CONCENTRIC CIRCLES OF CONCERN: Seven Stages for Making Disciples

Posted on by BETH

The expression may be strange to your ears, but the doctrine is a familiar one. The world seeks to lower our standards–something which the Lord warned about (Rom. 12:2). The book, Concentric Circles of Concern, advocates including rather than excluding others from our circle of faithful brethren. This would be of little import were it not for the great strides the doctrine has made in the denominational world. Its influence continually swallows up more and more Christians in a persistent advance upon all who bow to its towering demands.

Continue reading CONCENTRIC CIRCLES OF CONCERN: Seven Stages for Making Disciples

ALCOHOL

Posted on by BETH

beer_toastSome of the most beautifully done commercials advertise beer. They’re gorgeous; they really are.

Those breath-taking horses, the sweet little colt… very appealing. That little child on crutches, the one whose medical bills were paid by the beer company, is so touching.

If we had realistic beer commercials, what would they be like? Would we see a man standing at the sink, heaving up his stomach? Or a little girl lying under a bar stool, sleeping, while her mother “drinks away” her sorrows?

How can a picture show the deep, agonizing depression in the aftermath of adultery, because a husband’s judgment was clouded by drink?

I wonder how the beer companies’ track record is with children. I mean the children whose lives they improve with their charitable donations, compared to the number of children born dead, or with chronic seizures, gross deformities, and retardation, because their mothers are seduced to drink – by these very commercials. Not to speak of those sweet faces we see on the billboards, slaughtered by drunken driving, and the living ones, whose faces never make it to the billboards, because they are too disfigured. Or the loneliness of the ones that are robbed, by the same means, of a mother’s loving touch….

Study more about Alcohol  with this Power Point presentation.

The file has been scanned for viruses and is safe.  Give it time to download since it is a 2.92 MB file.

New Testament Discipleship Includes Every Command of God

Posted on by BETH

Paul said “For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).  It is clear that he taught all of the truth. When Jesus commanded the apostles, he said “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:20) he commanded them to teach much more than first principles.  When Paul told the Corinthians “For I delivered unto you first of all . . .” (1 Cor. 15:3), he made it clear that the death, burial and resurrection of Christ was first but there was much more after that. The first principles are basic, but they are only the first principles.  Babes in Christ are commanded to grow.  They are commanded to long for God’s milk so they can grow (1 Pet. 2:2).  Milk is food that establishes the first principles (Heb. 5:12,13).  The first principles are defined as the foundation for the rest of the building.

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,  Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.  And this will we do, if God permit.  (Heb. 6:1-3)

A good foundation is necessary, but it is folly to continue to lay the foundation and never intend to finish the entire building.  The command is to “go on unto perfection.”  Perfection is the complete building – the heart of Christ (Luke 6:40).  The writer of the book of Hebrews himself was determined to go on unto perfection, for he said “. . .let us go on unto perfection” (Heb. 6:1).  Are we also determined to go on unto perfection?  Keep in mind that the book of Hebrews is not solid food.  It is milk (Heb. 5:11-13).  The determination to go on unto perfection is not solid food.

Those who preach only first principles have a good foundation but do not intend to have a building.  They believe the first principles of the foundation are enough.  They either don’t know or ignore the last part of the great commission “…teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:20).  Jesus taught a great deal more than the first principles.  In teaching the sermon on the mount Jesus concluded the first part with the aim and goal: “Be ye therefore perfect as your heavenly father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48).

Perfection, the determination to be like the master, is part of the first principles (Luke 6:40). The rich young ruler wanted to know what he lacked to inherit eternal life.  He said that he had obeyed the Royal Law and the ten commandments, which was the first step.  Jesus then pointed him to the ultimate goal saying,  “If thou wilt be perfect…”  (Matt. 19:21).  Perfection, being like Christ, is the major aim and goal throughout the New Testament.  Consider one major reason that God gives for dis-annulling the Old Testament Law.

Called to Partake of the Divine Nature

Posted on by BETH

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet. 1:3-4)

What is the divine nature? He tells us plainly that the divine nature is love – God’s love.   “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (I John 4:16).  If God dwells in us, it is divinity dwelling in us.  Love is God’s divine nature.  Christ “is the image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15).  Jesus said “. . .he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (Jn 14:9).  If we are partakers of the divine nature we are like Christ. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus concluded his teaching on our being like God in love by saying “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matt. 5:48).  This also is describing the nature of God and directing us to be partakers of it.

Whether he describes his purpose as making us like Christ, filling us with all of his fulness (he is love), making us partakers of his divine nature, making us perfect, or giving us the perfect love, it is all the same – namely, he wants to form his love in us.  This is the mark, goal, purpose and aim for the race he has set before us.  He describes this mark in yet another way.