When God inspired one preacher to write a letter of instruction and encouragement to another preacher, the Lord made it abundantly clear that He had only one message to be taught and obeyed – neither the preacher nor the adherents were to deviate from His narrow course. They were to “teach no other doctrine” (1 Tim. 1:3). To emphasize the singularity and…

How many times has God been accused of “not being fair”? When consequences for actions come to bear, sometimes God is blamed for them. However, as God explained to His people through Ezekiel, it is not His way that is not “fair” but “man’s ways.” (Notice the pronouns.) “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O…

In 2 Corinthians 11, the apostle Paul recited a litany of excuses he had given for not regularly worshiping with the saints: “…in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I…

When you begin to think about what the Bible says regarding Jesus’ relationship to the church, could you identify where Jesus is in the church? The Bible says that Jesus is the foundation (and chief cornerstone) of the church (1 Cor. 3:11; Eph. 2:20). Therefore, in one sense, Jesus is under the church. The Bible says that Jesus is the head of…

Peter was thrown into prison in Acts 12, and Scripture says that he was “kept in prison” (12:5). Paul and Silas were cast into prison in Acts 16, and the jailor was charged to “keep them safely” (16:23). When you think about a prison and think about prisoners being kept, there is a certain confinement and even protection that likely comes to…