We Are Not Campbellites: We Are Christians

WE ARE NOT CAMPBELLITES: WE ARE CHRISTIANS

Through the years, members of the churches of Christ have sometimes been called “Campbellites.” This title is associated with Alexander Campbell and his important role in the nineteenth-century Restoration Movement. However, calling members of the church of Christ “Campbellites” is both historically misleading and biblically inappropriate. Alexander Campbell did not establish the church of Christ, nor did faithful Christians claim him as the founder of their religion. Campbell himself opposed the use of his name as a religious designation. The church described in the New Testament existed approximately eighteen centuries before Alexander Campbell lived. Our allegiance is not to Campbell, Barton W. Stone, Walter Scott, or any other religious leader. Our allegiance is to Jesus Christ. Paul condemned the practice of attaching religious allegiance to human teachers when he wrote, “Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:12, KJV). Paul immediately asked, “Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:13, KJV). Alexander Campbell was not crucified for us, we were not baptized in his name, and therefore we should not wear his name religiously.

The church belongs to Jesus Christ because Jesus is its builder. Long before Alexander Campbell was born, Jesus declared, “Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18, KJV). Notice carefully that Jesus called it “my church.” He did not promise to build Campbell's church, Luther's church, Calvin's church, Wesley's church, or the church of any other man. Christ built the church, purchased it with His blood, and serves as its only head. Paul instructed the Ephesian elders “to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28, KJV). Paul also wrote concerning Christ, “And he is the head of the body, the church” (Colossians 1:18, KJV). Ephesians 5:23 declares, “Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.” Therefore, if Christ built the church, purchased the church, governs the church, and saves the church, then the church rightfully belongs to Him.

The church of which we read in the New Testament began in Jerusalem on the first Pentecost following the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, commonly dated around A.D. 33. Jesus had promised that His kingdom would come during the lifetime of some who were standing with Him. He said, “Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power” (Mark 9:1, KJV). Immediately before ascending into heaven, Jesus told His apostles, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1:8, KJV). Acts chapter two records the fulfilment when the apostles received the Holy Ghost on Pentecost. Peter preached the death, burial, resurrection, and lordship of Jesus Christ, and the people were “pricked in their heart” and asked, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37, KJV). Peter answered, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38, KJV). The response was immediate: “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41, KJV). Acts 2:47 then tells us, “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” There was the church of Christ functioning in the first century, approximately eighteen hundred years before Alexander Campbell's work in America.

Alexander Campbell should therefore never be described as the founder of the church of Christ. He was an influential preacher and religious reformer who sought to call people away from denominational traditions and back to the teachings and practices of the New Testament. Other men were making similar efforts, sometimes independently of Campbell. Barton W. Stone, Thomas Campbell, Walter Scott, and many others participated in what became known historically as the Restoration Movement. Their purpose was not supposed to be the establishment of another denomination bearing Campbell's name. The restoration principle was that Christians could discard human creeds and denominational traditions and return to the Bible as their authority. There is an enormous difference between establishing a new church and seeking to restore the pattern of a church that already existed in Scripture. If a man discovers an old road that has become covered with weeds and debris and clears away the obstruction so that people can travel it again, he did not build the road. He merely helped people rediscover it. Likewise, restoration leaders did not travel back to Jerusalem and establish the church of Acts 2. That church had already been established by the authority of Jesus Christ.

The designation “church of Christ” is appropriate because the church belongs to Christ. Paul wrote, “The churches of Christ salute you” (Romans 16:16, KJV). This expression should not be viewed merely as a modern denominational title. It describes congregations belonging to Christ. The New Testament also uses such expressions as “the church of God” (1 Corinthians 1:2), “the church of the living God” (1 Timothy 3:15), and “the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:27). Each expression directs attention toward God and Christ rather than toward a human religious leader. If the church belongs to Christ, then there is nothing unreasonable about referring to it as Christ's church or the church of Christ.

Furthermore, followers of Jesus were given a name long before Alexander Campbell appeared upon the pages of history. Acts 11:26 says, “And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” When Paul preached to Agrippa, the king responded, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (Acts 26:28, KJV). Peter later wrote, “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Peter 4:16, KJV). The name Christian honors Christ. The name Campbellite honors Campbell. Since Christ died for us, Christ redeemed us, and Christ is our Lord, Christians should be satisfied to wear the name that glorifies Him.

Someone might ask how Christians living today can claim connection with a church that began nearly two thousand years ago. The answer is found in the principle of the seed. Jesus said, “The seed is the word of God” (Luke 8:11, KJV). A seed produces according to its kind. When the same gospel seed is planted today that was planted in the first century, it will produce the same result. On Pentecost, people heard the gospel, believed its message, repented of their sins, and were baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:37–41). When people today hear that same gospel and obey it in the same manner, they do not need to become members of a denomination established centuries later. They can simply become what the people in Acts became—Christians.

Consider the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts chapter eight. Philip “preached unto him Jesus” (Acts 8:35, KJV). As they travelled, they came to water, and the eunuch asked, “See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?” (Acts 8:36, KJV). After confessing his faith in Christ, “they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him” (Acts 8:38, KJV). What denomination did the eunuch join? He did not become a Campbellite because Campbell would not be born for more than seventeen centuries. He did not become a Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, or member of some other later religious movement. He simply obeyed the gospel and became a Christian. The same was true at Corinth, where “many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized” (Acts 18:8, KJV).

The Bible further teaches that baptism places the believer into Christ. Paul wrote, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27, KJV). Romans 6:3 states, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” First Corinthians 12:13 says, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.” What is that body? Paul answers in Colossians 1:18: “And he is the head of the body, the church.” Therefore, the New Testament picture is wonderfully simple. A sinner hears the gospel (Romans 10:17), believes in Jesus Christ (John 8:24), repents of sin (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38), confesses Christ (Romans 10:10), and is baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27). The Lord then adds the saved to His church (Acts 2:47). No human founder is necessary because Jesus Christ has already established His church and provided the gospel by which people enter into fellowship with Him.

We must therefore reject the idea that Alexander Campbell founded the church of Christ in nineteenth-century America. Historically, Campbell was enormously influential in the Restoration Movement, and we may appreciate his efforts to encourage people to return to New Testament Christianity. However, our faith cannot rest upon him. Paul declared, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11, KJV). Christ is our foundation. Christ is our Savior. Christ is our King. Christ is the head of the church. Christ purchased the church with His blood. Christ alone deserves the glory.

Our plea, therefore, is not that people return to Alexander Campbell. Our plea is that people return to Jesus Christ and the New Testament. We do not seek to restore Campbellism; we seek to practice New Testament Christianity. We do not want to be Campbellites, Stoneites, Lutherans, Calvinists, or followers of any other man. We desire simply to be Christians. We want to believe what first-century Christians believed, obey what they obeyed, worship as they worshiped, teach what they taught, and organize congregations according to the pattern revealed in Scripture. Jeremiah expressed a principle that beautifully illustrates the restoration plea: “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein” (Jeremiah 6:16, KJV).

The church of Christ did not begin with Alexander Campbell in America. The church belongs to Jesus Christ and was established in Jerusalem in the first century, commonly dated around A.D. 33, when the gospel was preached and approximately three thousand souls obeyed it on Pentecost. Jesus had promised, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18, KJV), and Acts chapter two records the beginning of that church in its established form. Alexander Campbell lived many centuries later and sought to restore New Testament principles, not to replace Christ as the founder of the church. Therefore, calling Christians “Campbellites” gives a man a position that belongs only to Jesus. We are not Campbellites. We are Christians. We do not belong to Alexander Campbell. We belong to Jesus Christ. We seek to be members of the church that Christ built, purchased with His blood, and established in the first century.

If Jesus Built One Church

If Jesus Built One Church, Can We Choose Any Church We Want?

Bill Myers

 There is a question that every sincere follower of Jesus Christ ought to consider carefully: “If Jesus Christ built one church, do we have the right to choose a church simply because it suits our personal preference?” We live in a religious culture where people commonly say, “Go to the church of your choice.” The idea sounds harmless. We are told to find a church that makes us comfortable, agrees with our preferences, has the music we enjoy, teaches what we believe, has programs that meet our needs, or fits our personality. Church selection can become much like selecting a restaurant, a school, or a store. We look at our options and choose the one we like best. But there is a serious biblical question behind that approach: “Did Jesus give us the authority to choose His church, or did He already establish His church for us?”

 Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church.” Notice what Jesus did not say. He did not say, “I will give everyone the freedom to build the church of his or her choice.” He said, “I will build my church.” The church belongs to Christ. If Jesus built the church, then it is His church. If it is His church, then He has the right to determine what it is, what it teaches, how it functions, how people enter it, and how its members are to live. That changes the entire conversation. We may choose where we shop. We may choose where we work. We may choose what kind of vehicle we drive. We may choose where we live. But when it comes to the church, the question should not be, “What church do I prefer?” The question should be, “What church did Jesus establish, and am I willing to submit to it?” That is a completely different way of thinking.

 Imagine that someone built a house and then invited you to live in it. Would you have the authority to walk in and say, “I have decided that I do not like this room, so I am going to remove it. I do not like the color, so I will change it. I do not like the owner's rules, so I will create my own”? Of course not. The house belongs to the owner. In the same way, the church belongs to Christ. Paul said in Ephesians 5:23, “Christ is the head of the church.” Colossians 1:18 calls Christ “the head of the body, the church.” The church is not ours to redesign according to our preferences. We may choose many things in life according to personal preference, but when it comes to the church, personal preference cannot become the final authority.

 Jesus said, “I will build my church.” The New Testament repeatedly speaks of the church as one body. Ephesians 4:4 says, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.” First Corinthians 12:12 says, “For as the body is one, and hath many members... so also is Christ.” Colossians 1:18 identifies the body as the church and declares Christ to be its head. The biblical picture is not of Jesus establishing numerous independent churches teaching different doctrines and allowing each person to select whichever one he prefers. The picture is of “one Lord, one faith, one body, and one church belonging to Christ.”

 This should cause us to pause before casually saying, “Just go to the church of your choice.” Which church did Jesus build? That is the question. One of the greatest problems with the statement “go to the church of your choice” is that it can make human preference the final authority. If I choose a church because I like its music, am I allowing Jesus to determine my worship, or am I determining it? If I choose a church because it teaches what I already believe, am I submitting myself to Scripture, or am I looking for a church that submits to me? If I leave one congregation because it teaches something I do not want to hear and find another congregation that tells me what I want to hear, have I really submitted to Christ? The Christian life is not supposed to be built around the question, “What do I like?” It is built around the question, “What does my Lord command?”

 Jesus asked in Luke 6:46, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” That question strikes at the heart of religious consumerism. If Jesus is Lord, then His will must take priority over my preferences. We must therefore distinguish between choosing a local congregation in which to worship and serve and choosing or inventing a church according to our personal desires. The New Testament shows Christians assembling with one another, and circumstances can require Christians to worship with different local congregations. Finding a faithful local congregation in which to worship and serve is not the same thing as inventing one's own church. The real problem arises when people treat the church as though it were something humans are free to redesign.

 A person might say, “I do not care what the Bible teaches about the church. I will attend whichever religious organization makes me happiest.” That attitude puts the individual above Christ. The issue is not whether we have preferences. Of course we do. The issue is whether our preferences have authority over God's Word. They do not.

 Think about what happens when everyone becomes his own authority. One person says, “I believe baptism is necessary.” Another says, “I do not believe baptism has anything to do with salvation.” One says, “We must follow the biblical pattern of worship.” Another says, “Worship can be whatever makes us feel close to God.” One says, “The church should follow the teachings of the apostles.” Another says, “The Bible is only a guide, and we can adapt Christianity to modern culture.” One person says one thing, another person says something different, and eventually we have thousands of religious bodies teaching different doctrines. Then someone says, “It does not matter. Just go to the church of your choice.” But if Jesus built one church, how can thousands of contradictory teachings all represent the church He built?

 Truth does not become truth simply because someone sincerely believes it. Sincerity matters, but sincerity does not make error correct. Paul warned in Galatians 1:8 that even if an angel preached a gospel different from the one delivered by the apostles, that message was not to be accepted. The standard is not personal preference. The standard is the Word of God.

 Jesus has authority over His church. Jesus declared in Matthew 28:18, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” If Jesus has all authority, then He has authority over His church. He determines the terms of discipleship. He determines what His followers are to believe. He determines how His people are to live. He determines how His church is to function. He determines what constitutes faithfulness. We do not have the authority to say, “Jesus, I appreciate what You established, but I prefer something different.” That is not submission. That is self-rule. The very meaning of Christianity is that Jesus is Lord.

 Modern religion can easily become centered on the individual. We ask, “What can the church do for me?” “Does the preacher make me feel good?” “Does the worship service entertain me?” “Does the church agree with my opinions?” “Does the congregation have enough activities for my family?” “Does it make me comfortable?” But Christianity begins with a different question: “What does Christ require of me?” Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Notice the language: “deny himself.” Jesus did not say, “Choose the religious environment that best satisfies yourself.” He said, “Follow me.” Discipleship means that Christ becomes Lord over our preferences.

 The church does matter. Some people react to this discussion by saying, “It does not matter what church you attend as long as you love Jesus.” But if Jesus built the church, then we cannot say the church does not matter. The church matters because “Jesus cares about His church”. He purchased it with His blood, according to Acts 20:28. He is its Head. He is its Savior. He is the One who established it. Therefore, if we love Christ, we should care about what He has taught concerning His church. The question is not whether church membership is a magical formula for salvation. It is whether we respect the authority of the King who established the church.

 Perhaps we should even change our language. Instead of constantly saying, “My church,” we should remember that it is “Christ's church”. It is not the preacher's church. It is not the elders' church. It is not the congregation's church. It is not the denomination's church. It is “Christ's church”. Jesus said, “I will build my church.” That means we should approach the church with humility. We should ask, “Lord, what have You established? Lord, what do You teach? Lord, how do You want Your people to worship? Lord, how should Your people live? Lord, what does it mean to be faithful to You?” Those are the questions of discipleship.

 Ultimately, this discussion is not about whether one religious group is better than another. It is about “authority”. Who gets to decide what Christianity is? Do I? Does my family? Does my preacher? Does my denomination? Does popular culture? Or does Jesus Christ? If Jesus is truly Lord, then He must have the final authority. Jesus said in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Love for Christ cannot be separated from submission to Christ.

 There is nothing wrong with desiring a loving congregation, faithful fellowship, good preaching, and biblical teaching. But those things should not be measured primarily by what we personally enjoy. The first question should be whether the congregation is striving to follow Christ faithfully. A congregation may have beautiful music and weak doctrine. It may have exciting programs and little biblical substance. It may have a charismatic preacher and an unfaithful message. It may be comfortable and yet compromise the truth. The Christian must therefore examine everything by Scripture.

 The Bereans were commended because they “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). That should be our attitude. Do not simply choose a church because you like it. “Search the Scriptures.” Do not choose a church because your friends attend. “Search the Scriptures.” Do not choose a church because it makes you comfortable. “Search the Scriptures.” Do not reject a church because it challenges you. “Search the Scriptures.” Let God's Word be the standard.

 If Jesus built one church, then we should not approach Christianity as though we are shopping for the religious organization that best fits our preferences. We should approach Christianity as disciples approaching their King. Jesus has spoken. Jesus has established His church. Jesus is its Head. Jesus is the Savior. Jesus is Lord. Our responsibility is not to redesign His church but to faithfully follow Him.

 The question, therefore, is not simply, “Where do I want to go to church?” The better question is, “Where can I faithfully follow the church that Jesus built?” There is a world of difference between those two questions. One places “me” at the center. The other places “Christ” at the center. And if Jesus truly is Lord, then He deserves to be at the center.

 Let us therefore stop treating the church as though it were merely another consumer choice. Let us stop asking only what church makes us comfortable and start asking what church is faithful to the Word of God. Let us search the Scriptures, examine our traditions, test our assumptions, and submit our preferences to the authority of Christ.

 Jesus did not say, “I will build whatever church you choose.” He said, “I will build my church.” And if it is “His church”, then our responsibility is not to choose whatever church we want. Our responsibility is to “seek, know, enter, and faithfully serve in the church that belongs to Him”.

 One Lord. One faith. One body. One church. And one King whose authority must stand above every human preference.

Come Let Us Study

Come, Let Us Study the Word Together

Bill Myers

The Word of God is not merely a book to be read; it is the living truth through which God reveals His character, His will, His promises, and His plan for humanity. In a world filled with competing voices, opinions, philosophies, and distractions, we need the sure foundation of Scripture more than ever. The invitation is simple: Come, let us study the Word together. Isaiah 1:18 says, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD.” This invitation reminds us that God desires us to come into His presence, open our hearts, and seek understanding through His truth.

The Word of God is our foundation. Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Just as our physical bodies need food to live and remain healthy, our spirits need the Word of God for strength and nourishment. The Bible strengthens us when we are weak, corrects us when we go astray, encourages us when we are discouraged, and teaches us how to walk faithfully with God. Psalm 119:105 declares, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” God's Word gives us direction when we do not know which way to turn and provides light when the road ahead seems dark. When we study Scripture, we discover God's wisdom and learn how He desires us to live.

We must also study the Bible with open and humble hearts. Bible study should be more than simply collecting information or gaining knowledge. We should approach God's Word with a sincere desire to hear His voice and understand His will. The psalmist prayed in Psalm 119:18, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” This should also be our prayer. We need God to open our understanding because it is possible to read the words of Scripture without fully grasping their spiritual meaning. Therefore, whenever we open the Bible, we should pray for wisdom, listen carefully, and allow the inspired word to guide us. Jesus promised His apostles in John 16:13 that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth.

The Bible also calls us to search the Scriptures carefully. The Bereans provide an excellent example for us. Acts 17:11 tells us that they “received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” They were willing to listen, but they also examined what they heard in the light of God's Word. This is an important lesson for us today. We should not build our faith solely upon personalities, traditions, popular opinions, or human philosophies. Instead, we should continually ask, “What does the Bible say?” Studying together gives us an opportunity to ask questions, examine Scripture carefully, compare Scripture with Scripture, and grow in our understanding of God's truth.

The ultimate purpose of studying Scripture is to know Christ. Bible study is not simply about becoming more knowledgeable; it is about developing a deeper relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 5:39, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” Scripture points us toward Christ, His character, His teachings, His sacrifice, His resurrection, and His promise of salvation. As we study the Bible, we should seek to see Jesus more clearly and understand God's love more deeply. The more we learn about Christ, the more we should desire to follow Him and reflect His character in our lives.

However, studying the Word is not enough if we do not put what we learn into practice. James 1:22 says, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Bible study should result in a transformed life. If Scripture teaches us to forgive, we should forgive. If it teaches us to love our enemies, we should seek to love them. If it teaches us to be honest, humble, compassionate, patient, faithful, and holy, then these qualities should become evident in the way we live. The purpose of studying God's Word is not merely to know more about the Bible but to allow its truth to change our hearts, guide our decisions, and shape our daily lives.

There is also great value in studying God's Word together. We are not meant to walk the Christian journey alone. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” When believers gather together around Scripture with humility, love, and a sincere desire to learn, we can encourage one another, strengthen one another, and learn from one another. Hebrews 10:24–25 encourages believers to consider how they may encourage one another toward love and good works and not forsake assembling together. When we study together, we have the opportunity to grow not only in knowledge but also in faith, fellowship, encouragement, and obedience.

So, come, let us study the Word together. Let us open the Scriptures with hungry hearts and willing minds. Let us ask questions, seek understanding, examine what we believe, and allow God's Word to speak for itself. Let us seek truth rather than simply looking for confirmation of our own opinions. Let us compare Scripture with Scripture, pray for understanding, learn from one another, and above all, seek Jesus. As we study, may God's Word take root deeply within our hearts and produce faith, obedience, wisdom, love, and hope in our lives.

Second Timothy 2:15 gives us this powerful instruction: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” May we take this responsibility seriously. Let us not be satisfied with a shallow knowledge of God's Word, but let us become diligent students of Scripture. Let us read it, meditate upon it, discuss it, apply it, and share its truth with others. The invitation remains: Come, let us open God's Word. Let us learn together. Let us grow together. Let us encourage one another. Let us draw closer to Christ together. And let us allow the truth of Scripture to transform our lives. Come, let us study the Word together.

Built-in Mirrors

Dress-up occasions. Did you ever attend an event where you need to look especially formal, with a nice suit or classy dress, and wonder when you arrive if everything looks right? As a preacher, this happens all the time. And then I’ll start thinking, “Is my tie straight? Did I cut myself shaving and not stop the bleeding?” I worry about that stuff because, over the decades, it has happened many times.

Earlier this week, I woke up in the night, and as I did in the total darkness, I could see eyes looking back at me. This has happened before and I don’t know if it is a reflection off the insides of my eyelids, or if my brain is just trying to accustom me to wakefulness. But, in any case, I think it would be helpful to have automatic mirrors so I could see myself, especially in those formal situations.

God also wants us to be constantly aware of ourselves; not so much our physical appearance, but what really matters: how do we look to God – our spiritual appearance. Remember, He can see to the very core of our souls (Psalm 139)!

God gives us plenty of warning about checking ourselves out.

“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you are disqualified” (2 Corinthians 13:5 NKJV). You mean we can be disqualified! Now that’s attention getting.

“For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load” (Galatians 6:3-5). We can, indeed, be fooling ourselves.

“Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it” (Hebrews 4:1). Coming just short of God’s finish line is the worst of tragedies.

You might be wondering exactly how you can examine yourself, so the above horrible results don’t happen to you. Where is this spiritual mirror we can use?

God gives us one, His message to us: the Bible. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:22-25).

How do you look?

 Jeff Greene

Watch Out for the Waves

The first wave is over. You might be thinking I’m talking about COVID-19, but actually it’s my yard, which is surrounded by poplar trees. The huge leaves have finally stopped falling. However, I can’t rest yet; the dozen or so Bradford pears are just beginning to turn red and pretty soon they’ll be blowing over my way, too. Another wave of work!

Funny thing about those waves: we tend not to be ready for the next one. In the two times I have fished in the ocean’s surf, I’ve had the same shock. I like to stand out in it almost waist deep, but the last time at Cape Hatteras, even though it was a relatively calm day, I was bowled completely over a couple of times. Too busy casting to watch out for the waves.

The one-chapter poetical book of Jude offers us another theme of waves. Jude thoroughly points out the vast corruption of the “ungodly” by stating they are “raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame” (v.13 NKJV). Yes, sin keeps on coming, doesn’t it?

Pity the “young man devoid of understanding” as he encounters the harlot in Proverbs 7. He wasn’t even able to fend off this first wave of sexual temptation and suffered “as an ox goes to the slaughter.” Yet that is not the end of this one Bible book’s warnings about this type of temptation. Why? Because the waves keep on coming!

Jesus tells a parable of an “unclean spirit” going out of a man seeking a place to “rest” elsewhere, but finding none. He decides to return to the man and finding the man’s “house” “swept and in order,” and “takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first” (Luke 11:24-26). While there is much conjecture about Jesus’ actual meaning, we see one thing missing from this man succumbing to further waves of evil. He did not improve his defenses against future evil.

A long time ago I was on the job in my old mail Jeep, when I pulled out at an intersection in front of a motorcycle. I screeched to a halt just in time, but I did what most all of us would do: I made a mental note to take a moment longer to look out for those small vehicles. We all must constantly be watching out for evil. As Peter said, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 P. 5:8). You may have fought off Satan’s first wave. Be ready for the next!

Jeff Greene

Are You Pumping the Brakes of Life?

Oh, the serene countryside. Such were my thoughts on my way to making a visit a while back. I was just taking my time and enjoying the ride . . . till I wanted to slow down for a curve and my brake pedal went clear to the floor. Talk about a change in emotions – from cool and calm to wildly frantic in less than a second! A few pumps on them enabled me to arrive at the destination and fortunately they had some brake fluid to top off my reservoir.

Did you know that God wants us to pump the brakes of our lives, from a few perspectives?

First, to check that they’re working. This is a constant theme throughout the Bible. “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you are disqualified” (2 Corinthians 13:5 NKJV).

Second, we pump our brakes to build the pressure back up in them. “They work; I’ll be okay.” If you “test yourself” and find things aren’t so good, you can take yourself to the throne of the Great Physician through prayer and attention to His precepts. Solutions will be found aplenty to get you back on “the way which leads to life” (Matthew 7:14).

Third, we just need to slow down. I am convinced by experience that most folks, even Christians, don’t value God’s instructions about self-control enough. In the Apostle Paul’s comparison of the Christian life to sports, he says, “And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable” (1 Cor. 9:25-26 NASB).

We are a nation of indulgers. “If it feels good, do it” has become our theme. We have problems with obesity, drugs, alcohol, entertainment, sexual activity outside of marriage, greed, and on and on. What does this all come back to? A lack of self-control. We refuse to pump the brakes on our physical and emotional desires.

We try to justify ourselves by saying, “Well, I’m not as bad as the inmates at the jail,” but we’re still heading for the giant rock in the next bend. 1 Cor. 6:9-10 NKJV states, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”

We can indulge in all sorts of sins that we won’t go to jail for, but we will go to hell for. So how about pumping your brakes right now. Drive safely!

Jeff Greene