It would not do us much good to know that “God, … spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets” (Hebrews 1:1) if the record of those words were lost, garbled, or corrupted. Through the good providence of God, the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments have been preserved over time so that what we have today is the same as what God originally inspired. We can have great confidence that the Bible we hold in our hands today is the inspired, infallible, inerrant, preserved Word of God. Read More ...
The pastor is supposed to use his authority over the flock to build up the flock. Like a shepherd, a pastor should want his flock to be strong and in good health. He wants the flock to prosper and grow spiritually. He wants to promote the best interests and well-being of the flock. He wants the church to be mature, stable, and strong. Read More ...
The Christian life is a battle or a struggle. We have spiritual enemies—primarily, the world, the flesh, and the devil. In Paul’s case, his enemies were the false teachers who had infiltrated the church and were leading people astray. Paul is ready to go to war with these spiritual adversaries. He’s not going to tolerate them or allow them to have any influence in the church. His intent is to destroy their false ideas. Read More ...
Hypocrites don’t really care about the law, salvation, the needy, prayer, the truth, tithing, or weighty spiritual matters. Within, they are full of dead men’s bones, uncleanness, extortion, and excess. They are serpents and vipers even though they appear to be righteous before men. Ultimately, their religion is a fraud, a charade, and they are in danger of the damnation of hell. Read More ...
One of the marks of a hypocrite is that he tells others to do what he is unwilling to do himself. They “say and do not,” they preach but they do not practice. Perhaps they keep the rules in public but not in private. Hypocrites are different people when no one is watching them. Their religion is external; it’s an act, a mask or a costume. Read More ...