2) Jesus Washed Feet, Should We? (J.F. Dancer)
3) Who Is Your Father? (Wayne Goff)
4) Does God Tempt Man? (Tom Edwards)
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Predestination<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Kelly Ellis<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Calvinistic concept of the predestination of men \u2014 apart from their will and choice \u2014 issues from the false assumption that men are \u201cborn in sin\u201d having inherited the original sin of Adam; and, \u201cbeing wholly inclined to evil,\u201d with no good in them, such a condition required an \u201cunconditional election\u201d on the part of God. This election limited the atonement of Christ to the \u201celect,\u201d who are saved by the \u201cirresistible grace of God,\u201d and will therefore, never be able to forfeit their right to eternal life. On the other hand, all who are not of the \u201celect\u201d are completely shut off from the grace of God that He has extended to all men through Christ, and are eternally consigned to damnation and separation from God in the world to come. This doctrine stands opposed to New Testament teaching on at least 5 points: 2. It makes God responsible for the loss of souls in hell<\/strong>; but the New Testament teaches that He is not \u201cwilling that any should perish but that all should come to repentance\u201d (II Peter 3:9). He \u201cwould have all men to be saved\u201d (I Timothy 2:4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. It destroys man\u2019s power of choice.<\/strong> If my destiny is already sealed, there is nothing I can do to change it; I have no choice open to me, and my will cannot be exercised in any way whatever. However, the Bible says, \u201cChoose you this day whom ye will serve\u201d (Joshua 24:15), and the \u201cSpirit and the bride say, Come \u2026 and whosoever WILL, let him take the water of life freely\u201d (Revelation 22:17).\u00a0 Jesus said, \u201cIf any man WILL\u201d (John 7:17). 5. The whole system makes man an irresponsible being.<\/strong> If man is born in sin, if he is a sinner by birth, he is not responsible for those transgressions. But man does not inherit sin \u2014 he commits it (Ezekiel 18:1-24). This passage also teaches that man does not inherit righteousness; he does it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014 via Eastside church of Christ, December 31, 2017 -2-<\/p>\n\n\n\n J.F. Dancer<\/p>\n\n\n\n In John 13, after Jesus had instituted the Lord\u2019s Supper, we find that he washed his disciples\u2019 feet (vs. 4-16). Many times the question arises, \u201cSince Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, should we not wash one another\u2019s feet?\u201d Some in the denominational world have used this as justification to have a \u201cfoot washing service\u201d as a part of the worship to God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Washing feet is also mentioned in Luke 7 where a woman washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and wiped them with her hair. Then it is mentioned in 1 Timothy 5 as one of the deeds that would characterize some widows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The usual mode of travel in Jesus\u2019 day was walking. The roads and pathways were usually dusty. One of the signs of hospitality in that time was to wash (or, have a servant to wash) the feet of a guest when they arrived in your house. This seems to be the thought in Luke 7 and seems to be given as a symbol of hospitality in 1 Timothy 5. It is certain that the lesson Jesus taught in John 13 was that of humility and service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Saints still need to be humble in the sight of God (James 4:10) and in this humility be willing to do anything they can to relieve the distress of another \u2014 including washing their body (not just feet). We should show hospitality to those who visit us, but washing another\u2019s feet is not necessarily the only way to manifest this. And, we all (not just widows) should be active in doing good deeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To go through a ceremony of washing another\u2019s feet when they don\u2019t need washing is NOT a show of humility nor godliness. So far as I can see it is NOT something to be done in worship to God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let us leave it as the Bible does \u2014 a symbol of hospitality and good works. Let us manifest hospitality in other ways and do all good works expected by God \u2014 but let us not fall into a ritual of washing feet in applying the Scripture improperly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 Via The Beacon<\/em> (from the Collegevue church of Christ), June 27, 2017 -3-<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wayne Goff<\/p>\n\n\n\n I would suppose that it goes without saying that most, if not all, of us know who our earthly father is. But who is your spiritual Father?<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re reading this article, then you would probably say that God is your spiritual Father. That\u2019s the right answer, but how do you know for sure? The Jewish enemies of Jesus claimed that Jehovah was their Father, but Jesus denied it and said that the Devil was their father! What a difference that is! So let\u2019s suggest a few proofs that tell us who is really your father:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If God is your Father, then you trust Him with all your heart.<\/strong> \u201cTrust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding\u201d (Proverbs 3:5). While Jesus was on earth in a position of subservience, He learned to put His trust in the Father (Hebrews 2:13). We must do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If God is your Father, then you believe what He says.<\/strong> Jesus said, \u201cHe who is of God hears God\u2019s words\u2026\u201d (Jn. 8:47). It is not enough to say that God is our Father, we must demonstrate it by that in which we believe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If God is your Father, then you delight in His company. <\/strong>\u201cTherefore submit to God. \u2026 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts you doubleminded\u201d (James 4:7a, 8). God\u2019s house of worship is your delight: \u201cI was glad when they said to me, \u2018Let us go into the house of the LORD\u2019\u201d (Psalm 122:1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n If God is your Father, then you strive to be like Him.<\/strong> \u201cBut I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust\u201d (Matthew 5:44-45).<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are other proofs of sonship, but these are sufficient to give you something by which to examine yourselves. Who IS your father?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014 Via the Roanridge Reader,<\/em> June 17, 2018 -4-<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tom Edwards<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet no one say when he is tempted, \u2018I am being tempted by God\u2019; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone\u201d (James 1:13, NASB).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham\u2026\u201d (Gen. 22:1, KJV).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The above verses might sound to be contradicting each other, but not when we understand how the word \u201ctempt\u201d is being used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though we probably think of the word to primarily involve the tempting of someone to do evil, it also has an obsolete meaning, according to Webster, of \u201cto try or test.\u201d In that sense, we can easily think of God who did not tempt Abraham to do wrong, but was testing him to see if he would do right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many modern Bible translations render the Hebrew word for \u201ctempt\u201d as \u201ctested\u201d (or another form of that word) in Genesis 22:1. For the particular Hebrew word for it (H5254) is primarily defined as \u201cto test, try, prove, tempt, assay, put to the proof or test\u201d (Brown-Driver-Briggs\u2019 Hebrew Definitions). 1) Hear<\/strong> the gospel, for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31). Tebeau Street \u201cGo therefore and make disciples of all the nations\u2026teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age\u201d (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB).\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2013 Contents: 1) Predestination (Kelly Ellis)2) Jesus Washed Feet, Should We? (J.F. Dancer)3) Who Is Your Father? (Wayne Goff)4) Does God Tempt […]<\/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-452","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\/452","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=452"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":453,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452\/revisions\/453"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
1. It makes God a respecter of persons<\/strong> in that He has predestinated some to eternal life and others to eternal damnation: this is contrary to the very nature of God (Romans 2:11; Deuteronomy 32:4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. It nullifies the commission of Christ<\/strong> (Mark 16:15-16). If one\u2019s eternal destiny has already been determined by the Father, why preach to him?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\nJesus Washed Feet, Should We?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\nWho Is Your Father?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\nDoes God Tempt Man?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
2) Believe<\/strong> in the deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent<\/strong> of sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
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; Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:26-27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith<\/strong>, living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA\u00a0 31501
Sunday<\/strong> services:\u00a09:00 a.m. (Bible class); 10 a.m. & 5 p.m. (worship)
Wednesday:\u00a0<\/strong>7 p.m. (Bible class)
evangelist\/editor:<\/strong>\u00a0Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com<\/a>
http:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/go<\/a> (Older version of Gospel Observer website without pictures, but back to March 1990)
http:\/\/tebeaustreetchurchofchrist.org\/<\/a>
http:\/\/ThomasTEdwards.com\/audioser.html<\/a> (audio sermons)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"