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Newspaper Articles

This page has the completed articles written in the newspaper.  Due to the nature of the published articles in the newspaper, being religious, various people view the content as controversial.  Rather than sowing discontent in the community, I use those articles to entice people to learn more about what God has said.  Here we have the rest of the article.

December 28th, 2015

12/23/2015

 
And The Bible Says...
Anything About Christmas?
    In the past few days, many of us enjoyed the holiday referred to as Christmas.  This day is on all the calendars as a national holiday.  Most enjoy the day off from work and the bustle of life.  We enjoy the time with our family and close friends.  It’s a day which kids of every age reflect on the concept of giving.  And in our day and age, we need to be mindful of giving, instead of receiving.  Many think of only themselves and not to others.  I grew up enjoying all the movies:  “A Wonderful Life,”  “Rudolph the Red-noised Reindeer”, and many others.  Even have some on while writing this article.  
    But over the last 15-20 years, I’ve heard many talk about putting Christ back into the day, to celebrate the birth of Christ.  I find it interesting that the history of the day and its celebration has been celebrated on various dates, besides the 25th of December.  In everyone’s lifetime today, it has always been on this date, December 25th.  The origin of the concept is based on the Bible’s teaching of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, and His birth.  Hebrews 10 said God the Father prepared a body for His Son to be born as a man, to come to this world and live and teach man how to live and please Him, and then die as a sacrifice, offering forgiveness of sin to those who choose to hear His Word, believe it, repent in obedience to that teaching, and confess their faith in Christ as the Son of God, and then be baptized to accept that sacrificial blood of Christ’s death for that forgiveness to be applied to the person’s life.  So His birth is very significant in fulfilling Old Testament promises in scripture.  All Christians are very thankful for Christ’s birth, and the uniqueness of His birth, not being born of a man’s seed but of a woman who “knew” not man, and God’s Spirit.  He was therefore God in the flesh, and dwelt among men.  John 1: 1-3, 14   Even those who are not believers of these facts, can refer to secular historical data, of His birth and life.  BUT, what does the Bible say about Christmas?
    I’ve searched scripture, whether in the standard versions of the Bible, and the Greek texts, and there is absolutely “NOTHING” about men celebrating this birth by Him, His disciples, His family, or the 1st century church.  Nothing at all! What I’m saying is that the manuscripts that Bibles are translated from give no evidence of man celebrating this birth after the wisemen at the time of the birth.  BUT in contrast there is much evidence in scripture to celebrate His death.  Scripture teach, Acts 20:7, that disciples remembered His death upon the first day of the week, therefore, every 7 days.  They were taught how to celebrate it also, Matthew 26, following the Passover feast.  They were told to partake of unleaven  bread and “fruit of the vine”, the cup, remembering His death “until He come again”.  So we celebrate that weekly, as the Jews had kept the Sabbath weekly under the Old Law.  Yes, one might assume that to remember His death, we would realize He was born.  But there is no commandment, or reference made to do so.  So where did the concept of a “Holy Day” come from referring to His birth?
    Might I suggest that it was from the same source that is saying “Put Christ back into Christmas”.  If God didn’t’ suggest, request, or command such, and the disciples in that 1st Century church not do so, we must assume its origin came later, and was authorized by men.  God had some concern with these feast days, etc. man had established in the Old Law, Hosea 2:11, Amos 5:21, and Paul warned of binding these days upon men, especially those of the church, Colossians 2:16.  It was especially not a work of the Lord’s church as He guided the church through the Comforter, the Holy Spirit.  I must wonder why some see that Christ isn’t in it, for the reason, it wasn’t from the beginning.  But on the other hand, many don’t remember His death weekly on the first day, as Christ said for His church to do.  So, in effect, we bind the birth and have loosed the death of Christ in so-called “Christianity”.  And that which was originated by men, now has precedence of that which God originated, keeping His death in memory.   Just some things we might consider friends.  
    Yes, I am very happy and thankful for His birth, and might remember He was born on that day, as on any other day.  But I can’t say that was His birthday.  It isn’t recorded.  For those who are making judgment on this subject, please understand I’m not trying to offend you, but just give some consideration to what the Bible says on the subject.  Some have asked me about this recently, so I am replying.  

December 21st, 2015

12/21/2015

 
And the Bible Says...
Stop Sinning
    Over the last few months, we’ve been talking about the problem of sin in our lives.  It is because of my sin and guilt that I listen to the Master, and obey His plan of salvation, that I may get rid of my sins of the past.  Over the past month, we discussed the God-given tools of 2 Peter 1:3-11, so that I would not fail in my service to God, obeying His Will.  
    I know some religious groups teach that man has no choice but to sin.  Some believe we are totally evil and corrupt.  IF that is true, then who is responsible?  God made us and said we were good! Genesis 1.  Sin  is what corrupts man.  Temptation in the point in which we must make a choice.  In Eve’s case she was good, then tempted, and made a choice which brought about sin and her corruption.  The fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, taught us about sin and its guilt.  God’s command established the consequence of a sin, DEATH!  So, after men knew sin, the problem was the guilt and consequence.  Man with guilt has the pain of death, and desires to overcome that guilt and pain of death.  So, with that burden, I desire to overcome temptation and sin, through Christ’s teaching and sacrifice.  I learn not to love being sinful, and to love God with All my heart.  
    The book of 1 John has a central theme:  Stop Sinning!  (1 John 2:1-2)  The book is addressed to Christians, chapter 1:1-3, and the apostle John it writing them telling them to “stop sinning”.  The book is given to instruct “How To...”, focusing on what to do if I sin, chapter 1:9, and carefully examining my life to make sure sin hasn’t ensnared me again. I must constantly survey my mind, and know where I am in my relationship with God, and my growth in God and our relationship.  1 John 5:13 says that I can KNOW that I have eternal life.  In truth, as we grow in Christ, we are learning how to live that eternal life.  Chapter 1:3 says our joy may be full.  This is a fulfilling life when we live according to Christ’s example, fulfilling the purpose of our life, serving God.
     Let’s briefly examine the book.  Chapter 1 teaches we must “walk in the light, as He is in the light” vs. 7.   Doing so, we are in fellowship with God and Christ.  Chapter 2:1-11—we are to Know God, not the world.  Verses 12-14 – Know how God sees me, the state I’m in.  Verses 15-17 – We must turn from the world and its appetites.  These make us enemies with God.  Verses 18-23 – Know the anti-Christs and that doctrine.  These may be Christians as well.  The doctrine was that Christ came in the flesh and succeeded in pleasing God.  So being of the flesh is not what condemns us.  Too many times that is used as an excuse for our sinfulness.  Verses 24-29 – Let truth abide in me, governing me, and be children of God.  We learn to adapt to His nature.  
    Chapter 3 teaches what it is to remain/be a child of God. (vs. 1-3) HOW? Be mindful of the seed, God’s Word, vss. 4-9, and we can’t sin.  His child loves, not hates, vss. 10-15.  We work that love, vss. 16-23, keeping His commandments.  
    Vss. 24-chapter 4:6—we know the spirit of truth verses the spirit of error.  Vss 7-19 – to know God is to love.  We perfect God’s love by abiding in Him, vss. 12-16.   Love replaces fear of God, vss. 17-19.
    Lastly, chapter 5 gives us the proof of who we are.  Do we have confirmation, vss. 6-13?  If so, we have confidence before God, vss. 14-17.

December 14th, 2015

12/14/2015

 
And the Bible Says...
Salvation Requires Growth #4
    Today we wrap up our study on 2 Peter 1:3-11.  To recap, we’ve learned that to please God we must serve Him in obedience and produce fruit favorable by God.  He’s given us certain attributes of character He expects us to acquire and to add them to our faith.  Again, “without faith we cannot please God” (Hebrews 11:6), but evidently this text says faith itself is not enough to win the battle we fight against sin, and God expresses there is more we can do to ensure our home in heaven, as He’s promised.  So we are told to “Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge temperance, to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity.”
     Verse 8 says that if these abound in us, we will not be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ.  So these things being a part of my character will help me be more like Christ.  We will live like Christ and adapt our life to be like Him.  As we have looked at these traits, we’ve discussed how these frame our life, and if we look at all now as an overview, and look at the life of Christ, we can see and understand how they prompt our life as being His.  The concept of bearing fruit is symbolic of having offspring for Christ.  Have we helped others participate in the “new birth”?  (John 3; Romans 6)  In Luke 13:9 and John 15:4< Jesus warns that without our bearing fruit for God in Christ, we are not fit, but should be cut down and burned.  To bear fruit, the right kind of fruit, I must abide in Christ’s teachings and example.  Abiding in Christ is discussed in John 17, and also 2 John 9 and implies that we follow and keep His commandments, the doctrine of Christ.  We abide in He, the Father, and each other as we abide in His vine.  We feed off His nutrition.  
    If NOT, verse 9 says we are blind and can’t see afar off, or see ahead.  We are focusing on the present needs, which would be of the flesh, because the list above focuses our minds on spiritual matters and these are absent, and we are now barren and unfruitful.  We lost the focus on our life, to live without sin.  We have forgotten that we had our sins remitted through His blood in baptism through our faith, and now are back where we were beforehand, now in sin again.  What a terrible state for one who had hope in Christ, and now has lost that hope, living in sin.  We need to wake up! And see where we are, again lost in sin. 
    Verse 10 says that IF we have these traits and are focused verses 8-10, that we shall never fall!  I’ve heard people refer to the yo-yo concept of salvation.  The text warns us that we can return to the lost state again, having had the promise of salvation, but this verse tells us IF, a condition of choice, I do these, there isn’t this yo-yo concept of salvation.  It’s up to me, just like my faith is up to me.  Some have faith one day, and not the next, because faith is a choice also. 
    Verse 11, when these are accomplished in my life, I am like Christ, and I can trust that I have an entrance to my heavenly home.  God views me as His child and a brother/sister to His Son.  So Peters continues that he is reminding up these things, so that I am committed to my mission of serving God, by His commands.

December 07th, 2015

12/7/2015

 
And the Bible Says...
Salvation Requires Growth #3
    Friends welcome back to our discussion and study of 2 Peter 1: 3-11.  We are discussing God’s expectation of us to turn our backs on the life we lived in the worldly lusts of sins.  God has given us tools, traits that will ensure our lives to be different in character.  A life that copies that of Christ’s life.  As we have looked, this doesn’t happen overnight, but can and should be achieved.
    We are told to add to our faith, virtue, then knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, as we have discussed so far.  Verse 7 then says “And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.”  The term “brotherly” denotes a near kinsmen.  It concerns a close relationship causing a close concern for each other. We are people with a common interest, having a common calling. Revelation 22:9.  “Kindness” relates to having goodness, love.  So the two together means we have a close relationship working for the good toward another as brethren.  It is directed to another because of the common interest in spiritual matters in serving God.  We are brethren to Christ, our common calling.  Ephesians 5:15-17 tells us to walk circumspectly, meaning we are watchful for each other’s souls.  Brotherly kindness is the motive behind our watchfulness.  We understand each of us are on the same mission, to obey God and serve our God.  We are all given the same instructions by which we live our lives.  While I might think it isn’t so bad to do something that would at best border on a sin, I have a brother watching, and encouraging me not to give in to the possibility.  So that person warns me not to get close to sin, much less to enjoy sin.  
    Also, Peter says to add to that “brotherly kindness” “charity”.  Charity simply means “love”.  There are many types of love.  This one comes from the greek word “Agape”, which was used to describe the attitude that God had toward His Son, Christ.  The love expresses the essential nature of God. It has God as its primary object, and expresses itself first of all in implicit obedience to His commandments, John 14:15, 21.  1 Corinthians 13 gives the character of this love.  It doesn’t seek its own desire and needs, but that of others. Ie. Galatians 6:10 says, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”  We as individuals have a love toward all men, but especially toward our brethren, having that common calling and interest.  
    Next week, we will look at verses 8-11, because we have a goal in our life, to serve God, being like Christ, and receive our home in heaven.  We want to look at our fruitfulness and then see where I am on being fruitful.
 

    Author

    I am Steven Saunders.  You can email me with questions at: 
    stevensaunders@histruth.net , Or you can write me at:  Steven Saunders, 4677 Hwy. 151, Clarence, Mo. 63437

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