The Truth in Print Vol. 22 Issue 12, Jan. 2016
A Publication of the Valley church of Christ,
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364 (928-782-5058)
Website
Address ~ http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
Selected Newspaper
Articles from 2016
Surely Such “Beautiful People”
Put a reporter at a gathering of movie
stars, popular entertainers, socialites or partiers made up of the smart set
and what is the description? “Beautiful people are just everywhere here!”
People, and especially our youth, do not understand the vanity that is evil and
destructive. They see benefits in popularity, wealth, and beauty – the words of
flattery that come from arrogant worldly minds seem to them to be sincerity.
They’ve never been taught differently. When trashy singers spewing filthy
lyrics are held up as role models for young girls what do you expect! Don’t be
deceived by their “God bless!”
If young women and men would read the bible and
learn the negative aspects connected with physical beauty, stature and
handsomeness --- they would see through their deceptive show – understanding
their use of drugs and alcohol, the reasons for their repeated divorces and
remarriages, the rages reported in the news but quickly forgotten, the beat
downs and abuses flaring up but then blinded out by their dazzling
personalities.
Money, parties, drugs and sex are promoted in
every way possible and these are thought to be the essence of life here on
earth. They drink iniquity like water! The lusts of the world are sweet to
their taste. Pay attention now: “As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a
fair woman which is without discretion” (Prov. 11:22). Her lack of godliness
disagrees with what womanhood should be.
Such can be saved in the same way all are and
that is by repentance and baptism for the remission of sins, and then
continuing stedfastly in service to Christ – read Mk.
16:15-16; Acts 2:37-42.
Surely Correct Thinking ~ Although It Does Not Begin With
the Fear of the Lord
“The fear of the
Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Pr. 1:9) – “beginning” meaning the first
step in acquiring and then applying God’s revealed word. This is not your own
“I think” or “I believe.” Jesus stated the reason why they did not understand
His sayings -– “But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me” (Jo. 8:43-45). They did not want to accept the truth.
Without the fear of God there will be no proper understanding of God and how
His Word works -– this is why churches refuse sound doctrine, being filled with
false doctrine while binding human tradition as God’s law:
1. Refusing to accept the requirements of repentance and
baptism for the remission of sins as taught at the very beginning of Christ’s
church and onwards (Acts 2:37-41).
2. Having women as so called “pastors” teaching over men (cf.
I Tim. 2:11-12; I Cor. 11:34).
3. Practicing fake “tongue speaking” that is an emotional
gibberish and not speaking a language while claiming other spiritual gifts they
do not have (cf. Acts 2:6, 8; I Cor. 13:8).
4. Making human traditions that came after the Word was
revealed to the apostles in the first century a work of their churches by
calling it “Christian” – examples are Christmas, Epiphany, Passover, Easter –
Resurrection Sunday, Pentecost, etc.
5. Refusing to practice withdrawal because of fear and out of
favoritism towards friends and family (cf. I Cor. 5:2, 11; 2 Th. 3:6, 14).
Thus “leaders” make
up their own rules being without the fear of God (cf. 2 Tim. 4:1-5).
Surely Not Their Kind of Preacher ~ Hired to Protect the
Ungodly
Paul charged
Timothy: “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who
shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the
word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure
afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry” (2
Tim. 4:1-5).
Notice in the above
scriptures that it is the “members” themselves who are responsible for
apostasy: the members do not endure sound doctrine; they heap to themselves
teachers according to their own lusts; they have the itching ears that demand
hearing pleasing things; they turn away their ears from the truth. They demand
their “kind” of teacher. The pattern of wanting to immediately change teachers
when false doctrine and immorality is exposed in the local church is evident.
And with that the mass of teachers waiting and willing to please them offers a
“variety” that entertains, as they go through the years from one to another to
others. Moreover other churches doing the same are willing to support and help
arrange them get their “kind” of teachers – thus apostasy continues. Hypocrites
fill up these assemblies of wicked, deceitful pretenders who cannot endure
sound doctrine (cf. Ps. 26:4-5).
Surely Displays Great Love for Jesus ~ Cancelling Church
Sunday Dec. 25
2016 brought those
“No Services This Sunday – Enjoy Christmas with Your Family” announcements.
Having lost sync with “human tradition” some switched their Christmas service
to Dec. 18. Never mind that Sinterklass feast day
(the Dutch transported legend of Saint Nicholas) was celebrated in New
Amsterdam on Dec. 6. But let’s get back to that jumping on the bandwagon of
cancelling church for Sunday, Dec. 25 with at “Merry Christmas to All!”
Lk. 2:11 says “For
you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”
That’s right, all we have is “this day” --- thus the obvious flaw in saying
that anyone today knows the exact day Jesus was born. Since no one knows then
how can “cancelling” church figure in at all? Put this with “And let us
consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one
another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:24-25)
--- and the love of the Traditions of men, not God’s Word, is all important and
mighty self-serving. In making it a work of the local church (the N.T. did not
make “that day” a religious day to be celebrated as part of the church’s work)
one sees how love of human tradition takes priority over God’s Word (Cf. Matt.
15:8-9). And cancelling church displays how spiritually sick such “jumping on”
truly is (Cf. Heb. 10:26). Some might even be thinking why not for New Year’s
Day too.
Valley Church of Christ
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364
(928) 782-5058 ~ http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
Sunday Services – Classes ~10:00; Assembly 10:50 am; Evening:
6:00 pm.
Wednesday evening – 7:00 pm
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