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Dripping Springs Weekly Bulletins
WHAT IS THE CHURCH OF CHRIST?
When people come to visit us they often want to know who we are, what we believe, and why we are here in Dripping Springs. People don’t spend their time, their money, and their skills on some principle without believing they have a right to exist and a purpose to serve. If you are visiting today, and have wondered, “What is the church of Christ?” perhaps the following will provide the answers you need:
First, the church of Christ is not a denomination or part of any sectarian religious system. Jesus prayed for His followers to be united, John 17:20-21, not fragmented, as is a fundamental principle of religious denominationalism. With His own precious blood Jesus purchased “the church,” Acts 20:28, not a sect or a denomination. In fact there is no Bible authority for the existence of any denomination, 1 Corinthians 1:10.
Second, we are committed to following the Bible in every area of our life. We know that truth does not reside in men but in God’s revelation, the Bible, John 17:17. But we can know that truth, and we can understand what God’s will is for our lives, John 8:31-32, Ephesians 3:4 and 5:17. We are painfully aware of our own individual weaknesses, knowing we have no reason to exhibit any form of self-righteousness, Romans 12:1-3. But we are trying to let Christ live in us every day of our lives, Galatians 2:20, showing our gratitude for God’s blessings, and expressing our love for Him by obedience to His word, John 14:15, 1 John 5:3.
Third, we realize that since the church belongs to Christ, and since He is the head of the church, Ephesians 1:22-23, we must be willing to submit to Him, Matthew 7:21ff. We
know it is only by God’s abundant grace that we have the opportunity to obtain forgiveness of our sins, Romans 3:24, Titus 2:11, and we respond to His grace by meeting the conditions in Christ’s “will”, Hebrews 5:9, 9:15-17
.Fourth, we look to God for our authority concerning what we preach and what we practice, Colossians 3:17. Since the church belongs to Christ, we look to Him alone for our instructions on worship, doctrine, daily living, and personal example, Colossians 1:18. Therefore, we look not to the edicts of synods or conventions of men for guidance, Matthew 15:9. We know “all scripture is given by inspiration of God,” and will thoroughly equip us “unto every good work,” 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
Fifth, the Bible teaches several very significant things about the church Jesus built:
- The church is the “body of Christ,” I Corinthians 12:12-27, and there is “but one body,” one “church,” Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:4.
- The church is composed of those who have been saved by the grace of God by means of the blood of Christ, those who have been “added to the church” by the Lord Himself, Acts 2:47, Ephesians 5:23.
- Jesus has placed some conditions upon all mankind for our salvation. Principally, we must hear and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, Romans 10:17, Mark 16:16; confess our faith before others, Romans 10:9-10, repent of our sins, Acts 17:30-31; beimmersed for the forgiveness of our past sins, Acts 22:16; and live a life of faithful service to God, walking in “the light” as God instructs us, Romans 11:22,
1 John 1:5-9.
- The church, Christ being its head, is commissioned to “seek and save that which is lost,” Luke 19:10, Mark 16:15-16. The church’s primary purpose is to serve the spiritual needs of man, not just the physical needs.
Sixth, our worship to God consists of the same elements as given by the apostles to the early church. They sang songs of praise to God, Ephesians 5:19, and they prayed to the heavenly Father, Luke 11:2-4. They preached the gospel, Acts 20:7, and partook of the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week, I Corinthians 11:23-30. They gave a contribution according as they were “prospered,” I Corinthians 16:1-2, 2 Corinthians 9:6-7.
If you are visiting, you will likely notice that our assembly may be somewhat different from others you have attended. We are not trying to be peculiar or different, but only to follow the pattern of truth found in the Bible, Hebrews 8:5; Romans 6:17. You will find tracts or booklets in the foyer written on Bible subjects, and you are encouraged to take them—free of charge—read them and pass them on to others. If you have questions, please feel free to ask us and we will be happy to try to answer them all. There is a question box in the back of the auditorium if you prefer to write out your question.
The religious world appears to be hopelessly divided in this 21st century, and many seem content to continue that way in spite of God’s disapproval, I Corinthians 1:10. There is one sure way division can be resolved: Every one of us must put away our man-made creeds, sectarian attitudes or catechisms, and just go back to the Bible for what we believe and what we practice. That is a worthy goal for all of us, is it not? We are determined to go Back to the Bible—no additions, no changes. Won’t you come go with us?
Carl Garner |
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THE SUN, THE CLAY, AND THE BUTTER
The children of Israel, after the death of Joseph, were taken into Egyptian bondage (Exodus 1:11) because “there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph”(Exodus 1:8). This new king proclaimed to his people, “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land” (Exodus 1:9-10). With this decree from Pharaoh, the Israelites were put under bondage and even had their firstborn sons murdered.
Years later, in Mount Horeb, God appeared to Moses in a flaming bush and chose him to be the deliverer of His people. The Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows” (Exo. 3:7). God had chosen Moses to lead Israel into the land which had been pledged to their father, Abraham.
God, giving Moses instruction concerning the task at hand, said, “When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go” (Exodus 4:21). God said He would harden the heart of Pharaoh! How was this done?? Was this fair!? This statement of the Almighty has caused many to struggle through the centuries. In other passages, we read that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Exodus 8:15; 9:34), and that his heart was hardened, not naming the one involved (Exodus 9:35).
How can it be said that God hardened Pharaoh's heart and that Pharaoh hardened his own heart? The answer is found when we consider the hearts of men. God's Word is like the sun, and some men have hearts of clay, while others have hearts like butter. When God's Word shines into the “heart of clay,” it becomes harder, as was the case with Pharaoh. When God’s Word shines into the “heart of butter,” it softens into obedience, as was the case with Moses. As clay is hardened by the sun in the physical world, so the heart of clay is hardened by the Word of God in the spiritual realm. As butter is softened by the sun in the physical world, so the heart of butter is softened by the Word of God. God's Word hardened the heart of Pharaoh because he had a heart of clay. God did not force a hardened heart upon Pharaoh; his reaction to God's Word hardened his own heart.
In the New Testament we see the same type of result. On the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), Peter preached a soul-stirring sermon, and the Bible says, “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). When these souls heard the Word of God, their hearts were softened and they asked what they could do to rid their lives of sin.
On another occasion Peter was preaching to a group of people who reacted totally different. Luke records, “When they heard that [Peter's sermon], they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them”(Acts 5:33). Those to whom Peter preached on this occasion had hearts of clay, and their hearts were hardened when they heard the Word of God. When Stephen preached to his audience in Acts 7, they responded much like those to whom Peter preached in Acts 5. In Acts 7:54, we have recorded the people's response to Stephen's sermon, “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.” They were outraged at Stephen's sermon.
Maybe we need to think about this: God's Word is like the sun. The question we should ask ourselves is: Do I have a heart of clay………….or do I have a heart of butter?
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