Relationship

More Than "Religion"

As the Bible addresses your needs, do you sense the importance of relationship? We find God's glorious riches "in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

Praise be to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).

Some people view Christianity as another "religion." But the word "religion" is rare in the Bible. Two times where it applies to Christianity, "religion" is shown to be worthless if it does not care for needy people (1 Timothy 5:4; James 1:26-27). The Bible calls to you. This call is to meet a Person, not just plans or ideas. This call emphasizes relationships, not rituals. Indeed, the main rules have to do with love, first for God and then for each other (Mark 12:30-31).
Sadly, some judge Christ without knowing Him. They have heard about Him, which may include bad reports:

• Wars, cruelty and crimes committed in His name
• Harsh rules imposed in His name
• So-called "miracles" claimed in His name

What Are Your Needs?

There are many reasons for taking the Bible seriously. Among them is its practical wisdom for successful living. What is your need? See if the Bible addresses that need or its root.

Need for Love

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20).

Need for Family

In love God predestined [planned for] us to be adopted as His sons (Ephesians 1:4-5).
You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but . . . members of God's household (Ephesians 2:19).

Need for Life

The Map

The boy had never seen his father study a map so carefully.
The little boy watches his father studying a city map. The boy asks, "Why do you need a Map?"
"Because we're going where we've never been before. Perhaps I can find work in this city," replies his father.
The boy thinks more. Suddenly he says, "Father, my birthday is coming soon. I shouldn't ask for much, but there is one thing you can give me."
"I'll give you whatever I can, son. What is it you want?"
The boy answers, "A map."
The father is puzzled. "Why do you want a map?"
The boy explains, "Because I am growing older. I will be going where I have never been before. And you said, 'For that, one needs a map'."
Suppose you are the boy's father or mother. What would you give to meet your son's need for a sense of direction in life?

What is the Bible?

 
Question: "What is the Bible?"

Answer: The word “Bible” comes from the Latin and Greek words meaning “book,” a fitting name, since the Bible is the book for all people, for all time. It’s a book like no other, in a class by itself.

Sixty-six different books comprise the Bible. They include books of law, such as Leviticus and Deuteronomy; historical books, such as Ezra and Acts; books of poetry, such as Psalms and Ecclesiastes; books of prophecy, such as Isaiah and Revelation; biographies, such as Matthew and John; and epistles (formal letters) such as Titus and Hebrews.

What is the Bible? - The Authors
About 40 different human authors contributed to the Bible, which was written over a period of about 1500 years. The authors were kings, fishermen, priests, government officials, farmers, shepherds, and doctors. From all this diversity comes an incredible unity, with common themes woven throughout.

"Who were the authors of the books of the Bible?"

 
Question: "Who were the authors of the books of the Bible?"

Answer: Ultimately, above the human authors, the Bible was written by God. Second Timothy 3:16 tells us that the Bible was “breathed out” by God. God superintended the human authors of the Bible so that, while using their own writing styles and personalities, they still recorded exactly what God intended. The Bible was not dictated by God, but it was perfectly guided and entirely inspired by Him.

Humanly speaking, the Bible was written by approximately 40 men of diverse backgrounds over the course of 1500 years. Isaiah was a prophet, Ezra was a priest, Matthew was a tax-collector, John was a fisherman, Paul was a tentmaker, Moses was a shepherd, Luke was a physician. Despite being penned by different authors over 15 centuries, the Bible does not contradict itself and does not contain any errors. The authors all present different perspectives, but they all proclaim the same one true God, and the same one way of salvation—Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Few of the books of the Bible specifically name their author. Here are the books of the Bible along with the name of who is most assumed by biblical scholars to be the author, along with the approximate date of authorship:

Is the New Perspective on Paul biblical?

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Answer: Any time a “new perspective” on some biblical doctrine arises, red flags should go off warning Christians of possible danger. In many cases such “new” ideas, teachings, or perspectives are not new at all. Rather, they are the same old lie from the Garden of Eden when Satan first cast doubt on God’s Word: “Did God really say…” (Genesis 3:1). In that sense, the “New Perspective on Paul” is ancient in that it tries to deny what the Scriptures clearly teach and what has been accepted by Christians for centuries. The “New Perspective on Paul” is not biblical and appears to be an attempt to redefine and even deny key biblical doctrines that are the foundation of the Christian faith.

Sadly, however, the teachings propagated by the few who champion the “New Perspective on Paul” are

What is the sin unto death?

 
Question: "What is the sin unto death?"

Answer: First John 5:16 is one of the most difficult verses in the New Testament to interpret. “If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that.” Of all the interpretations out there, none seem to answer all the questions concerning this verse.

The best interpretation may be found by comparing this verse to what happened to Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1–10 (see also 1 Corinthians 11:30). The “sin unto death” is willful, continuous, unrepentant sin. God has called His children to holiness (1 Peter 1:16), and God corrects them when they sin. We are not

What can we learn from the life of Paul? Who was Paul?

Answer: There is much we can learn from the life of the Apostle Paul. Far from ordinary, Paul was given the opportunity to do extraordinary things for the kingdom of God. The story of Paul is a story of redemption in Jesus Christ and a testimony that no one is beyond the saving grace of the Lord. However, to gain the full measure of the man, we must examine his dark side and what he symbolized before becoming “the Apostle of Grace.” Paul’s early life was marked by religious zeal, brutal violence, and the relentless persecution of the early church. Fortunately, the later years of Paul’s life show a marked difference as he lived his life for Christ and the advancement of His kingdom.

Paul was actually born as Saul. He was born in Tarsus in Cilicia around A.D. 1–5 in a province in the southeastern corner of modern day Tersous, Turkey. He was of Benjamite lineage and Hebrew ancestry. His parents were Pharisees—fervent Jewish nationalists who adhered strictly to the Law of Moses—who sought

What Does It Mean to Be Born Again?

 

The Bible’s answer

The term “born again” refers to a new beginning in the relationship between God and the person who is born again. (John 3:3, 7) God adopts those born again as his children. (Romans 8:15, 16; Galatians 4:5; 1 John 3:1) Similar to those who are legally adopted, they experience a change of status, becoming part of God’s family.—2 Corinthians 6:18.

Why is a person born again?

Jesus said: “Unless anyone is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) So being born again prepares a person to rule with Christ in God’s Kingdom. This Kingdom rules from heaven, so the Bible describes the “new birth” as providing an inheritance that is “reserved in the heavens.” (1 Peter 1:3, 4) Those

Jesus

 

Jesus

The world knows that 2,000 years ago a man named Jesus came from the town of Nazareth in what is now called Israel. He traveled about the region and gained a large following. After a few years, the religious leaders in Jerusalem falsely accused him of crimes and handed him over to the Roman authorities. They executed him by nailing him to a cross. A short time later, his followers preached in the name of Jesus Christ, whom they said rose from the dead. More and more followers were added to this movement which has become the Christian church of today.
These are the facts upon which even the greatest skeptic will agree. But there is so much more to Jesus than that. Where he came from, what he did on earth, what he can do for us now is all revealed in the Bible. This book contains the only record of Jesus and was written by the generation of people who heard him teach and saw his deeds. Here is what the Bible teaches us about Jesus Christ:

1. Jesus is God.

John wrote about Him: In the beginning was the Word [poetic description of Jesus], and the Word was with God and the Word was God (John 1:1 ESV). He created the world and all that is in it (John 1:3). The religious leaders of his time understood that Jesus claimed to be God (John 5:17-18). Paul wrote that when Jesus died, the Father revealed to the entire world that He was God (Philippians 2:5-11).

A Story About Forgiveness

 

Matthew 18:21-35The Message (MSG)

²¹ At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, “Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?”

²² Jesus replied, “Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven.
^23-25 “The kingdom of God is like a king who decided to square accounts with his servants. As he got under way, one servant was brought before him who had run up a debt of a hundred thousand dollars. He couldn’t pay up, so the king ordered the man, along with his wife, children, and goods, to be auctioned off at the slave market.
^26-27 “The poor wretch threw himself at the king’s feet and begged, ‘Give me a chance and I’ll pay it all back.’ Touched by his plea, the king let him off, erasing the debt.
²⁸ “The servant was no sooner out of the room when he came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him ten dollars. He seized him by the throat and demanded, ‘Pay up. Now!’

Right with God- Henry Vander Beek

 

Scripture: Romans 3:19-26
Sermon 
A pastor tells the story from his childhood of a married couple who lived around the corner from his house in the Netherlands. This couple was always fighting. People could hear them yell and scream at each other two blocks away almost every day. The pastor recalls one particular morning when he was walking by the couple’s house. All of a sudden the husband darted out the door, half dressed, his suspenders hanging loosely over his trousers, a look of fear etched on his face. Right behind him, in hot pursuit, was his wife, steaming mad, yelling and cursing as she ran. She had a bucket of water in her hands. She threw the water, bucket and all at her husband, who got the bucket right in the head. The pastor got some of the water. He thought that he had done something wrong to deserve that, and ran home frightened and crying. He had never seen such violence before. His mother calmed him down and assured him that it wasn’t his fault. When the pastor asked why the husband and wife behaved that way, his mother said: "O, things aren't right between that man and his wife." No kidding!

 WHEN WE ARE NOT RIGHT WITH OTHERS Have you ever had the disturbing experience that things were not right between you and a business partner, or a neighbor, or parent, between you and a relative or member of your church? It's not a good feeling is it? Unless you have no soul or conscience so that it doesn't bother you, most of us feel badly when things aren't right