The Impact of Culture Today

By Jeff Curtis

The concern of Judges chapter 2, and the entire book, revolves around the need for God’s people to maintain their faith in an alien land. Judges shows that God’s ideal community outlined in Deuteronomy surrendered to the Canaanite religions and culture. As a result, they no longer had the security promised earlier (Deut.12:10). This book also shows that we can allow ourselves to be negatively influenced by culture more than we are positively guided by God.

The first two chapters of Judges illustrate what can happen when the culture impacts the church more than the church impacts the culture. Those who lived among the Canaanites in Chapter 1 ended up worshiping like the Canaanites in Chapter 2. After the generations of Joshua and the elders, a decline began in the next generation; and a downward spiral of unfaithfulness continued in subsequent times.

Apostasy, a falling away from God, can happen in one generation. Cultural influence is multi-generational. No generation is immune. The godly status of one generation offers no guarantee of the godliness of its offspring.

Apostasy doesn’t end God’s mercy. During the apostasy of the faithful, God continued to show mercy to those He had previously saved. God didn’t reject His people because of one occasion of unfaithfulness. The Israelites repeatedly did what was evil, and God repeatedly punished them for their deeds and then delivered them.

Assimilation is not inevitable. The church can exist from one generation to the next. No culture is so strong that the church is rendered powerless.

God is always available. In all of the focus on the role of God’s people living in a hostile culture, one foundational issue never changes: God always wants to help. When His people cry out, He responds to their need.

Am I Narrow-Minded for Believing in One Church?

by Kyle Campbell

When people hear me say, “Jesus has only one church” it must sound very narrow-minded. I understand their feelings and take no offense to their criticism because it’s likely that they haven’t investigated the Bible. My responsibility as a preacher is to explain that the “body” and the “church” are one and the same.

· “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence” (Col. 1:18).

· “…and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Eph. 1:23).

· “There is one body” (Eph. 4:4) and “there is one God” (4:6). In view of this information, how can I believe otherwise?

· “Reconcile both unto God in one body” (Eph. 2:16). If I love the word of God, I have no choice except to believe.

· “Baptized into one body” (1 Cor. 12:13). If I respect God’s word, I am not at liberty to believe otherwise.

· “Yet but one body” (1 Cor. 12:20). This expression is saying that there is ONE and ONLY ONE body. I have no choice but to accept this truth.

The body is the church. There is one body, thus I am forced to conclude there is one, and only one, church. Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). He never promised to do more. Investigate and find this “one true church” and become a part of it by your obedience to the gospel

Would People Notice if You Were Sad?

By Jeff Curtis

In Nehemiah 2:1-2, we read; “And it came to about in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of king Artexerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. So, the king said to me, “Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very much afraid.

Nehemiah’s job as “the cupbearer to the king” (Neh. 1:11) required him to hide any negative emotions he might have felt. He had lived up to that requirement until this day, when he displayed his sadness – grief caused by the destruction of the wall of Jerusalem. In the conversation that followed, the king of Persia gave him permission to go to Jerusalem and rebuild its wall.

Apparently, Nehemiah had served the king for years without being “sad in his presence” (Neh.2:1). How often do others see us looking sad?

Of course, nothing is wrong with being sad (or looking sad) when a person has a reason for grief. We ought to be willing to share our sorrows and troubles with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”

However, if a Christian constantly displays a sad face, something may be wrong with his or her understanding of the gospel of Christ. The message of the New Testament is “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4). A child of God who is always sad has not recently counted his blessings.

Would people notice if one day you showed up at work or worship service with a sad face? Would that be different from your usual demeanor? Some Christians always look as if they have just lost their best friend. They are like one little old lady who was visited by a singing group. When asked what she wanted the group to sing, she replied, “I don’t care, as long as it’s sad.”

Let’s not be like that. As a rule, let us display joyful expressions. We have great reasons to smile, because God loves us.

Not Ashamed of the Power of the Gospel

by Leland R. Ping

One of the most quoted and powerful verses of Paul’s letter to the saints in Rome is found in Romans 1:16 when the inspired apostle wrote the following: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

Packed into this short passage are three valuable lessons that apply to us today.

First, there are ZERO reasons to be ashamed of the gospel. But, because we’re humans, we are sometimes prone to “shying” away from it and perhaps wanting to substitute its simple message for a man-made set of ideas. The gospel message of salvation for all men is simple, straightforward, and easy to grasp. But, we as men sometimes complicate its simplicity.

Second, the power of the gospel is the gospel itself. Not you – not me. You may be good at presenting its contents and I may be talented in explaining it all. But the credit belongs to the Lord and His good news. That’s where the power lies – always has and always will be.

Finally, the gospel’s power does not discriminate. We might show partiality as humans and, we sometimes do. But not the good news of the Lord and Savior. It is powerful enough to see through race, gender, cultural differences, and the like. We must remember this fact when we think about teaching someone or inviting them to study or worship. Let’s be aware of the gospel and its great power to save all – and that means ALL – mankind.