by Mike Benson

QUESTION: "Are we living in the last days?"

ANSWER: Carefully study the following passages:

1. The Old Testament prophets said, "the mountain of the Lord's house (i.e., the church) would be 'established' (i.e., built) in the LAST DAYS." "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow into it (Isaiah 2:2; cf. Micah 4:1).

2. The church Jesus promised (Matthew 16:18,19) was established on the day of Pentecost following the resurrection of the Lord (Acts 2:47), thus, the LAST DAYS (i.e., the Christian age) began in Acts 2, in fulfillment of Jesus' promise and Old Testament prophecy. Compare Joel 2:28; Acts 2:16,17. Hence, the LAST DAYS began on Pentecost.

3. Thus, we are now living in the LAST DAYS (i.e., the Christian age), and we have been living in them for nearly 2,000 years. The New Testament says, "God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in THESE LAST DAYS spoken to us by His Son..." (Hebrews 1:1,2a; emphasis mine--mb). Here the inspired writer makes it clear that the last days were currently in effect.

Review . The church was to begin in the LAST DAYS.

. The church was established on Pentecost; hence the LAST DAYS (i.e., Christian age) began on that occasion (Acts 2:17ff).

. Thus, the LAST DAYS continue to today and will not cease until Christ returns (Hebrews 1:1,2; 1 Corinthians 15:24-26).

by Barry Newton

Although she held a postgraduate degree from one of the most prestigious American universities, viewed herself as a prayer warrior and had faithfully attended her church for years, she was at a loss to understand how the New Testament could speak of salvation in terms of both faith and obedience. Having been taught that faith in Jesus refers to accepting Jesus into your heart, she understood this as denying the necessity of any obedient action to enter into Christ. She will continue to fail to grasp the harmony within Scripture unless somehow she experiences a paradigm shift. I suspect she is not alone.

The apostle Paul faced a formidable challenge. Among those early churches were some who proclaimed that a person could not be saved unless certain provisions of the Mosaical Law were fulfilled.\1 In stark contrast to the principle of self-reliance through the Law, Paul insisted that salvation was the result of a completely different path. Doggedly, Paul had asserted that what mattered was whether the person had relied upon Jesus for salvation.\2 Ardently, Paul defended the principle that salvation comes through depending upon Jesus. Why was this so critical? God has given us a salvation which we can never earn. Jesus' blood is the only means by which anybody's guilt can be taken away. In Paul's words, salvation is by grace through faith, not by works.

A paradigm shift involves seeing the same evidence in an entirely new way. The woman I wrote about earlier makes an assumption every time she reads the word faith. She assumes it means "just believe in Jesus" instead of "trust in Jesus." There is a world of difference. Because of this, although she is convinced she has a clear understanding of what it means to be saved by faith, she has discovered many other Scriptures which she considers "difficult."

Anybody can test the Scriptures to see which of these understandings was intended. If by faith the biblical authors meant "just believe," then we would not expect any of the following to be found within the New Testament:

Faith in Jesus involves being baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:26,27),

Baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38),

Sins are washed away when someone is baptized (Acts 22:16),

Being set free from sin is the result of wholeheartedly obeying a form of teaching (Romans 6:17,18),

Jesus is the source of salvation for all those who obey him (Hebrews 5:9),

Christians have purified themselves by obeying the truth (1 Peter 1:22),

The gospel is intended to lead a person to the obedience of faith (Romans 16:25,26; 1:5), and

Those who do not obey the gospel will be lost (2 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 Peter 4:17)

Trusting in Jesus and in his blood saves us. Biblically, to trust in Jesus that we might become children of God and be included in Christ involves being baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:26,27). The message of Scripture is harmonious. We are saved by faith. When someone responds to Jesus by being baptized they are saved.

1/ Acts 15:1-2, Galatians 3:3; Philippians 3:2-4 2/ Galatians 2:16,21; 3:11; Philippians 3:9; Romans 9:30-32; Ephesians 2:8,9

by Stan Mitchell

The Lord described one church this way: "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked'" (Revelation 3:17, NIV).

Now any time a Christian says of his spiritual status that he does "not need a thing," alarm bells should go off. There is no such thing as a Christian who doesn't need God's guidance, care, mercy, or love! If a Christian tells you he doesn't need help, don't believe him. And if you happen to be the speaker, don't believe yourself! When it comes to the lies we tell ourselves, we are all far too willing dupes!

One of Winston Churchill's main political opponents was former prime minister Clement Attlee. Once, following a heated debate in parliament, a newspaperman asked Churchill for an evaluation of Attlee. Churchill said this: "He is a modest man with much to be modest about."

Churches do not prosper because of great preachers, talent-laden members, or magnificent programs. They prosper according to their faithfulness to God, and because of God's blessing.

Christians have much to be modest about. A Christian who doesn't need God is about as common as a rapper who sings wholesome songs, or a well-adjusted member of the Jackson family.

The term "self sufficient Christian" is an oxymoron. We need each other. We need the word of God. We need forgiveness. We need strength. We need God. We need not only to be modest, but to truly understand how much we have to be modest about!

"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance to the measure of faith God has given you" (Romans 12:3, NIV).

by Richard Mansel

Christians often say, "I believe in Jesus" and implore others to do so. Sometimes non-Christians wonder just what they mean by such a profession. They deserve an answer.

John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (NKJV). Hebrews 11:6 says, "without faith it is impossible to please Him."

The dictionary definition of "believes" means to "accept as true or real." However in Scripture, "belief" far surpasses mental acknowledgment. The word "faith" in the New Testament exceeds simple trustworthiness, depending on "the reliance or trust that is the basis of man's faithfulness, i.e., the faithfulness that expresses confidence in the faithfulness of God" (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 2:270). T. W. Brents writes, "faith may be defined as a firm, unshaken confidence" (The Gospel Plan of Salvation, 168). Therefore, God is the only one worthy of our faith because he never fails nor lies (1 Corinthians 1:9; Titus 1:2).

Faith involves action that converts an idea into a life-changing event. We have changed our patterns of life and thought. We are now living and thinking in an entirely new context. Scripture moves from simply being a good book to an unyielding guidepost on our way to heaven.

What are the implications of "I believe in Jesus"?

First, faith in Jesus shows we are sinners in need of forgiveness. Romans 3:23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." We have all failed to live to the standard God would have us live. We are helpless to save ourselves, and our salvation can only come from Christ given by the grace of God (Romans 1:16; Ephesians 2:8,9).

Second, faith in Jesus means we realize he is the source of salvation. We have searched within ourselves and others and have found no way of escape from sin. Our heart aches with its burden and we hunger for relief. Turning to Jesus, we are admitting he is our only source of salvation and our sole way to God (John 14:6).

Third, faith in Jesus acknowledges his message is worth proclaiming. We have studied scripture and found his gospel to be the truth we have sought. Then we place it as our authority in life to show us how to live, love, and lead others to him. Further, we realize its truths are so irresistible that they must be proclaimed.

Fourth, faith in Jesus shows we are affirming that he is our new way of life. We have decided that he is the Savior and that his word should be our authority in life, Jesus is the way to God and therefore, we must live daily in his paths. Faith in him means he is worth following.

This is why in Scripture the word "faith" often stands for the entire plan of salvation. Faith is a process that leads us to renounce our previous sins and flawed authorities (Romans 12:1,2). We know we need a new Savior who will not only save us but lead us "all the days of (our) life" (Psalm 23:6). Faith leads us to desire to be born again (John 3:3-5). We want only to be a part of his body so that we can go home with him when he returns. And we only get "into" the body of Christ through the baptism for the remission of sins (Romans 6:3,4; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:27). Faith leads us to the new birth and is the greatest journey ever conceived!

by J. Randal Matheny

The Bible has one message. That one message can be understood by any and all. People read into the Bible many of their own ideas, because they do not pay attention to its own meaning.

A basic rule of understanding the Bible is to let the Bible interpret itself. But many people are too lazy to READ the entire 66 books and connect the dots, so to speak.

One often abused verse, as an example, is Psalm 37:4: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart" (NIV).

The selfish person, the egotist, and the stubborn-hearted love this verse. Just think, if you find delight in God, he will give you whatever you want. If you think I'm exaggerating, just listen to some of the tele-evangelists.

Now, if people would read a few books further into the Holy Scripture, they would discover Isaiah 26:8: "Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts."

When one delights in the Lord, ones desires are turned completely from self to glorify God. One's life purpose becomes to focus everyone's attention upon the goodness, mercy, justice, salvation, will, power, plan, word, and character of God. The name of God. His renown.

Isaiah illuminates for us, if we need a prod away from our selfish interpretation, the meaning of the verse in Psalm 37. This connection is not an isolated moment.

Scripture is a veritable web of strands that stretches across the entire range of the Old and New Testaments. Only by daily reading, by frequent consultation, by memorization, will we recognize and appreciate the intricacy of this marvelous inner referencing.

This feature of the Bible is not one that only an expert can appreciate and note. The various lines of discovery are accessible to every person, to lesser or greater degree, sufficiently so that anyone may discover for himself the single message of the Bible.

To a multitude of ex-slaves, Moses said,

Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it (Deuteronomy 30:11-14).

So pick up your Bible, and start reading.