There are many today that speculate about who the antichrist is and when he will begin to rule the world, but is all this talk about the antichrist based on Biblical truth or just the twisting of the Scriptures by those with vivid imaginations? Those who believe in the false doctrine of premillennialism claim that the antichrist will appear on earth just prior to the return of Jesus. They distort the Scriptures (especially the book of Revelation) to say he will take over the newly revived Roman empire and rule the world from Jerusalem after all the Christians have been raptured to heaven. They also believe that he will fight with Jesus Christ at the battle of Armageddon. Some of the self appointed prophets who believe this theory have speculated at different times that Hitler, Ronald Reagan, Saddam Hussein, and many others were the antichrist. The theory is widely accepted as truth among many professing “Christians”, but it is completely foreign to the Bible. The apostle Peter spoke of those who are “untaught and unstable” that would “twist” the scriptures to their own destruction (1 Pet. 3:15). The doctrine may seem harmless to some, but when intently studied it is found to severely contradict the teaching of Christ and God’s Word.
The word antichrist is only found in four verses of the Bible, and none of those verses have anything to do with the book of Revelation or the second coming of Christ. The word antichrist only appears in the books of First and Second John. In order to discover what the antichrist is, we must understand the context in which John spoke of it in his books. John was attacking the false teaching of Gnosticism. Many false teachers were already strong at work teaching the Christians that Jesus Christ was only a spirit and that he had never came in the flesh. If Jesus had never actually come in the flesh; then the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus could have never really happened. The writer of Hebrews stated that Christ was “in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). It would be impossible for him to have been tempted in all points as we are if He had never come in the flesh. John had to counter this false teaching, and that is why he wrote his epistles.
John was telling those first century Christians that anyone who had denied that Jesus had come in the flesh, was an antichrist. John wrote, “and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world” (1 John 4:3). John made the point that any person could be an antichrist. He also made the point that the antichrists already existed in the world, so this would make it obvious that the antichrist is not going to be a single individual evil ruler that appears before Christ’s coming. John said, “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour” (1 John 2:28). Many antichrists had already appeared in the days of John. John had also stated, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22). John states that an antichrist is anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ or denies that Jesus actually came to earth in the flesh. The antichrist is not an evil man who will rule the world, but instead anyone who at anytime speaks out in an effort to deny Jesus Christ. -Ed

The apostle Paul referred to the Jews of his time as having a veil over their hearts preventing them from seeing the truth of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He used the veil that Moses put over his face to hide the fading radiance of being with God as an illustration for how Jews could not see past the Law of Moses to accept its present fulfillment in Christ. Paul wrote, “Unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away” (2 Cor. 3:13-15). By refusing to believe in Jesus, the Jews kept their hearts “veiled” from the truth.
Many today have veiled hearts as well. There are those who choose to put things between themselves and the Lord. The veil of the first century Jews could serve as a fitting illustration for the millions today who refuse to submit to Jesus. Let’s consider a few of the many “veils” that are used today to separate people from God.
1. The veil of unbelief. It is a barrier that could easily be removed if the unbeliever would consider the evidence of the existence of God all around them. Nature cries out for the existence of God. Paul wrote, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:20). The psalmist wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Ps. 19:1), while also stating, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God'” (Ps. 14:1). The veil could be lifted if the unbeliever would weigh the evidence of nature and scientific law, and then receive the faith that comes by hearing God’s word (Rom. 10:17).
2. The veil of human wisdom. Many would consider believing in God only if they could justify His existence within the parameters of human wisdom and reasoning. These folks could be labeled as agnostics. Paul spoke of this type while writing to the church at Corinth. He said, “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Cor. 1:20,21). The veil will be lifted when faith is placed in the wisdom of God and His revealed word instead of the fallible and finite wisdom of mankind.
3. The veil of emotionalism. There are those who choose to base their relationship with God on the sincerity of the emotions and feelings they have toward Him. Emotions are an important part of a person’s faith, but they cannot be a standard of absolute truth since they are subjective and relative. The Bible warns of the danger of trusting our feelings. It says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Prov. 14:12). This veil is lifted when we base our relationship with God on the absolute truth of His revealed word. We can absolutely know for a fact that we are pleasing to God (1 John 2:3-5). So, our emotions should be in response to our correct actions, not what drives our actions to begin with. -Ed

Why are there so many different churches today? When you look at the religious division that exists among those who claim to be Christians, doesn’t it leave you wondering how any of us can know the truth at all? We know we can know the truth if we want to because Jesus told us we can. He said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32). The question is not whether or not we can understand the truth, but whether or not we are willing to accept the truth for what it actually is? The many denominations and divisions of “Christianity” actually lead people to believe God’s word must be to confusing or difficult to understand. Imagine someone who decides to examine Christianity for the first time. They investigate the thousands of different churches who claim to follow Christ and they find that they all have varying names and teach different doctrines. That person would be led into confusion and believe it is impossible to know the real truth. We have one God and one Bible, yet many believe and teach doctrines that are not supported by the Scripture. This counters the very thing Jesus prayed about to His father. He prayed, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:20,21). Jesus prayed for unity among those who would believe in Him, and stated that unity would lead others to believe in Him as well. Denominationalism actually turns people away from the truth of God’s word and builds doubt instead of faith in seekers of the truth. The Bible is crystal clear regarding the one true New Testament church and it condemns those who would set out to divide it. Let’s consider a few facts from the New Testament regarding division, and notice the consequences for those who would choose to participate in such.
1. Denominationalism and the division of the Body of Christ are strictly forbidden in the New Testament. The apostle Paul confronted the issue of division at the church in Corinth. Paul was notified that certain Christians there were dividing the congregation to follow after different preachers and apostles. Paul wrote, “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10). He went on to tell them that their divisive actions were “carnal” and that they were “behaving like mere men” (1 Cor. 3:3). They were destroying the unity that Jesus had prayed for. Is the truth of Paul’s words too difficult for us to understand? The statements above seem straightforward and simple enough. If division were carnal and sinful in the first century, wouldn’t it also be considered so today as well?
2. Divisions, strife, and contentions are considered works of the flesh. Why did the many denominations originate? A study of history will show that the many denominational organizations of today have developed over the course of the last several hundreds years because of contentions, strife, and desires to follow after the teaching of certain men instead of the unified truth of the Bible. Paul wrote that such characteristics are considered works of the flesh and “those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:21).
3. When a group of people alter God’s word and separate themselves from the “One Body”, they cease to abide in the doctrine of Christ. The apostle John warned against those who do so when he wrote, “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God” (2 John 9). Those who do so are to be avoided. Paul exhorted the Romans to “Note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them” (Rom. 16:17). The one church is Christ’s body (Eph. 4:4). When man divides the church into denominations, they break apart the very body of Christ. -Ed

Emily and I had a wonderful trip to Iowa, and we thought it would be nice to share with you some of the things we learned while we were gone. We are so thankful to the elders, and all of you, for allowing us to be away to work with the Heartland church of Christ and conduct the gospel meeting. We were amazed to be in an area like Dubuque where there was not a single well-established congregation of the Lord’s church anywhere to be found. All of us are used to finding a congregation of the church of Christ in just about every town you travel to in the south. Mike Demory told us that the nearest congregation was an hour and a half away. There is one small group that meets in a family’s home in neighboring Wisconsin, but that’s about it. Congregations of the Lord’s church send millions of dollars each year overseas to establish congregations, and it’s a real eye opener when you see such large areas of our own country that have no access to the truth of the gospel. Mike and Teresa Demory, and the members of the Dubuque congregation, work diligently to preach and teach the truth to that area of Iowa, and it was a true blessing to have the opportunity to work with them. The theme of the gospel meeting was “From Heaven or from Man”, and it went very well. We had one response where a lady stated she decided to work and worship with the congregation. We also had time to tape two episodes of Mike’s public cable television program “The Bible Says” and they will air in the upcoming month. Our trip to Iowa was an educational experience for us, and I would like to share a few things we learned while we were there.
1. We have a great deal of work to do to fulfill the great commission. Christians have been charged by Jesus to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). We learned from our trip that there is much work to be done. We often work so hard to ensure the word is taken to places everywhere else around the world, but fail to realize that there are many places in our own nation that do not have full access to the truth. The people of Iowa have the Bible, but they also need a congregation of New Testament Christians with whom to work and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. I couldn’t help but think while we were there how many other areas of our own nation are in the same dire spiritual situation.
2. We do not have to be part of a large congregation to do great work for the Lord. The Heartland church of Christ has only ten members, but they work as hard as any congregation I have ever seen. We live in a society obsessed with numbers. People these days tend to think the bigger the better, and that it’s only the large congregations with big numbers that work and worship effectively. Sometimes we forget that Christianity had its beginning with only the Lord and His twelve disciples. From that meager beginning, Christianity rapidly grew into the world’s largest religion. The Heartland church of Christ may not have a big building or large numbers, but they stand as a beacon of truth in an area that desperately needs it.
3. We should never let discouragement stop us from doing the Lord’s work. I kept thinking how discouraging it must be for them as they continue to struggle to grow. Those feelings were repeatedly put aside each time I saw their zeal and diligent spirit. They inspired me, and stood as an example of how we can overcome discouragement if we put our faith in the Lord. May God bless them and their work in the future. -Ed

New Testament Christians are commanded to assemble together on the first day of the week to worship God (Acts 20:7; Heb. 10:25; 1 Cor. 16:2), and God has given us specific things to do so we can praise Him and grow in the faith. We come together primarily to worship God, but in the process we learn more about Him and remember all the glorious things He has done for us. We increase our faith, we fellowship with one another, we encourage one another, and we show our love through obedience.
God has given us a pattern to follow so we may know our worship to Him is pleasing and accepted. Just as Noah followed the pattern to build the ark (Heb. 11:7), and Moses followed the pattern to build the tabernacle (Heb. 8:5); we must follow the New Testament pattern for worship. God has the right to be worshipped as He wishes, and He has given us a pattern of worship that He knows will be beneficial for us as well. We have no right or authority to altar God’s plans and commandments. The apostle John wrote, “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments” (1 John 2:3). Just like we can know “that we know God,” we can also know we are worshiping Him properly by obeying His commandments. The knowledge of pleasing God through proper worship is one of our greatest benefits. Being emotionally touched by worship is a blessing, but knowing we did it according to God’s will should make us feel the greatest of all.
As we study the New Testament, we find five acts of worship that were utilized by Christians when they assembled together on the first day of the week. Let’s consider God’s pattern for worship, and work diligently to worship Him “in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).
1. We come together to pray. The first century church was a praying church. The church of Christ was established on Pentecost and Luke records that “they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). There are numerous commands and examples in the New Testament exhorting us to pray when we come together (1 Tim. 2:1-8; 1 Thess. 5:17).
2. We come together to sing. Christians are to sing together as a congregation in order to praise God and teach one another. Paul told the Colossians, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, sing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col. 3:16).
3. We come together to preach, teach, and study God’s word. The church is the “pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15); and we are to come together in order to learn more about God and the truth of His word. God’s word gives us everything we need to live in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16,17; 2 Pet. 1:3), and we come together to hear that word preached (2 Tim. 4:2).
4. We come together to give back to the Lord. Paul commanded the church at Corinth to contribute weekly to a church treasury. He said, “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper” (1 Cor. 16:2). We have the opportunity each week to give back to the Lord a portion of what He has blessed us with.
5. We come together to partake of the Lord’s Supper. In Matthew 26:26-30, Jesus established the Lord’s Supper. Paul spoke of the importance of the continual observance of the communion in 1 Corinthians 11:23-29. We are to partake of the supper every first day of the week (Acts 2:42; 20:7) to remember the death of our Lord. Every week we partake, we are remembering the greatness of His death, and looking forward to when He returns in glory.
As we study the “sum” of the New Testament, we find that these five acts of corporate worship constitute God’s pattern for us to follow every Sunday when we assemble together. God has revealed his divine pattern for worshipping Him. Let us do so to His glory. -Ed

In our last article we studied the sin of pride, so let’s spend some time considering the need for humility in the life of the Christian and why it is so necessary for our relationships with God and one another. It’s vitally important that we strive to develop humility because God desires it of us and there is danger of losing access to His grace without it. James wrote, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). The Christian must be humble to develop a submissive, obedient, and trusting faith in God. We must put our faith in Him, and not in ourselves to be saved (Eph. 2:8,9). But, we must also show humility in our relationships with one another. The apostle Paul said, “Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion” (Rom. 12:16). He also wrote, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself” (Phil. 2:3).
Developing humility can be a difficult lifelong task, and the moment we state we have obtained it, is the moment we should realize that we really haven’t. Christians are exhorted to grow in faith, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, and love (2 Pet. 1:5-7). We should also desire to become more humble as well, so let’s consider a few things we can do to maintain and develop this important attribute.
1. We must remember our spiritual situation in light of what God has done for us. We realized our lost and helpless situation in order to become a Christian, and if we remember what we have been saved from, it will help us stay humble before God in our Christian walk now. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” and “Blessed are those who mourn” (Matt. 5:3,4). Why did Jesus say that? Jesus knew it would be those who were humble enough to see their lost and sinful condition that would seek Him for salvation. It took a degree of humility to realize we were sinners and needed the grace of God to be saved. If we can remember how lost we were without God, and that it is His saving grace that continues to save us, we can learn the need to grow in humility. We can see examples of David doing this in texts like Psalm 38 and Psalm 51. When David considered his sins, it humbled him before the Lord.
2. We should strive to follow the example of Jesus, and consider His death on the cross. Jesus’ life was the perfect example of humility in action. He was the most powerful man that ever lived; yet He was also the humblest. Paul wrote that Jesus “Made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Phil.2:7,8). We should study His life in order to follow His humble example, and then consider the power of what He did on the cross for us when we feel the urge to be prideful.
3. We should study the Bible everyday. By studying the Bible, we will see the great amount of emphasis placed on humility and the many dangers of being prideful. We can study great men and women of faith who lived humble lives, as well as examples of those who suffered the consequences of prideful behavior. Remember, God’s word was written for our learning and admonition (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11).
4. We must acknowledge our weaknesses while remembering the greatness of God. We live in a “me first” society. Contrary to the belief of many, the world does not revolve around any one particular individual. God loves all mankind and desires they all be saved (John 3:16). We need to consider our existence in regards to the big picture. An all powerful, all knowing, ever present God desires our salvation; and we must remember how He deserves our faithful submission. When we study and consider the holy attributes of God, it should remind us of the need to humbly submit to Him. -Ed

We often ask ourselves what the motivation is for the good things we do, but we often neglect investigating what drives most of the sin in our lives. Paul taught that love should be a motivating factor for everything we do (1 Cor. 13:1-3). Doing good works is important, but if the proper motivation does not drive the desire to do the good, it is a waste of time. Sin is sin, and there is nothing good that comes from it, but learning what motivates us to sin can help us attack the root of the problem. There are many different things that motivate us to sin, but one of the greatest reasons we commit sin is because of pride. Pride is the root cause for the majority of the sins we commit. By attacking the problem of pride we can destroy the motivation for many of our sins. When you spend some time considering the problem of pride, you will discover that sins such as covetousness, lust, jealousy, anger, gossip, and self-centeredness all find their roots in the sin of pride. A thorough study of the Bible on the topic will show that it repeatedly condemns pride while stressing the importance of humility in the life of the Christian. If we can understand the dangers of pride, we will be well on our way to overcoming it in our life. Let’s consider why pride is so dangerous, and why it is impossible for a faithful Christian to be a prideful person.
1. Pride causes us to focus all of our attention on ourselves instead of God. We can’t spend our lives trying to be more like Jesus when all we think about is ourselves. Pride is the sin that caused the initial fall of mankind. Satan tempted Eve to eat the fruit of the tree and then told her, “You will be like God” (Gen. 3:4). Instead of submitting to the commands of God, she saw an opportunity to make herself more like Him. The first sin was based on pride. We see the exact opposite in the life of Jesus. Jesus gave up the glory of being with God to be like us, so He could save us. Paul stated that Jesus “Made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:7,8). Jesus gave us the perfect example of someone taking the attention off of Himself in an effort to humbly submit to God.
2. Pride causes us to focus all of our attention on ourselves instead of others. Jesus stated that we are to “love one another” (John 13:34), and Paul taught us to “bear one another’s burdens” (Gal. 6:2). These are just a few of the many examples of the Bible teaching us to care for others. A prideful person cannot show care and love for others because the prideful person is too absorbed with loving and caring for themselves. Paul stressed this when he wrote, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil. 2:3,4).
3. Pride causes us to depend on ourselves instead of depending on God. Unfortunately, the more successful or blessed some of us become in our lives, the more we tend to believe it is because of our own talents or abilities. We stop living by faith in God, and begin to accredit the blessings to ourselves. We have to be like Paul and realize “by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Cor. 15:10). We must also realize that no matter how “great” a person we may become, we can never save ourselves. Pride leads one to believe otherwise. Both Peter and James stated, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:5; 1 Pet. 5:5). It is by God’s grace that we are saved through faith (Eph. 2:8). The prideful person will not submit to God in faith which means God will not bless him with His saving grace. It is impossible for a prideful person to be saved unless they repent and humble themselves before God. If Jesus was willing to humble Himself to save mankind, shouldn’t we be willing to humble ourselves to be saved by what Jesus did for us? -Ed

Nothing seems to get us in more trouble than the improper use of our tongues, and when the tongue resorts to angry words we often see problems that can have long lasting hurtful consequences. One of the many amazing things about Jesus was that he had absolute control over what He said to others. Even when Jesus did use language because of anger, it was done with righteous justification and was motivated by His love for God and mankind (see John 2:13-21; Matt. 23). We often say things in anger without realizing the long-term consequences our words can have. Many marriages, friendships, and congregations have been splintered and divided over a few harshly spoken angry words. H.R. Palmer summed it up well in his hymn “Angry Words.” He wrote, “Love is much too pure and holy, friendship is too sacred fair, for a moments reckless folly thus to desolate and mar. Angry words are lightly spoken, bitterest thoughts are rashly stirred, and brightest links of life are broken by a single angry word” (Church Gospel Songs & Hymns, 1983, Pg. 11). James had a great deal to say about the dangers of the tongue in chapter three of his book. He wrote, “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell” (Jam. 3:6). The Bible repeatedly teaches us about the danger of losing control of our tongue, and details the many ways it can be used to hurt others and endanger our own souls. One of those many ways includes speaking angry words. Let’s consider a few of the consequences of using them.
1. Angry words are often spoken out of vengeance towards someone who has hurt us. We often feel the urge to defend ourselves from persecution or verbal attack with angry words of our own. This may feel like the natural thing to do, but it is not what the Bible would have us to do. Jesus stated, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matt. 5:11,12). We must remember that Christians are not in the revenge business. God will take care of that. The apostle Paul wrote, “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord” (Rom. 12:19). Our verbal restraint can be used to impress on someone the power and love of God.
2. Angry words can leave a lasting impression on those who know we are Christians. Christians are supposed to be the “salt of the earth” and a “light of the world” (Matt. 5:13,14). We are supposed to be these things so people will glorify God when they see our good works (Matt. 5:16). The use of angry words will hinder us from being the example to the world that we should be. One of our greatest evangelistic tools is the way we live our life each day. People are watching to see how we live and speak as children of God.
3. Angry words will hinder the loving relationships we should all strive to have. Marriages, friendships, working relationships, and the love we have amongst brethren can all suffer from words spoken out of anger. Some of these relationships may never recover. We have all seen this happen before. Angry words are hard to take back. We must all learn to exercise self-control, so we can stop the problem before it ever leaves our mouths. Remember, we show our love for God by the love that we have for one another (1 John 5:2,3). When we speak angry words to another Christian, we are speaking angry words to God. -Ed

The atoning blood of Jesus Christ washes our sins away at baptism (Acts 22:16), but the apostle John teaches us that it continues to cleanse us of our sins if we “walk in the light.” He wrote, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). What a reassuring verse! He tells us that “if” we walk in the light of God our sins will continuously be cleansed. This should be a source of inner peace for the faithful Christian. We know we all sin, and if we say that we don’t, John says we are liars (1 John 1:8). So, it is comforting to know that if we meet the conditions of walking in the light we can know that Jesus acts as our advocate with the heavenly Father (1 John 2:1). But, we must ask ourselves what it means to “walk in the light?” This is a question of the utmost importance, and one that we must consider for our spiritual well being. John answers our question throughout the remainder of First John; so let’s consider some things he pointed out that we should do to insure we are walking in the light.
1. We walk in the light when we live a life of faithful obedience to the commands of God. Jesus made it clear that we show our love for Him by keeping His commandments. He said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). When we obey the New Testament plan of salvation, we enter “into Christ” by being baptized into Him (Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:27). To maintain this relationship and know that we are “in Him,” we must obey and keep His commandments. John wrote, “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him” (1 John 2:3-5). So, we can know we are walking in the light when we do our best to obey his commands. Take time to read Matthew 7:21-23 and Hebrews 5:8,9.
2. We walk in the light when we love our fellow brethren in Christ. John wrote, “He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him” (1 John 2:9,10). It is impossible to maintain a loving relationship with God without love for our fellow Christians. Jesus commanded us to love one another (John 13:34,35), and we show our love for God by obeying His commands to love one another. John stated, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments” (1 John 5:2,3).
3. We walk in the light when we abstain from walking in the ways of the world. John said, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world” (1 John 2:15,16). We have two paths to choose from. We can develop a “friendship with the world” which is “enmity with God” (James 4:4), or we can choose the spiritual path of walking in the light. Let’s examine ourselves daily to insure we are walking in the light so our sins can be cleansed by the precious blood of Christ. -Ed

Many faithful Christians often beat themselves up over things they feel they cannot do in the work of the Lord, and it leads to excessive worry and concern that can be spiritually damaging. I personally have had numerous Christians approach me voicing their concern about not being able to effectively evangelize and preach to people. Their concern leads them to be worried about their soul’s salvation. I believe some of this is the fault of gospel preachers. We often pound the pulpit demanding that members be actively evangelizing everyday. Now, let me be clear. All Christians are responsible for studying God’s word (2 Tim. 2:15), sharing the truth of the gospel if the opportunity presents itself, and defending the hope we have in Christ Jesus. The apostle Peter wrote, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Pet. 3:15). But, we must realize that not every Christian is an evangelist just like every Christian cannot be an elder, deacon, or pulpit preacher.
Every Christian should have the desire to teach the truth, but some are just not equipped with the ability to do it as well as others. Some evangelists may not have the ability to give much or exhort as well as people who possess those talents. The apostle Paul stated, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” (Eph. 4:11). Notice Paul said that Jesus gave “some” to be evangelist. All Christians can evangelize to some degree and in many different ways, but that does not mean they are blessed with the ability to be an evangelist in the official sense of the word Paul was using.
Paul told the Romans “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness” (Rom. 12:4-8). Paul is telling us that each member is blessed with different abilities, so Christians should find the abilities God has blessed them with and “use them”. Some may not be able to preach or evangelize; but they can give, exhort, serve, teach, or show mercy. Some of us may not be able to evangelize as effectively as others, but we must remember that we are indirectly teaching the truth when we diligently use the abilities God has given us for His glory. People are watching the way we live, and they notice what motivates us to live and act the way we do.
We need to change our mindset regarding the way we live our lives when we are away from the assembly of the saints. We encounter the danger of leaving our spiritual life at the church building and then label Monday through Saturday as our “secular” life. If we are living the way Christ expects, and knows we are capable of, then our everyday life should be evangelistic in nature. Think about this! When men are loving husbands and train their children in the way of the Lord, are they bringing glory to the Lord and evangelizing (Eph. 5:25; Eph. 6:4)? They are! When women profess godliness in their lives, respect their husbands, and faithfully care for their children; are they evangelizing through their example (Eph. 5:23; 1 Tim. 2:9; Titus 2:4,5)? They are! When Christians go to work and do their absolute best to serve God and bring glory to him through their work, are they serving the Lord (1 Cor. 10:31)? They are! When those Christians go to work each day to earn money to provide for their family and give to the church, are they serving and working for the Lord (1 Tim. 5:8)? They most definitely are! God has given us all different talents and abilities, so we must use the ones we have been blessed with to bring glory to God and His Kingdom. -Ed