The First Gospel Meeting

The gospel meeting I am referring to is not some 1830’s log cabin meeting with Barton W. Stone, Alexander Campbell, or some other Restoration Era gospel preacher. The meeting I am speaking of predates those men by approximately 1,800 years. The very first gospel meeting was held by twelve men, in the city of Jerusalem in the year 33 A.D.

This gospel meeting was one that had been in the works since the beginning of time. It was a meeting that God had planned and had made preparations for from the moment He first “spoke” the world into existence. In order to make that meeting successful God first prepared a people to bring the Lord Jesus Christ (the object of that first gospel meeting) into the world. Also, He prepared an environment in which that primitive gospel could grow and thrive. Finally, He prepared the message to be preached and the preachers to deliver the message.

A Prepared People

From the very beginning, God selected a family into which His Messiah would be born. This Messiah was born to deliver mankind from sin and reconcile him back to God. After Adam and Eve were forced from the garden, the Lord selected one of their sons as the root from which the Messiah would eventually emerge. That chosen man was Seth, the son of Adam and Eve (Genesis 4:25). Of the descendants of Seth, the next man selected by God as the progenitor of Messiah was Noah. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” Genesis 6:8. Noah, of all his generation, was the only man still faithful in his service to God. Therefore, God saved him and his family and destroyed the rest of mankind. Generations later, Abram was selected by God to bring forth the seed from which all mankind would be blessed. “I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 12:2-3.

From Abraham, Isaac and Jacob descended the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel. This great nation of people began with just 75 men, women and children, who went down into Egypt in a time of great famine. 430 years later, 603,550 men upwards from 20 years old emerged with their wives and children, numbering approximately 2-3 million. This nation was given a Law at Mount Sinai after their exodus from Egypt. That Law was meant to teach them the importance of sacrifice and service to God and to prepare them to receive the Messiah and to obey His gospel. “But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” Galatians 3:23-25.

At the close of the Jewish dispensation, God sent John the baptist to restore the Jewish people back to faithfulness under the Old Covenant, so that they would be ready to receive the Messiah and His gospel. John did exactly that. He made “straight the way of the Lord…” (John 1:23; Isaiah 40:3). His work as the forerunner to Christ restored faithfulness among the Jews. It was the disciples of John the baptist who, later, made up the bulk of Jesus’ disciples.

A Prepared Environment

God sent His Son into the world, born of a virgin of the Jewish nation. His birth, life, teachings, death and resurrection are the “good news” that embodies the gospel message. However, before that blessed event could occur, God had to allow for the proper environment in which to bring His Messiah and to spread forth His gospel. Isaiah prophesied that Jerusalem would be the city from which the gospel would proceed (Isaiah 2:2-3). In the first century, Jerusalem, Palestine, and the entire Mediterranean region were part of the Roman Empire.

The Roman Empire provided for the ideal environment into which the Messiah would be born. Under Rome, as never before in human history, was much of the world under the control of one government. Never before had there been so much stability in the world. The Roman Empire provided a framework for maintaining an orderly society, such as a common language (Koine Greek), a common currency and well established code of law. They built and protected a highway system that rivaled even our modern highway systems. These highways made it possible for people to travel around the Mediterranean region quickly and safely, thus furthering the gospel’s spread.

In addition, by this time, the Jewish people had been scattered across the entire Roman Empire. Those who were the most faithful returned to Jerusalem each year for the three feast days as prescribed in the Law of Moses. The aforementioned societal framework the Romans created allowed them the security and ability to make the journey. It was during one of these three feast days, the day of Pentecost, in which this first gospel meeting was held. On that day, it is estimated that there could have been upwards of 3 million Jews on hand to hear those first gospel sermons.

Prepared Preachers

Before that first gospel meeting could be held, preachers were needed. Jesus selected twelve men and named them apostles. Of this first select group, one fell by the wayside (Judas), but another (Matthias) was selected to take his place. Jesus spent three years with these men teaching them the things that they were in turn to go out and to preach. He promised to them that he would send unto them the Holy Spirit Who would, (1) guide them into all truth (John 16:13), (2) teach them all things (John 14:26), (3) remind them of all He had taught them (John 14:26), and (4) speak through them (Mark 13:11).

A Prepared Gospel Message

On the day of Pentecost, these twelve men received the promise of the Holy Spirit with power and began to speak the words of the gospel message to the gathered multitude. It was the apostle Peter who began the gospel meeting with an inspired defense and explanation of the miraculous events that were transpiring that day. This was according to God’s plan, for Jesus had said to Peter, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19. Peter would be the one holding the keys to the kingdom of heaven – the church. He would be the first one to “unlock” the doors and invite those who desired to be saved to enter in. The things that he would “bind” or “loose” on earth that day, would be the things that already had been “bound” or “loosed” by God in heaven. Peter was simply the inspired “doorman” to usher in the church age.

His sermon began with a defense and ended with an invitation to, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” Acts 2:38. This first great gospel meeting resulted in the salvation of 3,000 people! “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.

Conclusion

The first gospel meeting was a great success! God had planned it perfectly! He had perfectly prepared the audience, the environment, the preachers and their message. The gospel went forth from that place, on that day, to spread throughout the entire world within 30 years. Many of the gathered multitude of Jews, “out of every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5), “gladly received his word” and “were baptized” (Acts 2:41), and carried that gospel message back to their scattered homes and families abroad. Later, the apostle Paul and others would carry that gospel message unto the gentiles bringing many of them into the church as well.

All this was able to take place because God had scheduled that first gospel meeting! None of the wondrous things that resulted from that meeting would have taken place if no one had been there to hear it! The same can be said of our gospel meeting this week. If you do not attend, members or visitors alike, you will miss out on a wonderful opportunity to be strengthened and encouraged by that Old Jerusalem Gospel that still saves today.

 

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The Days of Our Lives

The days of a person’s life pass with great rapidity, to think that we have unlimited time here on the earth is a serious mistake. Many people live as though they have forever to get the most mundane things done, when the things could be done very quickly if the person put the task first in their priorities and began to do it. The great problem that hinders too many people is the willingness to put off (i.e. procrastinate), rather than take a task, beginning it, and following through to its conclusion. Indeed, some things require planning and thoughtful consideration before they are undertaken but the putting off indefinitely the commencement of a useful project is a contributing factor to an unproductive life and an old age full of regret. Because people have different levels of ability each person must decide for themselves if their approach to living life is productive or unproductive to good, only then can one begin to tackle projects within the range of their ability and proceed to finish them one by one. This concept is also effective at building a Christian life (i.e. a life for God) and a satisfied and fulfilling existence while one lives out the years of their life here on earth.

CONSIDER THIS:  The Bible has several very pointed statements about our pursuits here on the earth and what our priorities in life ought to be in order to live a successful life (i.e. successful by God’s standard). Please read the following truths, found in God’s Book, think on each reading and consider the ideal of “considering, seeking, and following through to completion.”

Matt 6:31-34, “31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.  34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (NKJV).

Luke 11:9-13, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?  12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him” (NKJV).

John 5:41-45, “41 “I do not receive honor from men.  42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.  43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.  44 How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God” (NKJV)?

Rom 2:11, “1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds”:   7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness — indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God” (NKJV).

Col 3:1-4, “1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (NKJV).

Heb 11:6, “6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (NKJV).

Heb 11:8-10, “8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (NKJV).

CONCLUSION: So, as the wise man so adequately states the case – Psalms 90:10-12, “10 The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. 11 Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath. 12 So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom” (NKJV).

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Belief and Confession

QUESTION: “Isn’t it true that all one has to do to be saved is to simply believe in Jesus and confess Him as Lord?”

According to some uninspired, man-made denominational teaching, yes. But according to the Divinely-Inspired (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21), totally inerrant (Psalm 19:7-11), and eternal truth (Psalm 119:89) of Almighty God, NO. While believing in and confessing Jesus as Lord are absolutely essential elements to the Scriptural picture of salvation (Romans 10:9-10), they are certainly not the ONLY elements essential in the salvation process. Consider these three Biblical cases:

  • The demons both believe (James 2:19) and confess that Jesus is the Son of God (Mk. 5:1-7; Lk. 4:31-34); yet they won’t be in Heaven will they? Of course not! (If they were, it wouldn’t be heaven!)
  • The deceived and deluded yet very committed and convicted religious people Jesus mentioned who will plead their case on Judgment Day in Matt. 7:21-23 called Him “Lord, Lord” and apparently believed they were saved with all their heart too… but they weren’t, were they?
  • Saul of Tarsus, upon meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus both called Him “Lord,” and certainly believed Him enough to obey Him as such didn’t he (Acts 9:1-9, 22:6-11)? And yet, three days later (Acts 9:9), even after believing and confessing Jesus as Lord, his sins were still unforgiven, despite his having done those two things alone. We know this because he was then instructed as to what he had to still do in order to have his sins washed away (Acts 22:16; See also Acts 2:38).

(And just as a side-note to Acts 22:16, please note that water baptism for the forgiveness/washing away of their sins – and not some so-called “sinner’s prayer” which is never found since the inception of the New Covenant in Acts 2 as the way sinners are to be saved – is how and when one calls on the name of the Lord to be saved – according to the bible that is.)

Three cases where belief and confession (although essential) are not, and were not enough by themselves alone, to save anyone, nor are they now if the Bible is still true – which it absolutely is (John 17:17, 12:48). Even the Romans 10 passage indicates that those two elements are merely foundational and are meant to lead to further essential actions such as calling on His Name (vs. 13 – which Saul did: Acts 22:16) in obeying the gospel (vs. 16) which all who hope to go to Heaven must do (2 Thess. 1:6-10). To study further into all of the  essential elements to being saved, please contact us with your additional questions or come and visit and study exclusively from God’s Word with us in person… and you hall know the truth… (John 8:32).

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Considering Marriage

What Does God Say About Divorce and Remarriage?

Well, marriage is for: Companionship (Gen. 2:18), For multiplying (Gen. 1:27-28), To prevent immorality (Heb. 13:4), and Marriage is a relationship of this earth only (Matt. 22:30).  Now, what God put together is mentioned twice indicating that there is not suppose to be divorce. When it comes to marriage, according to Gen. 2:24, man and woman is to cleave to each other.

But, for what reasons can one divorce?  Well, many believe it can be for just about any reason. In Alaska, one can be divorced for mental illness, drunkenness or conviction of a felony.  In New York, one can be divorced if one is separated for more than a year.  In China, one can be divorced if you gamble.  In Germany, one can divorced because of irresponsible attitudes.  Others  divorce because the husband or wife is abusive, or their mate is not as sexy as they use to be, or they were not married long enough and want an annulment, or they are just not compatible anymore.  But, according to the Bible, there is only one reason for divorce.  Matt. 5:32, “. . . whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.”  Matt. 19:9, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”

But, what is fornication?  Some claim that it is kissing another woman or man who you are not married to; while others, say it is hugging or dating another.  And, while these can be understandable reasons, they are not scriptural and Godly reasons for divorce.  Fornication is the Greek word, “Pornea,” from where we get the word pornography, and it can be nothing else, except sexual intercourse.  Intercourse, as you know, involves the ripping apart the flesh of the marriage.  It rips apart the cleaving of husband and wife, it rips apart that which was joined together by God and that person joins with another person.  Now, as a result, the innocent party may remarry.  But, the fornicator has lost all rights to remarry.

Now, some say, what about baptism, since baptism removes sin, does this mean that one can continue in a second marriage that was unscriptural before baptism?  Well, baptism does remove sin (Acts 22:16), but the moment they are baptized and are still in that relationship, they are still fornicating in that 2nd marriage.  And, this also questions the validity of their baptism as if they were trying to wash away sins, but to continue to live in sin.  This does not show a penitent heart.  You know, in 1 Cor. 6:9-10, it states, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?” and among the unrighteous, he mentions fornicators and adulterers.

Some say that this is not fair, but the point that people forget, is God intends for marriage to be to one man, one woman, for life.  Eph. 5:25 tells us, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.”  Well, you don’t see Christ going out a-whoring after other churches do you or leaving the church, to find something younger.  God forbid.  This is the reason marriage should never be taken lightly.  Sadly, people do not understand the one flesh which is why they break the bond of marriage.

Now, as to the remarriage part, in 1 Cor. 7:39, Paul says, “The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.”  Now, I want to point out that the emphasis in 1 Cor. 7 is not about the persons to whom the Corinthians were to be married, but about marrying itself. Paul told both the unmarried and the widows to remain like him, unmarried, if they could (1 Cor. 7:7-9), because: He wanted to spare them trouble in the flesh (1 Cor. 7:28), He wanted them without “anxious care” (1 Cor. 7:32), and He wanted them to serve the Lord without distraction (1 Cor. 7:35).

So, while this passage gives the person described the right to remarry, it does not give that person the unconditional right of remarriage, except, “only in the Lord.”  Now, notice a couple of views of this statement, “Only in the Lord” because we have to use caution so as to not make a law where God did not make one.  The first view is that the Christian widow may remarry, but only in accordance with the teachings of the Lord.  Now, we know that this phrase “in the Lord,” appears frequently in the scriptures to mean those who labored, spoke and died in the faith of the Lord (Rom. 16:12; Rev. 14:13), or to mean the acknowledgment of Christ’s supremacy (1 Cor. 1:31) or, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord” (Col. 3:18), or, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord …” (Eph. 6:1).  Thus Paul’s language would indicate that “widows are free to marry anyone they choose (whether Christian or not) so long as they do not violate some teaching of Christ about marriage.  She or he would not have the right to marry a man who had obtained an unscriptural divorce (Matt. 19:9).   However, this seems to deny the plain condition: Only “in the Lord.”

The second view is that the only person the Christian widow [or widower] may consider for a husband [or wife] is another Christian.  This seems to be the natural understanding.  But, then that raises the question, why marry only a Christian?  Well for starters, a faithful Christian companion has a supportive faith and encourages his service to the Lord whereas, an unbeliever would not support him.  You see, the worldly spouse will tempt the Christian to live worldly again and can pull him away from his first love, which is Christ.  Second, if marrying outside the Lord, it shows shallow faith and we risk our souls for the sake of a marriage.

But now, this poses a question that is difficult to answer: What should be done to a Christian widow who marries a non-Christian?  I mean, you can repent that you did wrong or that you did not know, but the only reason to end a marriage is still fornication or death.  One man said, “while this union may be holy or unholy, “It is unwise to disobey the Lord in the matter.  How serious is this disobedience?  I don’t know.  Will one be lost who is guilty of this sin? Again I do not know!”

Now, one other question that goes along with this thought is: “Why should this restriction apply only to a widow or widower and not to a Christian who marries the first time?”  Well, I think it would be wisest to marry a sound Christian the first time.  It saves a lot of heartache and pain.  But, when we look at 1 Cor. 7:39, as Paul pointed out earlier in the chapter, it would be best to remain unmarried which spares us of troubles, anxiety and distraction in our faith.

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Evolution and Bill Nye

Evolution is A Worldview Not a Science

Scientists will tell you that evolution is as much a part of science as the laws of physics. My son’s high school biology teacher announced at the beginning of the school year that the class would study evolution because, “you can’t study biology without studying evolution.” Such is the academic training that educators receive in a world dominated by evolutionary thought. More recently, Bill Nye (aka “the science guy”), suggested that teaching creation harmed kids, and he said, “Evolution is the fundamental idea in all of life science, in all of biology.” As one who studied biology without studying evolution at all (and millions have), I find these statements completely false. One does not need to learn evolution to learn about anatomy, reproduction, photosynthesis, growth, cell structure, agriculture, and many other biological topics. What is really going on here is that manipulative educators are seeking to divorce children from their parents’ religious beliefs about the world and reality. Why would they want to do this? Answer: To substitute a religion of their own.

The word “evolution” simply means change, and evolutionists will intentionally obscure its meaning to promote their worldview. Who would argue that change occurs in biology, after all? Certainly no one is foolish enough to debate that. Simple change, however, is not what is up for debate. What is up for debate is whether such change could explain the origins of life, humanity, and just about everything else in the universe. It is a question of origins, not a question of simple change; it is a question of worldviews/philosophy, not a question of science.

Evolutionists want to explain the origin of all things in a naturalistic way, and this is where we have a fundamental disagreement. Either all things can be explained naturalistically or not. If all things can be explained naturalistically, then that necessarily removes the idea of God, Satan, angels, demons, and spirits. Atheists are keen to toss out all of these items. In addition, however, they toss out purposes, consciousness, freedom, morality, and ultimately humanity, because if all things can be explained naturalistically, then these phenomena are all mere illusions. However, if all things cannot be explained materialistically, then the presumption of materialism is not only out and out false, but also deceiving, dangerous, and harmful.

Consider that under such a view, purposes, consciousness, freedom, morality, and humanity become nothing more than products of nature, and if these notions are just products of nature, then they live and die with nature. If they are created by nature, then they are subject to evolutionary forces, and if they are subject to evolutionary forces, they are subject to change; they cannot be constant; they cannot be absolute. This means that from generation to generation morality changes, consciousness changes, humanity changes, freedom changes, and life’s purpose changes. Nothing is fixed; all is in flux–there is no truth, morality, or freedom.

We should be clear that this is not science, but a worldview. It is an effort to shape the thinking of man in a particular way—in a way that excludes God and other absolutes that would govern man’s thinking, decisions, and actions. Evolutionary Biologist Richard Lewontin in an article entitled “Billions and Billions of Demons,” (New York Times Book Reviews. 9 Jan 1997. Online.) acknowledged such when he said:

Our willingness to accept scientific claims that are against common sense is the key to an understanding of the real struggle between science and the supernatural. We take the side of science in spite of the patent absurdity of some of its constructs, in spite of its failure to fulfill many of its extravagant promises of health and life, in spite of the tolerance of the scientific community for unsubstantiated justso stories, because we have a prior commitment, a commitment to materialism. It is not that the methods and institutions of science somehow compel us to accept a material explanation of the phenomenal world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set of concepts that produce material explanations, no matter how counter-intuitive, no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism is absolute, for we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door. The eminent Kant scholar Lewis Beck used to say that anyone who could believe in God could believe in anything. To appeal to an omnipotent deity is to allow that at any moment the regularities of nature may be ruptured, that miracles may happen.

The problem is that their commitment to materialism destroys relationships: families, churches, societies, and governments. It denies that absolute and objective morality exists. It causes individuals to place trust in ethical and political systems that historically have resulted in the senseless extermination of millions of people. It results in an abandonment of the notion that there is a real, objective, and absolute purpose to life, which psychologists tell us is necessary to wellbeing. Their worldview is harmful to our lives!

Materialism teaches that human persons are nothing more than animals that may be manipulated to satisfy the ends of those in political power. It destroys the fundamental basis of equality and respect for other humans—that they are persons made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27). It denies that God authored a book, the Bible, by which we may be successfully guided through life to eternal fellowship with Him and with one another. It denies the reality of sin and the need for a Savior, the existence of heaven and hell, and the notion that human persons are beings created to be eternal.

Materialistic evolution is without a doubt a competing worldview to Christianity; it tells us where we’ve been, where we’re going, and how to get there. That is not science; it is an irrational commitment to a view of the world that is fundamentally flawed because it does not represent the realities of morality, freedom, the dignity of humanity, and purpose of life. David prayed to God, “Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man” (Psalm 108:12).

Contrary to Bill Nye’s claim, it is our contention that belief in materialistic evolution hurts children, adults, families, churches, and societies. This issue of the Christian Worker is designed to show just that. I hope that you will read it reflectively, and with a passion to undo in the lives of your children and grandchildren what the educational system is seeking to do to them today.

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