6/26/15

From Mark Copeland... "FAITH IS THE VICTORY!" In Overcoming Anxiety




                        "FAITH IS THE VICTORY!"

                         In Overcoming Anxiety

INTRODUCTION

1. With faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, we can overcome
   the world! - 1Jn 5:4-5
   a. As we saw in our previous study, we can overcome SIN...
      1) Both the guilt of sin, and the power of sin
      2) Through the blood of Jesus, and the gift of the Holy Spirit
   b. For such blessings are available to those who truly believe in 
      Jesus! - cf. Ac 2:36-39

2. But in overcoming sin, we must also deal with the "aftershocks" of 
   sin...
   a. Such as the lingering consequences of sinful conduct
   b. Or the residues of sinful thinking; i.e., attitudes and 
      perspectives that conflict with a life of faith in Jesus
   -- I have mentioned some of these in previous lessons:  anxiety, 
      boredom, despair ,etc.

3. With this lesson, I would like to begin taking a look at each one of
   these...
   a. Seeking to gain a better understanding of what they are
   b. Hoping to provide an appreciation of how faith in Jesus can help
      us to overcome them!

4. Beginning with "anxiety"...
   a. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)...
      1) More than 23 million people suffer from anxiety disorders
      2) People with anxiety disorders are heavy utilizers of emergency
         rooms and other medical services
      3) Anxiety disrupts work, family, and social lives, with some 
         becoming housebound
      4) It is the most common of all the mental disorders
   b. Christians certainly are not immune to the problem of "anxiety"
      1) Jesus anticipated that His disciples would have it, and 
         provided solutions to it
      2) Just as anxiety disrupts work, family, etc., so it can hinder
         our service to the Lord

[It is imperative as Christians that we overcome "anxiety" in our 
lives.  Where do we begin?  Perhaps with...]

I. UNDERSTANDING ANXIETY

   A. ANXIETY DEFINED...
      1. According to the American Heritage Dictionary:
         a. A state of uneasiness and apprehension, as about future 
            uncertainties
         b. A state of intense apprehension, uncertainty, and fear 
            resulting from the anticipation of a threatening event or 
            situation, often to a degree that the normal physical and
            psychological function of the affected individual is 
            disrupted
      2. According to NIMH, there are different kinds of anxiety 
         disorders:
         a. Panic Disorder - Repeated episodes of intense fear that 
            strike often and without warning. Physical symptoms include
            chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, 
            dizziness, abdominal distress, feelings of unreality, and 
            fear of dying.
         b. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - Repeated, unwanted thoughts
            or compulsive behaviors that seem impossible to stop or 
            control.
         c. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - Persistent symptoms that
            occur after experiencing a traumatic event such as criminal
            assault, war, child abuse, natural disasters or crashes. 
            Nightmares, flashbacks, numbing of emotions, depression and
            feeling angry, irritable, distracted and being easily 
            startled are common.
         d. Phobias, of which there are two major types
            1) Specific - In which people experience extreme, 
               disabling, and irrational fear of something that poses 
               little or no actual danger; the fear leads to avoidance
               of objects or situations and can cause people to limit
               their lives unnecessarily.
            2) Social - In which people have an overwhelming and 
               disabling fear of scrutiny, embarrassment, or 
               humiliation in social situations, which leads to 
               avoidance of many potentially pleasurable and meaningful
               activities.
         e. Generalized Anxiety Disorder - Constant, exaggerated 
            worrisome thoughts and tension about everyday routine life
            events and activities, lasting at least six months. Almost
            always anticipating the worst even though there is little
            reason to expect it; accompanied by physical symptoms, such
            as fatigue, trembling, muscle tension, headache, or nausea.

   B. SOME CAUSES OF ANXIETY...
      1. A perceived threat, as to one's...
         a. Personal safety
         b. Self-esteem
         c. Relationship with others
      2. Pressures presented by conflict, for example...
         a. Having to decide between two desirable but incompatible 
            goals
         b. Faced with a desirable goal, but concerned about 
            undesirable consequences (such as whether to accept a good
            paying job, that may force you to relocate)
         c. Faced with having to choose between two undesirable 
            alternatives (such as suffering pain, or an operation that
            may in time relieve the pain)
      3. An underlying fear, such as being fearful of...
         a. Failure, or even achieving success
         b. Rejection, intimacy, conflict
         c. Sickness, death, loneliness
         d. The future, meaninglessness in life

   C. MODERN TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY...
      1. Medication - Useful for relieving symptoms, they include 
         antidepressants and are usually administered through trial and
         error to see which medications and dosage are beneficial to a
         particular patient
      2. Psychotherapy - Two different forms have been found the most
         effective in treating anxiety disorders:
         a. Behavioral therapy - Tries to change actions through 
            techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing, or through 
            gradual exposure to what is frightening
         b. Cognitive-behavioral therapy - Teaches patients to 
            understand their thinking patterns so they can react 
            differently to the situations that cause them anxiety

[Treating anxiety with medication can only relieve symptoms; it does 
not deal with the causes of anxiety.  Even behavioral therapy focuses
primarily on handling the symptoms.

What is called "cognitive-behavioral therapy" appears to address the
underlying causes of anxiety, and it is in this realm that I believe
faith in Jesus can really help one to overcome!]

II. OVERCOMING ANXIETY THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS

   A. WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO OVERCOME ANXIETY...
      1. Certainly because of how it affects our lives and our service
      2. It is also a reflection of "little faith" on our part
         a. E.g., worrying about things like food and clothing - cf. Mt6:30
         b. E.g., worrying about preserving one's life - cf. Mt 8:25-26
      3. "The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith; and the
         beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety."  (George 
         Muller)

   B. REMEMBER WHAT TRUE FAITH IN JESUS ENTAILS...
      1. That one has a strong conviction or trust in Who Jesus Is
         a. The Son of God - Mt 16:16
         b. The only source for life eternal - Jn 6:68
      2. That one has a strong conviction or trust in What Jesus Said
         a. That He speaks the words of truth, which can make one free 
            - Jn 8:31-32
         b. That whatever He says is true, for grace and truth come by
            Him - Jn 1:17
      3. That one has a strong conviction or trust in What Jesus Did
         a. That He died on the cross for our sins - 1Co 15:3
         b. That His death is an adequate sacrifice for our sins - 1Jn2:2; 4:10
      4. That one has a strong conviction or trust in What Jesus Is 
         Doing
         a. That He is preparing a place for us - Jn 14:2
         b. That He is even now interceding for us - He 7:24-25
      5. That one has a strong conviction or trust in What Jesus Will
         Do
         a. That He will come again one day - Ac 1:9-11; Re 1:7
         b. That He will receive us unto Himself - Jn 14:1-3
      -- This kind of faith in Jesus comes from the Word of God! - Ro10:17; Jn 20:30-31

   C. JESUS HELPS US TO DEAL WITH ANXIETY THROUGH HIS TEACHINGS...
      1. By reminding us of God's providential love and care - Mt 6:
         25-32
         a. He who provides the body and life, can surely provide food
            and clothing
         b. He who provides for the birds and flowers, can surely 
            provide for His children
         c. If worry (anxiety) can't make us grow taller, how can it 
            affect the future?
         d. God is mindful of our true needs, and is able to provide
      2. By teaching us where to place our priorities - Mt 6:33
         a. The kingdom (rule) of God in our life is the most important
            thing
         b. Put Him first, and He will provide for our true needs
         c. As Jesus said to worried Martha, "one thing is needed"
            - cf. Lk 10:38-42
      3. By revealing our own limitations - Mt 6:34
         a. Don't worry about the future, we can only handle what we 
            face today
         b. In keeping with what Jesus said, here are some thoughts 
            from others:
            1) "Your ship is equal to the load of today; but when you
               are carrying yesterday's worry and tomorrow's anxiety,
               lighten up or you will sink." (Unknown)
            2) "God never built a Christian strong enough to carry 
               today's duties and tomorrow's anxieties piled on top of
               them." (Theodore Ledyard Cuyler)
            3) "Man, like the bridge, was designed to carry the load of
               the moment, not the combined weight of a year at once."
               (William Arthur Ward)
      -- When we truly accept what Jesus taught, many of the causes of
         anxiety are gone!

   D. JESUS HELPS US TO DEAL WITH ANXIETY THROUGH HIS ACTIONS...
      1. His actions in the past
         a. By dying on the cross, He has paid the full price for our
            sins
            1) Any anxiety about our guilt, past actions, can be
               relieved through forgiveness!
            2) A forgiveness that cleans even the conscience! - He 9:14
            3) Such forgiveness comes to those who believe on Him - Ac10:43; 2:36-38
         b. By rising from the dead, He has demonstrated power over
            death
            1) Ensuring our own resurrection, of which He spoke - Jn5:28-29; 11:25-27
            2) Freeing us from the bondage of the fear of death - He 2:14-15
      2. His actions in the present
         a. Interceding as our High Priest
            1) Making it possible to find mercy and grace when needed 
               - He 4:14-16
            2) Providing an avenue of peace to dispel our anxiety 
               through prayer - Php 4:6-7
         b. Reigning as King of kings and Lord of lords
            1) He is truly the "ruler over the kings of the earth" 
               - Re 1:5
            2) He is the One who holds "the keys of Hades and of Death"
               - Re 1:18
            -- He is in ultimate control, and we are in His hands!
      3. His actions in the future
         a. He has promised to never forsake us - Mt 28:20; cf. He 13:
            5-7
         b. He has promised to take us one day to be with Him - Jn 14:
            1-2

CONCLUSION

1. When one has faith in Jesus...
   a. Willing to change their thinking patterns and conduct to reflect
      His teachings
   b. Believing in what He has done, is doing, and will do
   ...they will be attacking the underlying causes of anxiety!

2. Jesus certainly desires that we not let such concerns control us...
   a. By rendering us unfruitful - cf. Lk 8:14
   b. By making us unprepared for the Judgment to come - cf. Lk 21:
      34-36

3. But He has made it possible to overcome anxiety...
   a. Through faith in Him, which comes through the Word of God - Ro 10:17
   b. By the peace of God, which comes through Jesus Himself in prayer 
      - Php 4:6-7

Are we willing to believe and heed Jesus?  If so, then "Faith Is The
Victory!", even in overcoming anxiety...


Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

Have the Bones of Jesus Been Found? by Kyle Butt, M.A.






https://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=13&article=2102


Have the Bones of Jesus Been Found?

by  Kyle Butt, M.A.

Simcha Jacobovici, a television director, and movie director James Cameron (of Titanic fame) have teamed up to produce a television documentary for Discovery Channel titled “The Jesus Family Tomb.” In this production, Jacobovici suggests that the real tomb of Jesus has been discovered, complete with ossuaries for His body, Mary Magdalene’s body, His mother Mary’s body, and the body of Judah, allegedly the son of Jesus. This outlandish claim, although supposedly backed by scientific and historical “evidence,” is another sad example of senseless hype surrounding baseless claims about Jesus Christ.
The available historic evidence overwhelmingly destroys the false assertions made by Jacobovici. First, the idea that Jesus’ bones were buried would contradict the most historically accurate book ever written—the Bible. As Newsweek writers Miller and Chen wrote: “Good sense, and the Bible, still the best existing historical record of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, argue against Jacobovici’s claims” (2007). Indeed they do. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most historically documented event in ancient history (see Butt, 2002). The New Testament documents have been examined with a scrutiny beyond any applied to other historical books, and their authenticity and reliability have dumbfounded the most skeptical observers. With one voice, the books of the New Testament declare that Jesus Christ was buried in a borrowed tomb, rose three days after His death, and ascended to heaven, leaving no bones behind to be buried in an ossuary.
Furthermore, besides the fact that Jacobovici’s idea goes against the Bible, other details militate against the tomb being Jesus’ (not that any are needed). For instance, the names on the ossuary were very common. In fact, almost one-fourth of women in Jerusalem at the time would most likely have been named Mary or some derivative form of the name (Miller and Chen, 2007). In addition, the tomb is of a wealthy family and was located in Jerusalem. But Jesus’ family was poor from Nazareth. As Alan Segal, religion professor at Barnard College, stated: “Why would Jesus’ family have a tomb outside of Jerusalem if they were from Nazareth? Why would they have a tomb if they were poor?” (as quoted in Miller and Chen).
In truth, this latest “discovery” is little more than an attempt to cash in on the hype created by Dan Brown (author of The Da Vinci Code) and his ilk. It is so devoid of truth and legitimate historical scholarship that it is more of a science fiction film than a documentary. This and a host of future attempts to cast doubt on the biblical narratives will come and go, but rest assured that “the Word of the Lord endures forever.”

REFERENCES

Butt, Kyle (2002), “Jesus Christ—Dead or Alive?” Reason & Revelation, 22:9-15, February, [On-line], URL: http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/121.
Miller, Lisa and Joanna Chen (2007), “Raiders of the Lost Tomb?” Newsweek, March 5, [On-line], URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17328478/site/newsweek/.

Does God Alone Possess Immortality? by Eric Lyons, M.Min.







https://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=3566

Does God Alone Possess Immortality?

by  Eric Lyons, M.Min.

The Bible repeatedly testifies to the fact that this life is not all there is. For the faithful, the best is yet to come (Luke 16:22; 23:43; 2 Timothy 4:8). For the unfaithful, the worst is yet to come (Luke 16:23-24). The unrighteous “will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:46, emp. added; cf. Lyons and Butt, 2005). At death, “the dust will return to the earth as it was,” but “the spirit will return to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7; cf. Genesis 2:7). Jesus taught: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26, emp. added). In short, the soul of man is immortal (Romans 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:10; 1 Corinthians 15:53-54).

If the soul of man is immortal, however, some wonder how Paul could truthfully write to Timothy that God “alone has immortality” (1 Timothy 6:16, emp. added)? If God alone has immortality, then how can man also be immortal?

Indeed, both God and man are immortal. God, by His very nature, is eternal (Psalm 90:2), and thus He is not subject to death (Greek thanatos). Only when God, the Word, put on flesh and physically inhabited His natural world did He willingly subject Himself to death (John 1:1-5,14; 19:30; Philippians 2:5-8). Yet, even then, death had no power over Him (Acts 2:22-36; 1 Corinthians 15:21). He defeated thanatos; He is athanatos (immortal). He not only physically rose from the dead, but His Spirit never ceased to exist.

Still, how can God “alone” have immortality (Greek athanasia; 1 Timothy 6:16), if the soul of man is also immortal (1 Corinthians 15:53-54; cf. Matthew 25:46)? The answer is really quite simple: The only reason man is immortal is because God gives man immortality. God created man differently than plants and animals; He chose to make man “in His own image” (Genesis 1:27). Among other things, one of the great blessings of being an image-bearer of God is that humans have an immortal soul (see Lyons and Thompson, 2002). However, in the sense that God’s everlasting nature is immortal, God alone possesses immortality.

Consider a parallel. According to Scripture, both God and His faithful children are pure and holy (1 John 3:3; Matthew 5:8; 1 Peter 1:16). They are pure and holy, however, on different levels. Whereas God is innately perfect (Isaiah 6:3; James 1:13), man can only become pure and holy through the grace of God and the blood of Christ (Hebrews 10:22; Ephesians 1:3-14). God is holy; man becomes holy. Likewise, God “alone [inherently] has immortality” (1 Timothy 6:16), but He has given it to man.

REFERENCES

Lyons, Eric and Bert Thompson (2002), “In the ‘Image and Likeness of God’: Parts 1 & 2,” Reason & Revelation, 22:17-32, March and April.

Lyons, Eric and Kyle Butt (2005), “The Eternality of Hell: Parts 1 & 2,” Reason & Revelation, 25:1-15, January and February.

Atheism and Liberal, Missouri by Eric Lyons, M.Min.




https://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=9&article=1447


Atheism and Liberal, Missouri

by  Eric Lyons, M.Min.

In the summer of 1880, George H. Walser founded the town of Liberal in southwest Missouri. Named after the Liberal League in Lamar, Missouri (to which the town’s organizer belonged), Walser’s objective was “to found a town without a church, [w]here unbelievers could bring up their children without religious training,” and where Christians were not allowed (Thompson, 1895; Becker, 1895). “His idea was to build up a town that should exclusively be the home of Infidels...a town that should have neither God, Hell, Church, nor Saloon” (Brand, 1895). Some of the early inhabitants of Liberal even encouraged other infidels to move to their town by publishing an advertisement which boasted that Liberal “is the only town of its size in the United States without a priest, preacher, church, saloon, God, Jesus, hell or devil” (Keller, 1885, p. 5). Walser and his “freethinking” associates were openly optimistic about their new town. Excitement was in the air, and atheism was at its core. They believed that their godless town of “sober, trustworthy and industrious” individuals would thrive for years on end. But, as one young resident of that town, Bessie Thompson, wrote about Liberal in 1895, “...like all other unworthy causes, it had its day and passed away.” Bessie did not mean that the actual town of Liberal ceased to exist, but that the idea of having a “good, godless” city is a contradiction in terms. A town built upon “trustworthy” atheistic ideals eventually will reek of the rotten, immoral fruits of infidelity. Such fruits were witnessed and reported firsthand by Clark Braden in 1885.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Saturday, May 2, 1885
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Saturday, May 2, 1885
Braden was an experienced preacher, debater, and author. In his lifetime, he presented more than 3,000 lectures, and held more than 130 regular debates—eighteen of which were with the Mormons (Carpenter, 1909, pp. 324-325). In 1872, Braden even challenged the renowned agnostic Robert Ingersoll to debate, to which Ingersoll reportedly responded, “I am not such a fool as to debate. He would wear me out” (Haynes, 1915, pp. 481-482). Although Braden was despised by some, his skills in writing and public speaking were widely known and acknowledged. In February 1885, Clark Braden introduced himself to the townspeople of Liberal (Keller, 1885, p. 5; Moore, 1963, p. 38), and soon thereafter he wrote about what he had seen.
In an article that appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on May 2, 1885, titled “An Infidel Experiment,” Braden reported the following.
The boast about the sobriety of the town is false. But few of the infidels are total abstainers. Liquor can be obtained at three different places in this town of 300 inhabitants. More drunken infidels can be seen in a year in Liberal than drunken Christians among one hundred times as many church members during the same time. Swearing is the common form of speech in Liberal, and nearly every inhabitant, old and young, swears habitually. Girls and boys swear on the streets, playground, and at home. Fully half of the females will swear, and a large number swear habitually.... Lack of reverence for parents and of obedience to them is the rule. There are more grass widows, grass widowers and people living together, who have former companions living, than in any other town of ten times the population.... A good portion of the few books that are read are of the class that decency keeps under lock and key....
These infidels...can spend for dances and shows ten times as much as they spend on their liberalism. These dances are corrupting the youth of the surrounding country with infidelity and immorality. There is no lack of loose women at these dances.
Since Liberal was started there has not been an average of one birth per year of infidel parents. Feticide is universal. The physicians of the place say that a large portion of their practice has been trying to save females from consequences of feticide. In no town is slander more prevalent, or the charges more vile. If one were to accept what the inhabitants say of each other, he would conclude that there is a hell, including all Liberal, and that its inhabitants are the devils (as quoted in Keller, 1885, p. 5).
According to Braden, “[s]uch are the facts concerning this infidel paradise.... Every one who has visited Liberal, and knows the facts, knows that such is the case” (p. 5).
As one can imagine, Braden’s comments did not sit well with some of the townspeople of Liberal. In fact, a few days after Braden’s observations appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, he was arrested for criminal libel and tried on May 18, 1885. According to Braden, “After the prosecution had presented their evidence, the case was submitted to the jury without any rebutting evidence by the defence (sic), and the jury speedily brought in a verdict of ‘No cause for action’ ” (as quoted in Mouton, n.d., pp. 36-37). Unfortunately for Braden, however, the controversy was not over. On the following day (May 19, 1885), a civil suit was filed by one of the townsmen—S.C. Thayer, a hotel operator in Liberal. The petition for damages of $25,000 alleged that Clark Braden and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch published an article in which they had made false, malicious, and libelous statements against the National Hotel in Liberal, managed by Mr. Thayer. He claimed that Braden’s remarks, published in the St. Louise Post-Dispatch on May 2, 1885, “greatly and irreparably injured and ruined” his business (Thayer v. Braden). However, when the prosecution learned that the defense was thoroughly prepared to prove that Liberal was a den of infamy, and that its hotels were little more than houses of prostitution, the suit was dismissed on September 17, 1886 by the plaintiff at his own cost (Thayer v. Braden). Braden was exonerated in everything he had written. Indeed, the details Braden originally reported about Liberal, Missouri, on May 2, 1885 were found to be completely factual.
It took only a few short years for Liberal’s unattractiveness and inconsistency to be exposed. People cannot exclude God from the equation, and expect to remain a “sober, trustworthy” town. Godlessness equals unruliness, which in turn makes a repugnant, immoral people. The town of Liberal was a failure. Only five years after its establishment, Braden indicated that “[n]ine-tenths of those now in town would leave if they could sell their property. More property has been lost by locating in the town than has been made in it.... Hundreds have been deceived and injured and ruined financially” (Keller, p. 5). Apparently, “doing business with the devil” did not pay the kind of dividends George Walser (the town’s founder) and the early inhabitants of Liberal desired. It appears that even committed atheists found living in Liberal in the early days intolerable. Truly, as has been observed in the past, “An infidel surrounded by Christians may spout his infidelity and be able to endure it, but a whole town of atheists is too horrible to contemplate.” It is one thing to espouse a desire to live in a place where there is no God, but it is an entirely different thing for such a place actually to exist. For it to become a reality is more than the atheist can handle. Adolf Hitler took atheism to its logical conclusion in Nazi Germany, and created a world that even most atheists detested. Although atheists want no part of living according to the standards set out by Jesus and His apostles in the New Testament, the real fruits of evolutionary atheism also are too horrible for them to contemplate.
Although the town of Liberal still exists today (with a population of about 800 people), and although vestiges of its atheistic heritage are readily apparent, it is not the same town it was in 1895. At present, at least seven religious groups associated with Christianity exist within this city that once banned Christianity and all that it represents. Numerous other churches meet in the surrounding areas. According to one of the religious leaders in the town, “a survey of Liberal recently indicated that 50% of the people are actively involved with some church” (Abbott, 2003)—a far cry from where Liberal began.
There is no doubt that the moral, legal, and educational systems of Liberal, Missouri, in the twenty-first century are the fruits of biblical teaching, not atheism. When Christianity and all of the ideals that the New Testament teaches are effectively put into action, people will value human life, honor their parents, respect their neighbors, and live within the moral guidelines given by God in the Bible. A city comprised of faithful Christians would be mostly void of such horrors as sexually transmitted diseases, murder, drunken fathers who beat their wives and children, drunk drivers who turn automobiles into lethal weapons, and heartache caused by such things as divorce, adultery, and covetousness. (Only those who broke God’s commandments intended for man’s benefit would cause undesirable fruit to be reaped.)
On the other hand, when atheism and all of its tenets are taken to their logical conclusion, people will reap some of the same miserable fruit once harvested by the early citizens of Liberal, Missouri (and sadly, some of the same fruit being reaped by many cities in the world today). Men and women will attempt to cover up sexual sins by aborting babies, children will disrespect their parents, students will “run wild” at home and in school because of the lack of discipline, and “sexual freedom” (which leads to sexually transmitted diseases) will be valued, whereas human life will be devalued. Such are the fruits of atheism: a society in which everyone does that which is right in his own eyes (Judges 17:6)—a society in which no sensible person wants to live.

REFERENCES

Abbott, Phil (2003), Christian Church, Liberal, Missouri, telephone conversation, April 7.
Barnes, Pamela (2003), St. Louis Post-Dispatch, telephone conversation, March 12.
Becker, Hathe (1895), “Liberal,” Liberal Enterprise, December 5,12, [On-line], URL: http://lyndonirwin.com/libhist1.htm.
Brand, Ida (1895), “Liberal,” Liberal Enterprise, December 5,12, [On-line], URL: http://lyndonirwin.com/libhist1.htm.
Carpenter, L.L. (1909), “The President’s Address,” in Centennial Convention Report, ed. W.R. Warren, (Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing Company), pp. 317-332. [On-line], URL: http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/wwarren/ccr/CCR15B.HTM.
Haynes, Nathaniel S. (1915), History of the Disciples of Christ in Illinois 1819-1914 (Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing Company), [On-line], URL: http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/nhaynes/hdcib/braden01.htm, 1996.
Keller, Samuel (1885), “An Infidel Experiment,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Special Correspondence with Clark Braden, May 2, p. 5.
Moore, J.P. (1963), This Strange Town—Liberal, Missouri (Liberal, MO: The Liberal News).
Mouton, Boyce (no date), George H. Walser and Liberal, Missouri: An Historical Overview.
Thayer, S.C. v. Clark Braden, et. al. Filed on May 19, 1885 in Barton County Missouri. Dismissed September 10, 1886.
Thompson, Bessie (1895), “Liberal,” Liberal Enterprise, December 5,12, [On-line], URL: http://lyndonirwin.com/libhist1.htm.

Can a Person Live in Adultery? by Dave Miller, Ph.D.







https://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=7&article=4181



Can a Person Live in Adultery?

by  Dave Miller, Ph.D.

Confusion exists in the mind of some concerning the status of those who commit the sin of adultery. It is generally recognized that a couple becomes guilty of adultery when they form a sexual relationship in violation of Christ’s teaching in Matthew 19:9. But what is a church to do when one or both of those marriage partners present themselves for church membership, expressing their regret for their sin, but their intention to continue their relationship? Some argue that the couple can be forgiven, if they say they are sorry, on the grounds that people cannot live in adultery. They were guilty of committing adultery when they first came together, but they cannot be guilty of living (in an ongoing state) in adultery, and so may continue their marriage without being guilty of further sin.
Meanwhile, the church tends to shy away from dealing with the matter, permitting the couple fellowship but, amid vague feelings of uncertainty, keeping them at arm’s length. In the midst of this inconsistency, the church unwittingly brings itself under the same indictment leveled at the churches in Pergamum (Revelation 2:14) and Thyatira (Revelation 2:20-22) for their unholy “tolerance.” We must permit God’s words to give us guidance rather than be influenced by our human inclinations, sympathies, or emotions. God’s Word speaks very clearly to this matter.
It is true that sin may be viewed as the practice of isolated acts that are contrary to God’s will. But it does not follow that individuals cannot live in sin. A “liar” is one who is involved in separate acts of lying. What makes him a liar, and therefore guilty of living a life of lying, is his refusal to cease telling lies. A person is a “murderer” if he has killed one or more persons and continues to entertain the possibility of repeating such behavior. A person is an “adulterer” because he has formed a sexual relationship which violates God’s law and refuses to cease that illicit relationship. Simply saying he is sorry for the existence of this adulterous union will not and cannot alter what, in God’s sight, is “not lawful” (Matthew 14:4). As long as that marriage is continued, the parties involved are adulterers (Romans 7:3). Only by terminating that relationship can the parties involved put an end to their adultery. Otherwise, they “continue to commit adultery” (Matthew 19:9—the present tense continuous action), “live in fornication” (Colossians 3:5-7), and “live in [sin]” (Romans 6:2). When Paul reminded Christians at Corinth of their conversion day, he noted that some had previously been fornicators, adulterers, and homosexuals (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). Who could possibly doubt the fact that their salvation would have been impossible unless these sexual unions were terminated? Indeed, how could they “that are dead to sin, live any longer therein” (Romans 6:2)?

From Gary... Just ONE THING!!!


Difficult choice, isn't it? Remember, this is only ONE THING, so choose wisely!!!  Humm, how to begin... 

Well, things to eliminate...

1. Personal matters; like your car starting or your dog barking too much.
2. Professional concerns; like, will I get a decent raise this year?
3. Practical applications; like, do I have enough saved for retirement?
4. Predictive concepts; like, how long will I live?

So, the answer probably has nothing to do with myself; what then?
My community, my state, my country, my continent, my WORLD? If the WORLD, then what about the WORLD? Hunger, poverty, oppression, war, genocide, global warming? 

Honestly, I can't pick JUST ONE. I guess I will just have to ask God: "Father in heaven, what would you rid the world of...???

1 John, Chapter 3 (WEB)
7  Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.  8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 

What are the works of the devil??? SIN!!!  

"He who sins is of the devil" - so don't sin!!! And look to Jesus for forgiveness!!!