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NEW BIBLE QUIZZES
FOR TGOC'S SOUL-SAVING SERIES
NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST is pleased to announce the addition of yet another new round of Bible quizzes on our Website to accompany our video and audio programs. Previously we added quizzes to our Website to go along with our Worship Series. The quizzes for that series are complete, so we have now begun adding quizzes on the Soul-Saving Series. You will find the first four quizzes available at www.thegospelofchrist.com/quiz.
TGOC ANNOUNCES
THE NEXT TWO LESSONS
IN ITS NEW EVANGELISM SERIES
In two previous e-newsletters (January 24th and February 20th), we announced the availability of the first four lessons ("The Authority and Application of the Bible," "The Destructive Nature of Sin," "Jesus—The Way, the Truth, and the Life," and "Salvation as Seen in the Book of Acts") in our new Evangelism Series of videos. After a brief interlude (during which we announced all eight lessons in our Motivational Series), we are now pleased to announce lessons five and six (out of eight) in the Evangelism Series:
"The Church that Jesus Built "
"What Is Worship? "
In his lesson on "The Church that Jesus Built," Ben Bailey starts his discussion by asking a series of questions: "What do you know about the church that Jesus built? And what do you know about the church of which Peter, James, and Paul were members in the first century? Is it essential that we understand what the Bible teaches about the church if we want to be saved?" He then mentions the age-old comment, "Just choose the church of your choice, and God will be happy," and asks, "Is that really what God teaches? What does the Bible say about Jesus' church?"
From that question—"What does the Bible say about Jesus' church?"—Ben launches into an in-depth examination of exactly what the Bible says about Christ's church. But first, he wants the viewer to understand what is not under discussion: modern-day denominationalism. As Ben correctly points out, passages such as 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 specifically condemn the type of religious disunity that denominationalism advocates and propagates. In Matthew 16:18-19, Jesus specifically stated that He would build His church (singular, not plural). He is its Founder, and He is its sole Foundation (Acts 4:11-12).
In his discussion, Ben reaches all the way back into the Old Testament to certain prophecies of the church—especially Daniel 2:44ff. ("And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.") As Ben notes:
- "We need to understand certain things about the context of Daniel’s prophecy. Daniel had a vision of four different kingdoms. The Babylonian kingdom was the first. Then there was the Medo-Persian kingdom. Following that, history tells us, was the Greek Empire of Alexander the Great. Then there was the fourth kingdom of Rome. No new kingdom was established during the time of the Babylonian kingdom. No new kingdom was set up during the time of the Medo-Persian kingdom. And God's people were still under the Old Testament covenant during the time of Alexander the Great. But during the time of that fourth kingdom—the Roman kingdom—Jesus came and established His church."
In Acts 28:30-31 (again during the time of the Roman Empire), Paul was preaching the kingdom as a present reality. So, when did the Lord's church become a reality? It was, of course, on the Day of Pentecost following Christ's resurrection from the dead—as Acts 2 clearly points out. Ben asks a rather pointed question by inquiring, "When were most modern religious groups founded?" The answer, of course, is that they were founded long after the Roman Empire (the last one mentioned in Daniel's prophecy) had passed from the historical scenes. Those religious groups, then, cannot be the church of Jesus Christ.
Ben then uses the New Testament itself to show how to identify the church of Christ. It will have a biblical name (e.g., Rom. 16:16). It will have a proper organization (elders, deacons, etc.; Tit. 1:5; Acts 20:28-32; 1 Tim. 3:1-8). It will have a God-ordained purpose (Eph. 3:10-11 tells us what the purpose of Christ's church is—"that the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord"). And it will "not go beyond that which is written" (1 Cor. 4:6). Nor will it "add to or take away" from God's Word (Rev. 22:18-29).
Ben concludes his discussion of the church by explaining its entrance requirements: hear the Word (Rom. 10:17); believe in Christ as God's Son (Jn. 3:16); repent of past sins (Luke 13:3,5); confess Christ as Lord (Rom. 10:10); and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21).
In his lesson on "What Is Worship?," Ben begins by commenting: "We live in a world where many people think that they can worship God in just about any way they want. In fact, the motto for this type of worship might be, 'If it feels good, do it.' But is that what God says about worship? What is worship? What is worship all about?"
Using those thoughts as his springboard, Ben then defines worship (paying honor to or glorifying God, Ps. 95:6), and notes that worship to God must be carried out "in spirit and in truth" (Jn. 4:24). Ben continues by asking questions such as: (a) Who should we worship?; (b) Who or what should we not worship?; (c) What should be our attitude in worship?; (d) What guide should we use in our worship?; and (e) How should we worship God? In his discussion, Ben then goes on to talk about the various acts of worship that are authorized by the New Testament: (1) praying; (2) preaching; (3) singing; (4) giving; and (5) partaking of the Lord's Supper.
Ben brings his remarks to a close by asking:
- "Are you worshiping God as the Bible teaches? Are you worshiping God according to His will? Or are you worshiping God according to human tradition or manmade ideas? Remember that we must do only that which is authorized within the New Testament. If your worship to God is not based upon Scripture, then you need to repent and bring your worship in line with what God wants you to do according to the New Testament. In so doing, you then can worship in spirit and in truth—which is the type of worship that will glorify and uplift the name of God."
Both of these lessons (plus the four previous lessons in our Evangelism Series) are available on our Website, where you will find them in video, audio, and written transcript
formats We invite you to take advantage of them and to share them with others. |
