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By: Gary L. Hutchens Surely, none of us would believe that God is pleased when He observes the widespread division that is prevalent among those who call themselves Christians today. Perhaps the most quickly observed indicator of the division is the different names on the fronts of church buildings. It’s not a matter of subtle differences in description, but a wide variation of names that point to all kinds of characteristics of the different religious groups. It’s interesting, and perhaps telling, as to how many of those names make absolutely no reference to either God or Christ.
By: Gary L. Hutchens How many times does God have to say something for it to be true? Just once! How many times does God have to say something for it to be authoritative? Just once! How many times does God have to say something for whatever He said to demand our respect? Just once! How many times does God have to instruct something for it to be binding? Just once!
By: Gary L. Hutchens “These are trying times.” How often have you heard this statement? Have you ever wondered who first said this and to what times he was referring? Obviously, he was referring to the times in which he lived. When do you suppose that was, and what, specifically, prompted him to say it? Well, it’s a fairly subjective statement, so he could have been talking about any of a whole host of matters. I have no idea, but I suspect it has been repeated for centuries, perhaps for millennia.
By: Gary L. Hutchens Jesus admonished, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). Why do so many people have such difficulty staying faithful? The “crown of life” signifies eternal life in Heaven. Eternal life is a “gift” offered to us “in Christ” by God’s grace (Rom. 6:23). Our responsibility in receiving this gift is, first, obedience (Heb. 5:9), and then, having received this gift, to continue to “be faithful until death.” We’re not talking surface level faith; God expects us to live a lifestyle of faithfulness until the day we die, even to the point of dying for our faith if necessary.
By: Gary L. Hutchens We find the phrase “sound doctrine” used several times in the New Testament (1 Tim. 1:8-11; 2 Tim. 4:3; Tit. 1:9; 2:1). The word doctrine simply means “teaching.” To qualify doctrine as being sound would identify it as being truthful, accurate, reliable, trustworthy. As applied to biblical teaching, sound doctrine would be teaching that accurately communicates God’s will by staying true to His word.
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September 2021
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