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Meditations Column:
Things We Can’t Live Without<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Kyle Pope
Synopsis: Consider the biblical significance of the preposition \u201cwithout,\u201d which signifies \u201cin the absence of\u201d (something) or \u201cin circumstances in which the action mentioned (in the context) does not happen.\u201d
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Introduction<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What is there in your life that you could not live without? Sometimes we describe things we really love as things we couldn\u2019t live without (e.g., chocolate, a mate, a hobby, our favorite entertainment). When it comes to our physical lives, there are really only a few things that we cannot live without\u2014things like food, water, clothing, and shelter. These are indispensable<\/em> to life since we cannot dispense<\/em> with them and survive. What are some spiritual<\/em> indispensables? Let\u2019s consider seven things the Bible describes in this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The blood of animals (like bulls, goats, and lambs) that were used in Old Testament sacrifices had value, but the Hebrew writer makes it clear that their value was limited (Heb. 10:1-4). The Blood of the new covenant is not that of animals but of Christ Himself, our High Priest and Savior (Heb. 9:11-15). Redemption from sin comes through Christ\u2019s blood shed on the cross (Col. 1:13-16). Unlike the limited nature and power of animal sacrifices, Christ\u2019s blood offers redemption and forgiveness because of its source. Jesus is and was \u201cthe image of the invisible God.\u201d The blood of God in the flesh can bring Divine forgiveness! All who die outside of Christ die in sins (John 8:21-24). Just as the one without the blood of Christ retains his sin, the one who does not believe in the One who is the source of that blood will die in sins. By contrast, the one who truly believes in Christ will receive forgiveness (Acts 10:36-43). The Scriptures were written to produce faith (John 20:30-31). God wants all people to believe in Jesus, the one and only source of forgiveness. Faith is a spiritual indispensable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The kind of faith that pleases God and gains access to the saving blood of Christ is a living, active, and obedient faith. It is not faith alone (Jas. 2:21-24). The world teaches salvation by \u201cfaith alone,\u201d but the only place the phrase \u201cfaith only\u201d is found in Scripture is James 2:24. It teaches just the opposite. If salvation is by faith only, who would need Christ\u2019s blood? Why would we need His death? James isn\u2019t teaching that our works merit salvation, but he is teaching that the only type of faith that pleases God is one that is obedient! Faith leads to obedience. \u201cHe who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him\u201d (John 3:36, NKJV). The New American Standard Update renders this verse: \u201cHe who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey<\/strong> the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.\u201d Thayer defines the Greek word hagiasmos,<\/em> translated \u201choliness,\u201d to mean \u201cconsecration, purification, the effect of consecration, sanctification of heart and life.\u201d To see God, one must have a pure heart (Matt. 5:8). Holiness involves offering our lives as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1-2). In one sense, everything we do as a Christian should offer God a \u201cliving sacrifice.\u201d Holiness demands control over our bodies and over our minds (1 Thess. 4:3-7). Holiness is a spiritual indispensable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Amid the first-century controversy over circumcision, Paul wrote: \u201cFor in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love\u201d (Gal. 5:6). Just as faith must be made complete by works of obedience, faithful obedience must work \u201cthrough love.\u201d The soul who does not obey does not have saving faith. Jesus teaches if we don\u2019t obey His commandments, we do not love Him (John 14:23-24). John wrote, \u201cThis is love, that we walk according to His commandments\u201d (2 John 6). Love is a spiritual indispensable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hardships that Christians must face may be thought of as a type of discipline\u2014not in the sense of punishment for wrongdoing, but in the sense of training. Like the corporal punishment and training of children produces good behavior, faithfulness through trial yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness (Heb. 12:9-13). Both the Old and New Testaments teach that chastening and training may be found in what God teaches through His word, in the trials of life, and in the correction imposed by faithful brethren. These things (when received by those guided by God\u2019s word) are God\u2019s ways of teaching and training us as children. Chastisement is a spiritual indispensable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The ungodly may do plenty of good things, but when one stands outside of Christ, their works do not please God. Apart from Christ, we can do nothing that will take away a single sin. Apart from Christ, we can do nothing that will be good enough to make us right with God. Apart from Christ, we are lost and without hope. Christ is the ultimate spiritual indispensable. -2-<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pe 1) Hear<\/strong> the gospel — for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31). 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) Meditations Column: Things We Can’t Live Without (Kyle Pope)2) Psalm 119:129-136 (Berean Bible) ——————– -1- Meditations Column:Things We Can’t […]<\/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-3640","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\/3640","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=3640"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3640\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3642,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3640\/revisions\/3642"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3640"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3640"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3640"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}1. Without the Shedding of Blood There Is No Forgiveness (Heb. 9:19-22).<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How does one access this blood?<\/em> Paul taught that one is baptized into Christ\u2019s death (Rom. 6:1-4). When a person is baptized into Christ, he is baptized into Christ\u2019s death, gaining access to this redeeming blood.
What is the benefit of this blood?<\/em> Christ\u2019s blood cleanses us (1 John 1:5-7). Truly, without blood\u2014His blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. If we are outside of Christ and have never been cleansed by His blood, the stain and filth of sin clings to us to this very moment. Christ\u2019s blood is a spiritual indispensable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n2. Without Faith it Is Impossible to Please God (Heb. 11:1-6).<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Without Works, Faith Is Dead (Jas. 2:26).<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Faith is dead without obedience (Jas. 2:17). Someone might say: \u201cYou\u2019re teaching that baptism is a work that saves us!\u201d It is a work of one with an obedient faith, but how did Paul describe it? He taught that in baptism we rise in faith (Col. 2:11-12). Our obedience and our faith go hand in hand. We can\u2019t have one without the other, but one completes and accomplishes the other. He taught that faith works love (Gal. 5:6). We see this in life. Someone who loves another person demonstrates that love. The one who does not demonstrate love does not really love! Works of obedience are a spiritual indispensable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n4. Without Holiness We Can\u2019t See God (Heb. 12:14).<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Without Love We Are Nothing (1 Cor. 13:1-2).<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. Without Chastisement We Are Not Sons (Heb. 12:6-8).<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
7. Without Christ We Can Do Nothing (John 15:4-6).<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Via Truth Magazine,<\/em> Volume 66, No. 8, August 2022
https:\/\/truthmagazine.com\/kindle\/2022\/2022-08-aug\/02_Meditations.htm
——————–<\/p>\n\n\n\nPsalm 119:129-136<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
129<\/sup>Wonderful are Your testimonies; therefore I obey them.
130<\/sup>The unfolding of Your words gives light; it informs the simple.
131<\/sup>I open my mouth and pant, longing for Your commandments.
132<\/sup>Turn to me and show me mercy, as You do to those who love Your name.
133<\/sup>Order my steps in Your word; let no sin rule over me.
134<\/sup>Redeem me from the oppression of man, that I may keep Your precepts.
135<\/sup>Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes.
136<\/sup>My eyes shed streams of tears because Your law is not obeyed.
\u2014 Berean Bible
_____________<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
2) Believe <\/strong>in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent <\/strong>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<\/strong> in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized<\/strong> 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).\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).
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CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday:<\/strong> 9 a.m<\/strong>. Bible Classes (except for last of the month Song Service)
and 10 a.m.<\/strong> Worship Service
Wednesday:<\/strong> 7 p.m.<\/strong> Bible Classes
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":"