Greg A. Tidwell

Catholics and Protestants historically divided over doctrinal issues - the worship of Mary, for example. A recent trend, however, attempts to blur the distinctions between the Catholic and the Protestant religions.

The brushing aside of doctrinal differences is an outgrowth of a mindset which downplays truth and accentuates experience. Much of the current aberration in American religion is a result of ignoring the truth of what one believes (the content of faith) and focusing on the experience of faith itself (how one feels).

Idols of Emotion

This same error is tearing apart the Churches of Christ as confidence in experience (man-centered religion) is replacing confidence in revelation (God-centered religion). A Christian college, for example, recently offered a class in Catholic mysticism as part of its annual lecture program.

As the church moves away from obedience to Scripture, it moves toward the unbelief of secularism and liberalism or it moves toward experiential religion - either exuberance as seen in the Charismatic movement, or ritualism as presented in various Catholic and Orthodox traditions.

The Power of Truth

The power of the gospel, however, is not this or that experience - it is the truth that Jesus Christ died, that he was buried, and that he rose again from the dead according to the Scriptures. The proclamation of the gospel is not "cultivate a suitable feeling," but "believe that Jesus is the Christ and express penitent faith in confession and baptism." The church must preach genuine faith in Christ as presented in Scripture, not a counterfeit faith of human invention.

Only as we return to belief in Scripture alone as the basis for doctrine, government, and worship will we be the church which submits to Christ. Reasserting the basic principles of the Restoration Movement, with its insistence upon the foundational doctrine of Scripture alone, we can stem the depletion of truth which threatens the Lord's church.

by Tim Hall

Some brand names have become a part of the American vocabulary. Mention the name "Kellogg's" and most folks will think of breakfast cereal. "Clorox" is a laundry bleach, "Windex" is used to clean windows, and "Windows" is now the word for computer operating systems. Another brand name reveals something about our culture: "Day-Timer" is the most familiar name in time management products. With so many activities competing for our attention, this scheduling tool is a common sight with business people, soccer moms and college students alike.

People devoted to their Day-Timers would have been quite frustrated with one of God's commands to Israel. On the seventh day of the week, God commanded all work to cease throughout the land of Israel -- the Sabbath day command. "Stop work? Are you kidding me?" people of our age would ask. "I've got way too much to do. There's no way I can stop my work. Maybe I can plan a half-day or so next month."

Such protests would have been far afield of God's command. Consider this statement about the Sabbath in Exodus 34:21: "Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest" (New King James Version). Plowing time and harvest are two of the busiest times of the year for an agrarian culture. The soil has to be prepared for planting; you just can't put it off. And when the crops are ready, they've got to be harvested. Yet despite the urgency of the seasons, God commanded that work cease on Sabbath days during those two Day-Timer-packed times of the year.

Why would God give such a command? What was His point? Isaiah 58:13 may help us understand God's reasoning. God promised His blessings "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words . . ." In other words, the Sabbath day was to be a perpetual reminder that God's will was supreme above all the other business of life. Knowing God and serving Him was to be given higher priority than planting, harvesting, or any other "urgent" affairs of life.

Israel struggled with this command, just as we struggle to find time for Bible study or service to the Lord. Our Day-Timers just won't relinquish such large chunks of time! Maybe, though, it would do us well to close our Day-Timer and listen to the Day Timer. That was Moses' prayer to God in Psalm 90:12: "So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." God alone knows the time of our lives. He knows how many days remain before each of us will depart from this planet. He alone can teach us how to best use the time that remains.

Yes, the demands of the day are piling up before us. But "one thing is needed" (Luke 10:41). Will we, like Mary, choose the good part?

by Barry Newton

Hardly any physical movement occurred, yet the attacks and countermovements were worthy of a Jujitsu championship. Each combatant scrutinized the other’s every word looking for something to exploit toward their own verbal advantage.

At times people listen, not for the purpose of gaining understanding, but to discredit, to protect or defend themselves. At one time or another, we have all probably been guilty of something other than seeking a genuine understanding. How we listen is important.

After so poignantly teaching how people will respond differently to God’s word as that message is sown in their hearts, Jesus warned his disciples, “So take care how you listen.” Luke 8:18 God’s word is important. How we receive that message is critical to what it will produce in our lives. It is those who listen to God’s message with an honest and good heart, and who hold on to this message, who will with perseverance produce a harvest. Luke 8:15

If the message being presented is true to Scripture, let’s listen to Scripture, without lightly dismissing it or irresponsibly criticizing the messenger. Rather, as good soil, let’s deeply embrace God’s word so that it will produce fruit in our lives.

by Randal Matheny

The question wasn't a search for information, but a complaint. A challenge, really.

At Test-and-Quarrel, shortly after seeing the Lord part the Red Sea, Israel got a little thirsty. Their physical desire got so acute, Moses feared for his life.

What is so frightening about the people's question is their attitude (read Exodus 17:1-7). They imply that, if the Lord is with us, he will give us what we want, when we want it. If he doesn't, he must not be among us. Must not be for us. Must not be with us.

As if this journey were theirs. As if the idea of leaving Egypt had been their initiative. As if they were calling the shots.

They wanted the Lord God of Heaven to act at their behest. Expected the Sovereign Creator to open the spigot on demand.

Aren't we just like them?

• Where was God on September 11, 2002?
• Why did God let Columbia explode?
• Why did God let my baby die?
• Doesn't He care that I'm suffering?
• How can He let me (fill in the blank)?

Though these questions may be legitimate, they may also reflect the whinings of a spoiled child wanting it when he wants it.

And they may be the evidence of our failure to pass the test.

So let's make sure that where we live is not named Test-and-Quarrel. Massah and Meribah. May your life gain the title Tried-and-Faithful.

by Tim Hall

A subtle change is occurring around us. In many of the books we read, we see more use being made of the designations "CE" and "BCE". What are these? What do they mean? A quick glance at a current dictionary shows that "CE" means "common era", and "BCE" means "before common era".

For example, instead of saying that Columbus discovered the New World in 1492 AD, many works will now record the date as 1492 CE. Rather than telling us that Aristotle was born in 384 BC, we are told that he was born in 384 BCE. It's a change of labels. Instead of "anno Domini" (AD), we are now living in the "common era" (CE). Not a big deal, right?

I disagree. I think it is a big deal. It's another indication of the increasing secularization of our society. Many view Jesus as no more than a great teacher (similar to Aristotle), and do not wish to give Him credit by referring to history as "before Christ" or "anno Domini" (Latin for "in the year of our Lord"). But since it would be a Herculean task to change the entire dating system, they have chosen to merely change the labels. It is subtle, but sinister.

How can anyone deny that Jesus Christ did indeed change the landscape of human history? The changes are dramatic, and they are all for the better. What better way to honor Him than to refer to history in terms of "before" or "after" His appearance on earth?

But let's get personal: Do our lives reflect the changes that Jesus Christ can make? Is there any difference in the way our lives look to others since we confessed His name and put Him on in baptism? Or have we followed the trend of our times, and find that our lives are more secular than spiritual?

Let this be our year of change! Instead of living in the "common era", let us begin living "in the year of our Lord". Vow today to never start another day without breathing a prayer to God for guidance and wisdom. Pray today that He will give courage to live a changed life. Plan today for life one year from now to be much higher on the scale of visible spirituality.

"This is the day the Lord has made . . ." (Psalm 118:24, New King James Version)