law” (Prov. 29:18). Thankfully, in this country we still enjoy the exercise of civil authority that restricts the sinful behavior of those who would rob us of our freedom to serve God. May it always be this way! Paul taught Christians to pray for our leaders, “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Tim. 2:2b).

Liberty in Christ

The gospel of Christ is a proclamation of freedom purchased by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (1 Pet. 1:17-19). James called it “the law of liberty” (Jas. 1:25; 2:12). This is a surprise to many. Our world rejects life in Christ because they see it as restrictive, but in reality it offers true liberty. This is true in many ways.

1. The Gospel Brought Freedom from Mosaic Law. The Law of Moses was intended as a “tutor” to bring the Jews under it to Christ (Gal. 3:24), but Peter explained that it was also a “yoke” which, “neither our fathers nor we were able to bear” (Acts 15:10). He was not saying it was impossible to keep. God told the Israelites they could “do it” (Deut. 30:14). The problem was that while it brought the “knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20), it offered no ultimate way to overcome sin. As a result, it was a “law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2). Sin demanded the death of a sacrifice and resulted in spiritual death for the one who committed it.

Jesus offered the ultimate sacrifice for sin “once for all” (Heb. 10:10). The gospel of Christ liberated the Jew from this cycle of sin and death. Paul declared, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2). When false teachers came into Galatia teaching Christians to return to Mosaic Law, Paul taught them, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1). Christ offered liberation from the restrictions of Mosaic Law, but also from the problem of sin that resulted from law with no ultimate sacrifice. While modern man has never been under Mosaic Law, all are “under law toward Christ” (1 Cor. 9:21). This problem of sin with no sacrifice granting ultimate forgiveness is faced by all who live outside of Christ. Only in Christ can freedom from sin be found.

2. The Gospel Brings Freedom from Sin. We imagine that if we could only do whatever we want we would be truly free, but Jesus explained, “whoever commits sin is a slave of sin” (John 8:34b). True freedom doesn’t rest in unrestrained behavior, but in service to Christ. Jesus went on to say, “if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). Sin is the violation of God’s law (1 John 3:4), the failure to do good as revealed in God’s law (Jas. 4:17), or acting with doubt (Rom. 14:23). The consequence of sin is spiritual death, which is separation from fellowship with God (Rom. 6:23; Isa. 59:1-2). To die in sin is to remain eternally separated from God in eternal punishment (2 Thess. 1:9-10).

Only Christ offers deliverance from sin through obedience to the gospel. Paul told the Romans, “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin” (Rom. 6:5-7). In baptism one is “united together” with Christ “in the likeness of His death.” We die to our old sins that we might be “freed from sin.” Yet, this freedom brings responsibility. Paul continued, “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness” (Rom. 6:18-20). To enjoy freedom as a citizen of the United States carries responsibilities. We must obey its laws, honor its leaders, and pay taxes to support it. So it is in Christ. Yes, we must obey the Law of Christ, but all that it demands of us (as with all Divine Law), is “for our good always” (Deut. 6:24). The Christian has, “been set free from sin,” we “become slaves of God,” and “have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life” (Rom. 6:22). This leads us to recognize another liberty that comes in Christ…

3. The Gospel Brings Freedom from Death. When man first sinned, it separated him from fellowship with God—spiritual death (Gen. 2:17). All who have followed this example have suffered the same consequence (Rom. 5:12). Yet, in addition to this, a consequence of Adam’s sin has been a life deprived of access to the tree of life in a world of pain, disease, decay, and ultimately physical death (Gen. 3:16-24). The resurrection of Christ paved the way for those saved in Christ one day to attain liberation from pain, decay, and death itself. Paul wrote, “if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Rom. 8:11). Can you imagine a life free of pain, illness, and the loss of loved ones? Paul taught, “the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Rom. 8:21). Those outside of Christ will also experience a resurrection on the Day of Judgment, but it will be a “resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:29). This will not be liberation from corruption, but an eternal sentence to the “bondage of corruption.” Only Christ offers liberty from death.

Freedom Must Not Be Abused

We noticed at the beginning of our study that unrestricted freedom of behavior ultimately results in robbing others of freedom. If one does not yield his will in obedience to the “law of liberty” found in Christ, he actually forfeits his own freedoms in the process. Peter warned of false teachers who advocated a licentious lifestyle. He wrote, “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage” (2 Pet. 2:19).

Just as the freedom afforded by civil law must never be taken to the point that one’s liberty leads to the restriction of the freedom of others, so it is with the liberty that is in Christ. Simply because I am freed from the cycle of sin and death in Christ, doesn’t mean that I can act as if I can sin with impunity. Peter warned, “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God” (1 Pet. 2:15-16). Paul warned the Christians in Galatia, who had been troubled by the false teaching that urged a return to Mosaic Law, “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Gal. 5:13). This is part of the problem with the modern false doctrine of once-saved-always-saved. It leads people to imagine that freedom from sin grants one the freedom to sin. Thanks be to God that in Christ we can be liberated from bondage to sin and death, but let us always see in this liberty the merciful opportunity to serve God in accordance with His will, recognizing, “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor. 3:17b).

— Via Focus Online, July 11, 2019

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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 Classes and 10 a.m. Worship Service
Wednesday (all but the first): 7 p.m. Bible Classes 
 First Wednesday of the month: 7 p.m. Congregational Song Service (about 45 minutes of singing, followed by a short talk)

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.)

“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 Hinnom Valley and Jesus’ Teaching on Final Punishment (Kyle Pope)
2) No Room for Jesus (Heath Rogers)

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The Hinnom Valley and Jesus’ Teaching on Final Punishment

Kyle Pope

To the south of the ancient city of Jerusalem a valley curved to the west that was first identified in Scripture as “the valley of the Son of Hinnom” (Josh. 15:8; 18:16). It is first mentioned as a landmark setting the boundaries of the territories of Judah and Benjamin. As time went on this valley would be associated with some of the most horrible acts of wickedness and serve as a figure and a name for eternal punishment itself.

Child Sacrifice in Topheth

In the days of kings of Judah the Hinnom Valley was the site of pagan idolatry where children were burned in sacrifice to idols (2 Chron. 28:3; 33:6; Jer. 32:35). During the reign of Josiah he put this practice to an end when “he defiled Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire to Molech” (2 Kings 23:10, NKJV). Part of this defilement probably involved spreading the burned bones of pagan priests there (2 Chron. 34:1-7). From this point on the Hinnom Valley became an unclean place which Jeremiah 31:40 calls “the valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes.” The name Topheth (or Tophet) was frequently associated with the valley (Jer. 7:31-32; 19:6, 11-14). This name signified either a place of pagan worship that was in the valley (Jer. 7:31), or an alternative name for the valley itself (Jer. 19:6). The Hebrew word Topheth means “place of burning” (Brown, Drivers, and Briggs’ Lexicon of the Hebrew Old Testament). This association with uncleanness and burning eventually led to a connection between this place of sin and God’s final punishment. Isaiah declared, “For Tophet was established of old, yes, for the king it is prepared. He has made it deep and large; its pyre is fire with much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, kindles it” (Isa. 30:33). Jeremiah uses a similar sense in prophesying the time when God’s punishment would lead it to be called the “Valley of Slaughter” (Jer. 7:32; 19:6).

“The Gehenna of Fire”

From the Old to the New Testament the Hinnom Valley came to stand even more as a figure of final punishment in unquenchable fire. When Jesus spoke of eternal punishment, He used the term gehenna as the name of this place (Matt. 5:22, 29-30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; Luke 12:5). Gehenna is the Greek transliteration of the name for the Hinnom Valley. The prefix ge- means “valley” and henna means “of Hinnom.”  The New Testament teaches this as a place that one will be “cast into” (Matt. 5:29-30; 18:9; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; Luke 12:5). There both body and soul will be destroyed (Matt. 10:28) not in the sense of annihilation but destruction of any desirable state (cf. Matt. 9:17; Mark 2:22). It is literally “the gehenna of fire” (Matt. 5:22; 18:9; Mark 9:47), a place of “unquenchable fire” (Mark 9:43, 45). The wicked are “sons of gehenna” (Matt. 23:15) who will receive the “condemnation of gehenna” (Matt. 23:33). James, in speaking of the danger of the tongue described it as “set on fire by hell (gehenna)” (James 3:6).

The Name and the Valley

The name gehenna is not only a reference to the place of final punishment but a figure drawn from the valley outside the gates of Jerusalem. In modern times the Hinnom Valley holds the ruins of ancient tombs and some of it is filled with run-down older homes. It is clear that in New Testament times this was a place of fire, ashes, uncleanness, and (at times) dead bodies. It sat outside the gate known as “the dung gate” (Neh. 3:13-14; 12:31). The Old City gate fortified by Suleiman in 1538 that stands near the same location still bears this name. Commentators have probably gone too far in painting a picture of the valley as a virtual burning “landfill.”  While that picture cannot be documented, it is clear that this was a place of fire and refuse.

The Jewish teachers that wrote after the New Testament spoke of gehenna in much the same way that is seen in the New Testament. They used it for the name of the place of final punishment, but also for the valley outside of Jerusalem itself. While rabbinical writers held some fanciful beliefs about gehenna, they claimed that (even in their time) there were two palm trees in the Hinnom Valley and that smoke continually rose up from between them (Erubim 19a). Archaeologists Ronny Reich and Eli Shukron have discovered (and documented from other excavations) in the area outside of the first century walls a layer of debris from 6-10 meters thick in the area where the Kidron and the Hinnom come together (“The Jerusalem City-Dump in the Late Second Temple Period” ZDPV 119 (2003) 12-18). The association between an actual place and the state of eternal punishment in fire only makes sense if the two bore some similarities. In our time, if we compared something to Death Valley (located in eastern California) we would hardly understand this as a figure of paradise. Jesus’ use of this valley as a reference to final punishment offers a clear inference confirming that in His own day the Hinnom Valley was a place of filth and fire. This is what allowed it in the first century and beyond to serve as a suitable figure of eternal punishment in fire.

— via Faithful Sayings, Volume 25, Issue 50 (December 10, 2023)

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No Room for Jesus

Heath Rogers

Jesus was born in a stable, wrapped in strips of cloth, and laid in a feeding trough, not because Joseph and Mary were poor, but “because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7). Bethlehem was being overrun by Jews traveling to register for a census (vs. 1-3). Jesus being born in a place that had “no room” for Him would become an unfortunate characteristic of His life.

Hometown of Nazareth (Luke 4:16-30). The Lord was raised in Nazareth. The people there knew Him and His family well, which became a stumbling block to their faith (v. 22). They were impressed with the “gracious words” of His teaching, but were greatly offended by His application – “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country” (v. 24). They were filled with wrath, thrust Him out of the city, and led Him to a cliff where they intended to throw Him to His death. They had “no room” for Jesus.

The Gentiles of the Gadarenes (Luke 8:26-37). Jesus and His disciples sailed across the Sea of Galilee to the region of the Gadarenes. They encountered a severely demon possessed man. The people of that area had tried to help and restrain this man numerous times, but the demons were too powerful. With a word, Jesus cast the legion of demons out him. Afterward, the people of that region came and “found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid” (v. 35). Instead of rejoicing over the great power and mercy of God, the whole multitude asked Jesus to depart from them (v. 37). They had “no room” for Jesus.

The Samaritans (Luke 9:51-56). The Jews and Samaritans were extremely prejudiced towards one another (John 4:9). The Samaritans in this village didn’t consider Jesus as an individual. They saw Him as a member of a despised race. Because of this, they had “no room” for Jesus and refused to let Him pass through their village.

The Rich Young Ruler (Luke 18:18-23). This young man was sincere in his desire to inherit eternal life. When Jesus told him what he had to do (sell all he had, distribute it to the poor, and follow Him), he became very sorrowful because he was very rich (vs. 22-23). The Lord’s response was unacceptable to him. He walked away because he had “no room” for Jesus.

The Nation of Israel (Luke 23:13-25). Pilate knew Jesus was innocent. He tried three times to release Jesus, but the Jewish leaders “were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified” (v. 23). Jesus did not conform to their preconceived ideas of the Messiah. Instead, He exposed their sins and drew the multitudes to Himself. They had “no room” for Jesus.

Many people today have no room for Jesus. Like the people of Nazareth, they are offended at His teachings. Some are afraid of the changes Jesus will make in their lives while others are prejudiced against Jesus because of preconceived ideas. Some walk away from eternal life because Jesus demands a price they will not pay.

There was “no room” for Jesus in Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem, the Gadarenes, Samaria, or the heart of the young ruler. However, room was found for Jesus between two thieves (Luke 23:33). Will Jesus find room in your heart? He is knocking at the door (Rev. 3:20).

— Via Articles from the Knollwood church of Christ, March 2025

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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).

——————–

Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA  31501

Sunday: 9 a.m. Bible Classes and 10 a.m. Worship Service
Wednesday (all but the first): 7 p.m. Bible Classes 
 First Wednesday of the month: 7 p.m. Congregational Song Service (about 45 minutes of singing, followed by a short talk)

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.)