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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n-1-<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Mike Johnson<\/p>\n\n\n\n In John 13:34-35, Jesus told His disciples, \u201cA new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In our society today, people are often distinguished by their dress. For example, clothing worn might indicate a person works in the medical field, law enforcement, or serves in the military. People are also distinguished from one another by such things as wealth, learning, and fame. Jesus makes it clear that the distinguishing characteristic of his disciples would not be these types of things but their love for one another. Loving each other might be called their \u201cbadge\u201d of discipleship. In the verses, Jesus taught in three ways that we must love one another. He taught it by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Direct Command <\/strong>\u2013 He specifically commanded that they love one another. He says, \u201cA new commandment I give to you.\u201d <\/em>If we want to practice authentic Christianity, we must love one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Example <\/strong>\u2013 He stated, \u201cas I have loved you.\u201d <\/em>Jesus demonstrated love throughout His life. He loved us to the degree that He gave His life for our sins (1 Jn. 3:16). We must also practice this sincere and deep love for others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Necessary Inference <\/strong>\u2013 He also says, \u201cBy this all will know that you are My disciples.\u201d <\/em>When non-Christians saw this great love among the early disciples, they concluded that they must be followers of Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many passages in the New Testament speak of the need to love one another. In 1 Peter 1:22, Peter told some they were to \u201c. . . love one another fervently with a pure heart.\u201d <\/em>Paul told the Thessalonians that he did not need to write to them about brotherly love since they had been \u201ctaught by God to love one another\u201d <\/em>(1 Thess. 4:9). In his introduction to 2 Thessalonians, he wrote, \u201cWe are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other\u201d <\/em>(1:3). The essentiality of love rings clear in God\u2019s Word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, we do not just talk about love; our actions should reflect it. This concept is illustrated by our love for Christ, as Jesus said, \u201cIf you love Me, keep My commandments\u201d<\/em> (Jn. 14:15). Paul admonished the Corinthians to show their love by helping the needy Christians in Jerusalem (2 Cor. 8:24). Consider some ways we show our compassion today. We do so by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Being sympathetic toward others (1 Pet. 3:8),<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Forgiving someone who repents (2 Cor. 2:7-8),<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Helping those in need (Gal. 6:10, Lk. 10:30-37, Jas. 2:14-16),<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Restoring the erring (Gal. 6:1),<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Showing kindness toward our enemies (Mt. 5:44),<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. Not taking vengeance (Rom. 12:19-21),<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. Teaching others God\u2019s Word (Mt. 28:18-20).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our love for others demonstrates that we have spiritual life, not just for others but also for ourselves. 1 John 3:14 assures us, \u201cWe know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n How are we known? Do people know us for traits like pride, having a volatile temper, unwillingness to help others, being a busybody, or a person with whom it is difficult to get along? When people hear your name, what enters their minds? Do they think of a loving and kind person? For example, if people you work with hear that you are a Christian, are they surprised? Are you wearing God\u2019s \u201cbadge\u201d of discipleship?<\/p>\n\n\n\n — Via Seeking Things Above<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n ——————–<\/p>\n\n\n\n -2-<\/p>\n\n\n\n Heath Rogers<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus performed many miracles as signs to prove that He \u201cis the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name\u201d<\/em> (John 20:31). These signs provided evidence for sincere people to have faith in Jesus. However, there were times in His ministry when Jesus was challenged to perform miracles to prove that He was the Son of God. These challenges were not given by sincere truth-seekers. They were given by adversaries mocking His claim and attempting to spoil the purpose for His appearing in this world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first to so challenge Jesus was the devil. Our Lord had fasted forty days in the wilderness. \u201cNow when the tempter came to Him, he said, \u2018If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread\u2019\u201d <\/em>(Matt. 4:3). Having taken on flesh, Jesus was subject to the pains and weakness common to mankind. It would have been easy for Jesus to meet this challenge and satisfy His hunger, but He refused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Satan continued his attack by taking Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and saying, \u201cIf You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: \u2018He shall give His angels charge over you,\u2019 and, \u2018In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone\u2019\u201d<\/em> (v. 6). Jesus refused to tempt the Father\u2019s care to satisfy the devil\u2019s challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the very end of His ministry, as Jesus hung on the cross, \u201cthose who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, \u2018You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross\u2019\u201d <\/em>(Matt. 27:39-40).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consider the temptation this set before Jesus. He was being crucified because the Jewish leaders refused to believe He was the Christ and the Son of God (Matt. 26:63-65). He is now being challenged to vindicate Himself by coming down from the cross. The chief priests, scribes, and elders joined in mocking Him by saying, \u201cHe saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, \u2018I am the Son of God\u2019\u201d <\/em>(Matt. 27:42-43). Jesus possessed the power to accept this challenge and deliver Himself from the cross. But, had He done so, what would have happened to our salvation? Refusing a challenge that many of us would have accepted to vindicate ourselves and end our suffering, Jesus remained on the cross and paid the price for our sins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Enemies (both spiritual and physical) wanted proof that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus refused their demands, but the Father provided this proof in the Lord\u2019s resurrection. Jesus was \u201cdeclared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead\u201d <\/em>(Rom. 1:4). This triumph over death and the grave was a greater sign than turning stones to bread, landing in the arms of angels, or coming down from the cross. It was an act that secured our future resurrection and eternal salvation. Today we know with certainty that Jesus is the Son of God because of the empty tomb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n — Via Articles<\/em> from the Knollwood church of Christ, September 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n ——————–<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 1) Hear\u00a0<\/strong>the gospel — for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31). ——————–<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tebeau Street “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).——————– Contents: 1) A Badge of Discipleship (John 13:34-35) (Mike Johnson)2) “If You Are the Son of God” (Heath Rogers) ——————– -1- […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3279","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","post-preview"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3279","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3279"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3279\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3282,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3279\/revisions\/3282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3279"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3279"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3279"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}A Badge of Discipleship<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
(John\u00a0 13:34-35)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cIf You Are the Son of God\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u00a0
2) Believe<\/strong>\u00a0in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent\u00a0<\/strong>of sins.\u00a0 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).\u00a0 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\u00a0<\/strong>in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized\u00a0<\/strong>in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21).\u00a0 This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27).\u00a0 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 \u201cthrough faith in the working of God\u201d (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\u2026
6) Continue in the faith <\/strong>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).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA\u00a0 31501
Sunday:<\/strong> 9 a.m<\/strong>. Bible Classes and 10 a.m. <\/strong>Worship Service
Wednesday (all but the first):<\/strong> 7 p.m.<\/strong> Bible Classes\u00a0
\u00a0First Wednesday of the month: 7 p.m. <\/strong>Congregational Song Service (about 45 minutes of singing, followed by a short talk)
evangelist\/editor: <\/strong>Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com<\/a>
https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/go\/all.htm<\/a> (This is a link to the older version of the Gospel Observer website, but with bulletins going back to March 4, 1990.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"