Does baptism mean that a man must dip himself in water? I personally don’t think so. Jesus talked about his crucifixion as baptism. Why did Jesus become baptised by John? The word “baptize” is a transliteration of the Greek word “BAPTIZO” and literally means to dip, plunge, submerge, or immerse. The word has no reference […]
On a recent vacation trip, our family visited two Civil War battlefield sites. One of these sites was in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and the other site was on Lookout Mountain right on the border between Georgia and Tennessee. At these sites men fought and loss of life occurred; Great victories were wrought, and tremendous tragedies were […]
This past week I was having a conversation with a friend who is a member of a denominational church. She mentioned to me that she wanted to come visit us and that she had told her “pastor” that she was going to visit us. Her “pastor” asked who we were and my friend responded, “the […]
On September 6, 1863, forty-eight Confederate soldiers, commanded by Lieutenant Richard “Dick” Dowling (who was only twenty-five years old), waited for the Union invasion of Texas on the muddy banks of Sabine Pass. The Union had sent four gunboats, and seventeen transport ships that contained 1500 troops. Dowling and his men were holed up in […]
I am a member of the church and have a question about divorce. I committed fornication and became pregnant. I married the father thinking that was the “right” thing to do but now realize that two wrongs don’t make a right. I am not in love with my husband but was in a “pregancy high” […]
Our society is fascinated with measuring things. As early as kindergarten children are taught to use a ruler and think about weight. Physicians measure children’s height, weight, and circumferences at the time they are born and then at regular checkups. With adults, they measure blood pressure, pulse, and temperature each time you visit. We are […]
What is the sin unto death? In 1 John 5:16 we read, “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall […]
“On the twenty-fifth of July, Sow your turnips, wet or dry.” There may be a few among us that remember President Harry Truman. I am currently reading a biography about his life. While President Truman brought a swift end to the war with Japan and deftly handled United States foreign policy, Mr. Truman did not […]
What can a living Christian do to help their loved one who is dead and did not known the Lord? There is nothing that a living Christian can do to help a dead relative to come to know the Lord. The Bible teaches that judgment comes after all men die (Hebrews 9:27) and that it […]
A few years ago, the late brother Guy N. Woods told a story about a minister who called for the removal of the Bible from his congregation for a period of six months. Recently, I received an e-mail in which the writer expressed the view that the public reading of the scripture was boring and […]
Please comment on John 9:31 The context for this statement begins in chapter 9:1. Jesus was passing by a man who was blind. He disciples asked Him why this man was born blind. Jesus said it was so that the power of God could be shown. After this man is healed, he is taken before […]
Are you saved? “Well, of course I am saved.” If this answer flashed immediately into your mind when you saw this question, then you may want to continue to read this. The Bible teaches that there are some people who think they are saved, but in actuality they are not saved. In fact, did you […]
Today as I was heading back to the church building, I saw, on the side of the road, an alligator snapping turtle. The Bass Pro Shops both in Springfield and in Dallas have very large ones on display, but this was the first time I had seen one in the wild. They are indigenous to […]
As you know, there are several different kinds of baptisms discussed within the New Testament. Matthew 3:11 mentions three: baptism of water, baptism of the Holy Spirit, and baptism of fire. John the baptizer says, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes […]
We hear a lot today about identity theft. Unscrupulous fellows have found ways to discover the social security numbers, addresses, names, dates of birth, and other information related to one’s identity and used such things for nefarious purposes. In some cases individuals have become indebted overnight for cars, motor homes, and real estate because they […]
On one occasion when Paul was preaching the gospel in the city of Ephesus, a certain group of vagabonds sought to emulate Paul by taking it upon themselves to cast out a demon. When these men sought to do such, the evil spirit turned on them and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; […]
Is it ever appropriate for a Christian to bring a lawsuit against someone for defamation of character? While the Bible doesn’t comment specifically on the issue of bringing a lawsuit for defamation of character, it does have some other principles which I think will answer your question. First, the Bible teaches that Christians are NEVER […]
In Matthew 28:18-20, we read: “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19″Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20″teaching them to observe […]
I have a very tough question. I have been a member of the Lord’s Church for a few years, and once people find out, the first question they ask is “Why does the church of Christ think they are the only ones going to heaven and not the denominational churches?” I think they ask this […]
This past Thursday evening, (April 1st 2004) we went to the Berryville Community Center and watched a high school choir production of Hans Christian Anderson’s classic tale, “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” You may be familiar with the story. An emperor is more concerned with his own vanities than he is with the affairs of his […]