Sin and Salvation

Sin and Salvation
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

“Political correctness” has produced a kind of religious correctness, which has led to the popular notion that Christians are not to be critical of “sinful” behavior. It is alleged that true Christians will have a “live and let live” approach to others. And while it is true that the New Testament contains no mechanism for the coercion of good behavior or for the physical punishment of bad behavior, this does not mean that Christians are to be silent regarding the law of God. God’s word constitutes a standard, and it is applied to humans through instruction and learning. Local churches are to “sound forth the word of the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 1:8). Individual saints are to “hold forth the word of life” (Philippians 2:16). The gospel message is the “word of the Lord” because it was “breathed out” by God (2 Timothy 3:16). It is the “word of life” because it contains life-giving, soul-saving instructions. The gospel of Christ is “the power of God to salvation to everyone that believes…” (Romans 1:16). But “salvation” from what? Religious people often speak of “being saved,” but from what are we “saved?” Paul immediately answers this question in the several following verses following Romans 1:16 and 17: The answer is SIN! We are saved from the guilt and soul-damning consequences of sin.

How many times have you heard the word “sin” in the past few weeks or months? Probably not much. Most people, even many who call themselves “Christians, are afraid to use the little word “sin.” They fear that if they define sinful conduct, someone’s (sinful) behavior might be indicted and they will be charged with unlawful “judging of others.” Matthew 7:1-5 does condemn the kind of judging wherein one condemns others while he is doing the same thing (hypocritical judging), but what about the simple task of holding forth God’s divine standard? What about gospel preaching? If one “speaks as the oracles of God” and teaches what Paul taught in Romans 1:18-32, he will have condemned many different types of sinful behavior. Of course, this is one of the purposes of gospel preaching. Yes, we must preach the facts that are to be believed, but what good does it do one to believe if he refuses to repent? Jesus plainly stated that people will “perish” if they refuse to turn from their sins (Luke 13:3, 5). But how does one repent of his sins if he doesn’t know what they are? Salvation is from sin. Let us ignore this new “religious correctness” and let us get back to the work of showing people why they need to be saved, and what they must do to accomplish salvation!

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com. Visit www.parkwaychurchofchrist.com.

Religious Changelings

Religious Changelings
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

We are living in an age that is obsessed with “change.” North Americans recently watched the “change” mantra literally dominate a presidential campaign. Millions of people voted for a particular candidate on the mere basis of his constant call for “change.” Many of these voters knew absolutely nothing about this particular candidate’s actual views and positions on vital issues. They knew only that he was “for change.”

The clamor for change, however, is not limited to politics. It is a cultural mindset, and as such, it permeates the entire fabric of our society. This includes religion. Sadly, the change mentality exists among religious people, even among those who call themselves “Christians” and claim the Scriptures as their exclusive guide of faith and practice. God does not change (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8), and his word does not change (Psalm 119:89; Matt. 24:35; 1 Pet. 1:25; Rev. 14:6), but these “servants of God” are constantly looking to change something.

Solomon said, “My son, fear the Lord and the King; do not associate with those who are given to change” (Proverbs 24:21).

Not all change is bad. Change that constitutes repentance is good and necessary (Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 2:38; 17:30). In repentance, one changes his mind and his direction with respect to the practice of sin. However, Solomon speaks of a change that is so dangerous and wrong that he urges his son to not associate with those who are “given” to it. He has reference to innovators. These are people who resist and reject established norms, patterns and standards. They are not comfortable with the notion of things having to be done a certain way. Their inclination is to do things differently than do others.

Pride and rebellion drive the spirit of change. Proud people simply believe that their way is better. They see their different way is being better by mere virtue of the fact that is their way - the way that they invented! Rebellious people are those who cast off the restraints of law, often divine law (see Jeremiah 5:5), simply because they want to have their own way and do their own thing. “Every way of man is pure in his own eyes…” (Prov. 16:2). Let us remember that God has an unchangeable law. Faithful service is rendered to God by observing that unchangeable law.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com. Visit www.parkwaychurchofchrist.com.

Christmas Time Religion

Christmas Time Religion
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

Religious sentiment tends to increase during Christmas and Easter. And even though we admit that a small amount of attention to Bible topics is better than none at all, we do not want people to be deceived into thinking that this seasonal “religion” is sufficient for their souls. There is more to serving God than just attending a “Christmas” or “Easter” church service.

Interestingly, it is the churches themselves that have actually fostered the notion that special religious services should be associated with Christmas and Easter. Christ’s gospel contains no instructions authorizing or requiring such special services or assemblies. The New Testament makes every Sunday equally significant. New Testament Christians assembled upon the first day of every week to give (1 Cor. 16:2), to remember the Lord’s death through the observance of the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:23-26), and to pray, sing and study (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 14:26-33). No particular Sunday service was any more or less important than others, for every Sunday has been divinely prescribed as our day of worship. The concept that certain religious services are any more or less spiritual than others is a mere human opinion. It is not founded upon Scripture.

This raises an important question: Why do some people encourage the commemoration of events that God has not told us to commemorate, and refuse to commemorate an event that God has told us to commemorate? The Bible does record the birth (Matt. 1:18-2:12; Luke 2:1-21) and the resurrection of Christ (Matt. 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20). And though we must believe these gospel facts, nowhere does the Bible authorize the establishment of certain holy days or procedures for their commemoration. However, the Bible quite plainly instructs us to commemorate the Lord’s death (by the Lord’s Supper, Matt. 26:26-29; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:23-33), stating the day of the week on which this is to be done, and even implying the frequency of observance. With the approval of an inspired apostle, the disciples at Troas assembled “upon the first day of the week” to observe this memorial. Inasmuch as every week has a “first day,” we are to observe the Lord’s Supper upon the first day of every week. Let us commemorate what God would have us to commemorate. In so doing we will worship weekly, not just annually or biannually.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 - Email: timhaile@mac.com. Visit www.parkwaychurchofchrist.com.

Homosexuality and Gay Marriage (Part 1)

Homosexuality and Gay Marriage (Part 1)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

Defenders of homosexuality and gay marriage have traditionally gone to great lengths to avoid Bible teaching when making their case. However, Newsweek.com recently published an article that attempts to use the Bible in actual defense of gay marriage. Lisa Miller’s article was published December 6, 2008, and is entitled, “Our Mutual Joy.” The article contains numerous errors and Scripture misrepresentations. Before addressing her specific arguments, lest us see what the Bible does teach about homosexuality:

Genesis 18, 19 record events that transpired before the Law of Moses was given, during the patriarchal age. Angels in human form visited Abraham and confided in him that God intended to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of their sin. Upon seeing these “men” (angels) enter Lot’s house, the men of Sodom, both “young and old,” surrounded the house and called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may have sex with them” (Gen. 19:4, 5). For those who claim that God incinerated Sodom and Gomorrah because of their “inhospitableness,” rather than their homosexuality, I cite Jude’s words in the New Testament. Jude wrote, “Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire” (Jude 7).

Leviticus 18:22 - “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman: it is an abomination.” This passage is a part of Mosaic Law. Incidentally, the very next verse condemns bestiality. “And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean with it, neither shall any woman giver herself to an animal to lie with it: it is perversion.” Homosexuality is classified with bestiality because both constitute sexual perversion. Under Mosaic Law these sexual sins were a capital offense. Leviticus 20:13 says, “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.” Those convicted of this type of sexual immorality were to be executed. If we were under the OLD Testament Law today, society would be divinely obligated to execute all who engaged in homosexual and bestial behavior. Of course, we are no longer under the Law of Moses, with its requirements of physical punishment for various moral and ceremonial violations. However, we are under the New Testament, and it also condemns these types of sexual behavior as being sinful and wrong. More to come…

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com. Visit www.parkwaychurchofchrist.com.

Work Out Your Own Salvation

“Work Out Your Own Salvation”
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

Though Bible students are always pleased to hear Scripture cited, they also know that Scripture can easily be taken out of context and misapplied. When context is properly represented, partial citations can be applied effectively. However, misapplication is far more likely to occur when partial citations are made. This may come as a surprise to some folks, but Bible verses are not established by their subject matter! Translators use chapter and verse numbers, not to distinguish topics, but to expedite study. Some Bible subjects span more than just one verse or even one chapter of Scripture. Partial Scripture citations can be dangerous if the context is not taken into consideration.

The words of our title come from Philippians 2:12. The very next verse begins with “for,” which introduces reason. Thus, verse 13 definitely needs to be considered with verse 12. Paul said, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, {13} for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

In an effort to prove that salvation is obtainable through many different organizations, ways, paths and methods, some people cite only the words, “work out your own salvation.” But is Paul really telling people that they are at liberty to be saved however they choose? Is he saying that every person is authorized by God to concoct his own scheme of redemption? No, Paul’s admonition has a context. Notice that, just before this admonition, Paul had commended these saints for their sincere obedience. There can be no obedience without command to obey! Whose commands did they obey? Then, immediately after the admonition, he said that this obedience amounted to God working “in” them. The conclusion is unavoidable: These saints “worked out” their “own salvation” by obeying God’s will! They did not “work out their own salvation” by obeying their own will. Salvation is for those who “do the will of God” (Matthew 7:21). This can be demonstrated by reading the account of their conversion in the book of Acts. The Philippians were told to believe and be baptized, and that is what they did (Acts 16:30-33). They did exactly what Jesus had told the apostles to tell people to do (Mark 16:16). One “works out his own salvation” by knowing and obeying God (2 Thessalonians 1:8).

Visit our website at www.parkwaychurchofchrist.com. View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Proposition 8 and Gay Marriage

Proposition 8 and Gay Marriage
Tim Haile, for the Parkway Church of Christ

Proposition 8 was an amendment to the California state constitution that restricts “marriage” to a union between a man and a woman. It bans “gay marriage.” The amendment passed, but it has created a firestorm of controversy in California and in other places. Gay activists have invaded churches and disrupted their worship services, trampled crosses at demonstrations, and boycotted businesses whose owners favored the anti-gay-marriage amendment. Gays are now working to remove this decision from the hands of the California citizens by taking their case to liberal courts. We shall see where this ends.

Of course, all Bible believers were very pleased with the election results relating to the prop-8 amendment. The Bible teaches that marriage is for one man and one woman (Matthew 19:4-6). It teaches that like all other illicit sexual relations, homosexuality is immoral (Romans 1:26,27; 1 Tim. 1:10; Jude 7).

Gays and lesbians are presently making two faulty arguments in there efforts to protest the recent California election results and legitimize their behavior: 1. They classify gays as just another “minority group.” 2. They equate “gay marriage” with “interracial marriage.”

1. It is faulty classification to classify gays with “Blacks, Jews, Hispanics and Women.” Being “gay” has to do with a particular sexual preference. Being “black” or “white” has to do with race, not sexual behavior. One’s color has nothing to do with his morality. The fact that it is possible for one to engage in sexual perversion whether he is black, white, brown or yellow, male or female, proves that homosexuality is a behavior! It insults and denigrates legitimate classes of people, like Blacks, Hispanics and women, to classify them with some type of sexual deviancy. There is nothing inherently wrong with being black, white, brown, male or female, whereas there is something wrong with practicing homosexuality.

2. No sin is committed when a black man marries a white woman, or a white man marries a black woman! The Bible stipulates “man” and “woman” but it does not stipulate race. It is a specious and godless argument for one to equate “gay marriage” with “interracial marriage.” We must rise up in opposition to those who would redefine God’s institution of marriage and the home.

Parkway Church of Christ, 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. Worship Times: Sundays at 10:00AM and 6:00PM - Bible Study: Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM. Radio: Sundays at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com

The Church of Oprah Winfrey (Part 2)

The Church of Oprah Winfrey (Part 2)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

I pointed out in last week’s article that Oprah Winfrey is now attempting to help her followers spiritually, not just socially and psychologically. The problem is that her religious concepts are rooted in New Ageism, rather than the Holy Scriptures. Oprah’s website showcases the teachings of a prominent new age philosopher named Eckhart Tolle. Oprah cited the following statement from Tolle as being one of her “favorites:” “Only the truth of who you are, if realized, will set you free.” This is classic new ageism. It suggests that truth is not contained or expressed in a divine communiqué, such as the Bible. They believe that truth is subjective, not objective. The new-ager believes that truth is buried within oneself and must be discovered by “conscious awakening.”

Perhaps you noticed that the last part of Tolle’s statement is identical to the words of Jesus in John 8:32. Jesus said, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Of course, Jesus taught that people would be made free as a result of knowing the truth of God, not the truth of themselves. Tolle adapted the words of Jesus to his own concept of “God” and “truth.” New Ageism sees “all as one,” and thus “God” is in all things. The technical term for this is monism. The new-ager finds “God” when he “finds himself.” This was once said to be accomplished by transcendental meditation. Tolle’s term for it is “enlightened perception.” The Bible reader is reminded of Jeremiah’s words: “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jer. 10:23). “Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). We must look to Christ for Truth.

Sadly, this fact is denied by Oprah Winfrey. She told an audience, “One of the mistakes that human beings make is believing that there is only one way. There are many paths to what you call God.” This statement is based upon the New Age belief that Jesus was just one of many who achieved “enlightenment.” They compare and equate Jesus to Buddha, Krishna, Mohammed, and any others who attained to such “a state.” Bible believers must beware! These people are preaching “another Jesus” (2 Cor. 11:4), and their Godless doctrines must be challenged and rejected.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

The Church of Oprah Winfrey (Part 1)

The Church of Oprah Winfrey (Part 1)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

Some people wish to be “religious” or “spiritual,” but they do not wish to follow the Holy Scriptures. They reject the Church that Jesus built, and establish in its place their own brand and concept of “church.” Hundreds of human religions have been formed from the rejection of Bible truth. Some of these have been fairly inconsequential, while others have affected millions of people. The more popular, charismatic, wealthy and influential the founder/leader of the new movement, the larger and faster growing that movement.

One of the newest of these religious movements is that of the talk show host, Oprah Winfrey. In her determination to help people with their problems, Oprah has delved into the spiritual realm. And while Oprah may have helped a lot of people through various psychological hardships, she is no prophetess. To the contrary, her new concepts of God amount to blasphemy. Oprah has the help of prominent new age philosophers like Eckhart Tolle, whose works are prominently featured on her website. Tolle speaks and writes much about “enlightened perception” and “conscious awakening.” His concepts bear a striking resemblance to those of Buddhism. God is not seen as a transcendent personal being, but as a feeling. Heaven is not a real place, but a state of mind. Oprah Winfrey said, “God, in the essence of all consciousness, isn’t something to believe, God is, and God is a feeling experience and not a believing experience. If religion and God for you is about believing, then it is not truly God” (Oprah Winfrey, In a Recorded Interview With Eckhart Tolle).

Oprah's "God" is not a supreme being, but a supreme essence and feeling. This is completely contrary to the teaching of Scripture. The Bible teaches that God’s existence is independent of man’s thoughts, feelings and actions (Acts 17:24-29). God is “from everlasting to everlasting” (Psalm 90:2), and He does not change (Malachi 3:6). He preexisted the universe (Genesis 1:1).

Oprah’s religion also denies the concept of sin. And with no sin, there is no need for any type of sin sacrifice. Her religion focuses upon the development of a certain mental state that is free of negative thoughts. One can see how this new religion has such an appeal to its millions of followers. There is no doctrine to learn, no commands to be obeyed and no risk of damnation. (More to come…)

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Government and Morality

Government and Morality
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).

“A king who sits on the throne of righteousness winnows away all evil with his eyes” (Proverbs 20:8).

The greatest failing of any people is to underestimate the importance of God’s standards in their lives and in their institutions. This includes their government. Our nation once knew and benefited from a biblical worldview, but it has steadily strayed from that path. The cry for “separation of church and state” has resulted in the separation of state and morality. Incidentally, Jefferson and others were not afraid of citizens being influenced by divine principles of thought and conduct: they were afraid of a mechanism that might allow government to impose its religious will upon its citizens! This was precisely what had happened with the Church of England!

No government can survive that rejects the biblical model of society and human interaction. Let us consider some of the more basic tenets:

1. Respect for the sanctity of human life is vital to the survival of any nation. This begins with a genuine respect for the life of the unborn and it extends to the elderly. It includes church members (Ephesians 4:1-16), family members (Eph. 5:22-6:4) and neighbors (Matt. 22:39).

2. Respect for the rights and choices of others. We should respect the lives and property of others, but we should also respect their right to make their own choices. Some fear that a biblical worldview forces all people to subscribe to biblical ethics and morality. No, the Bible itself teaches that people are free agents, which means that people are free to make their own decisions about service to God (“whoever WILL, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17). This principle has served this nation well for over 200 years. There is no reason why it cannot continue to work.

3. Respect for the role of government. Paul told the saints at Rome that God had “appointed” civil government for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of well doers (Romans 13:1-4). When government ceases to follow this model it ceases to be approved by God. Sadly, many human governments act contrary to God’s will today. Let us do what we can to encourage rulers to respect God’s ways.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Is Socialism Biblical?

Is Socialism Biblical?
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

Politicians usually make promises in order to get elected to office. Financial conditions often top the list of people’s concerns, so politicians devote considerable discussion to this topic, particularly in election years that occur in the midst of economic downswings. This is one such year for the United States. Each political candidate claims that his plan is the best for the people. These plans typically differ based upon the particular economic ideologies of the candidates. There are varying economic schools of thought, but one idea that is proposed by some politicians is to seek to ease the financial woes of one group of people by taking money from another group (through taxation) and giving it to them. This is sometimes called wealth redistribution, but classically it is known as socialism. Socialism is the step between capitalism and communism.

Some have cited the teaching of Acts chapters 2 and 4 as proof that communism is biblical. This is simply not true. While it is true that some people were selling their property in order to assist their needy brethren (Acts 2:44,45; 4:32-5:1), it is not true that these decisions were made by the community or by some governmental entity. God acknowledged the right of these brethren to own and sell their property and to do with the proceeds as they so chose. We are told of a couple named Ananias and Sapphira, who sold a piece of property and gave part of the proceeds to the church (Acts 5:1, 2). Sadly, they represented themselves as having given all of the proceeds when in fact they had given only part. Their sin was that of lying. They lied about the amount [percentage] that they had given. Peter told Ananias, “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God” (Acts 5:4). Ananias and Sapphira were killed for their sin, but the fact remains that Peter, by divine inspiration, acknowledged the private property ownership rights of these two people. The second and fourth chapters of Acts teach us lessons about brotherly love and generosity, not about socialism and communism! Jesus, in his parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), completely destroys the concept of socialism. The Bible says that if one will not work, then neither should he eat (2 Thess. 3:10).

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

A Comparison of Life: Born and Unborn

A Comparison of Life: Born and Unborn
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

As I mentioned last week, discussions about abortion often lead to discussions about individuality and the quality of the unborn life. As last week’s study indicated, medical science makes it difficult for one to deny the “life” status of the unborn child. So, the dispute is now over the value of the unborn life. Is the “life” of the unborn baby as valuable as the life of the baby that is born? Is there something about the condition or status of the unborn baby that would allow one to destroy it, but would not allow one to destroy the born baby? (Incidentally, the practice of abortion always leads to the practice of infanticide, genocide, euthanasia and other forms of murder. The same lack of respect for the sanctity of life that allows the one practice also allows the other.)

Experience and observation show that one thing is certain: To the mother who loves and wants her baby, prenatal care is every bit as important as natal care. This is her baby, whether it is in her womb (Luke 1:41, 42), or out of her womb (Luke 2:12). Her natural inclination is to care for and protect that baby regardless of its physical location.

A Bible passage answers our question about the value of the unborn human life. Moses said, “If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise” (Exodus 21:22, 23). The Law of Moses contained both civil and spiritual laws for the Jews. We are not under this law today, but we may learn from its definitions and examples (Rom. 15:4).

Moses describes two possible scenarios: 1) A man hits a pregnant woman causing a premature delivery with possible complications but no death. 2) A man hits a pregnant woman resulting in the death of her unborn baby. Under Jewish civil law, the punishment matched the crime. Under the Law of Moses it was a capital offense for one to kill an unborn baby. Quite notably, the word for “life” in Exodus 21:23, is the same Hebrew word both times. This means that the “life” of the unborn baby was equal to the “life” of the man who caused the unborn baby’s death – “life for life.” The conclusion is unavoidable: The Bible places the same value on the life of the unborn as it places on the life of the born.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

"Begetting" and the "Life" of the Unborn

"Begetting" and the "Life" of the Unborn
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

Discussions about abortion often lead to discussions about when life begins. This discussion then leads to questions about individuality and the quality of the unborn life. Science forces some to admit that “life” begins at conception, but they remain unwilling to admit that this unborn life is qualitatively equal to the life of one that is born.

On this question of life, Science agrees with the Bible. Science tells us that the transfer of genetic information occurs at fertilization. 23 chromosomes from the female combine with 23 chromosomes from the male. Personal human traits are constructed from these chromosomes. And yes, we can safely say that peculiar “individual” traits are so constructed, and that the process begins immediately!

The genealogical records of the Bible speak repeatedly of males “begetting” children (see Genesis 5). For example, Genesis 5:3 tells us that Adam, “begat a son in his own likeness, after his own image, and called his name Seth.” This language has confused some readers, for all know that women are the ones who give birth to children. Some Bible critics have actually cited these “begetting” passages to allege that the Bible is chauvinistic. These critics are wrong. Those who believe in the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures accept the phrase, but some have failed to appreciate its real significance. When the Bible speaks of a man “begetting sons an daughters,” it is using language that is technically accurate. Seth was “in the likeness” of Adam due to the genetic coding that he received from the 23 chromosomes contained in Adam’s sperm. The father is credited, as he should be, with his particular reproductive role. When the Bible speaks of a male begetting children it is referring to the fertilization process. The fertilized egg migrates to the woman’s womb, hence Bible references to the baby in the womb (Gen. 25:23; Jer. 1:5; Lk. 1:41, 42).

Here is another instance where Bible believers must not fear science. The Bible never contradicts genuine science. And there should be no question about the nature of the life in the mother’s womb – it is a human individual! (more thoughts on this next week)

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Is the Law of Moses Our Spiritual Guide? (Part 5)

Is the Law of Moses Our Spiritual Guide? (Part 5)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

This fifth installment is the final in our series on this subject.

9. The Law of Moses served a temporary purpose. God never intended for the Law of Moses to rule indefinitely. It served God’s intended purpose and it was taken out of the way. In explaining the relationship between the Law of Moses and the promise to Abraham, Paul pointed out that the Law was given 430 years after God had given the “seed” promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3). He explained that the “seed” [“offspring”] to which God referred was Christ (Galatians 3:16). Paul told the Galatians, “Why then the law? It was added [to the law of Moses, th] because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary” (Gal. 3:19). The word “until” implies an end – a stopping point. Paul went on to explain that end: “Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under the guardian” (Galatians 3:23-25). The Law of Moses served as “a guardian” to be in effect “until” Christ came and inaugurated his system of justification by faith. The Law of Moses perfectly accomplished its mission and was removed. No human is “under” this guardian today.

10. The Law of Moses was “abolished.” The gospel of Christ plainly affirms that the old law has been abrogated. In his death on the cross, Jesus “abolished in his flesh the Law of commandments contained in ordinances” (Ephesians 2:14, 15). Notice also Colossians 2:14, where Paul said, “Having cancelled the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and he has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” 2 Corinthians 3:13-16 likens modern adherence to the Law of Moses to the wearing of a veil. When one turns to Christ that “veil” is “taken away.” The Hebrew writer cited the New Covenant prophecy of Jeremiah 31:31-34 and said that it was fulfilled by the ratification of the law of Christ (Heb. 8:7-13). The Law of Moses today provides us with a valuable treasure of history and examples, but it is not our spiritual standard! Please write us to request a free tract on this series.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Is the Law of Moses Our Spiritual Guide? (Part 4)

Is the Law of Moses Our Spiritual Guide? (4)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

In our last three articles we considered several reasons why we today are not under the Law of Moses. Let us continue our study:

8. If the Law of Moses remains binding today, then Jesus does not qualify as our High Priest. Without Jesus as our High Priest, the types of the Levitical Priesthood would be unfulfilled, Jesus could not have performed his sacrificial duties in the presence of God, and consequently, we would be yet in our sins with no possible way of escape!

The Hebrew writer observed that had perfection been attainable through the Levitical priesthood and the order of Aaron, there would have been no need for a priest to arise “after the order of Melchizedek.” The inspired writer then said:

“For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests” (Hebrews 7:12-14).

The argument is simple: If the Law of Moses remains binding upon men today, then Jesus does not qualify to serve as our priest. As stated, Jesus was not from the Old Testament authorized tribe of Levi. He was of the tribe of Judah. This meant that Jesus could not serve as High Priest while the Law of Moses “yet stood.” This condition required “a change in the law.” As we observed in previous points, upon Christ’s death upon the cross, the Old Covenant was replaced with the New Covenant or New Testament – the last will and testament of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:15). Unlike the Law of Moses, the Law of Christ DOES authorize Jesus to serve as High Priest, and he presently functions in that capacity (Hebrews 4:14-16; 7:22-28).

There is another important lesson to learn from Hebrews 7:11-14. Non-Levites were not refused admittance into the priesthood upon the basis that “God told them not to,” for God didn’t tell them “not to.” Rather, non-Levites were forbidden to serve as priests upon the very basis that God specified “Levi” as the priestly tribe, and he “said nothing about priests” from Judah, or any other tribe of Israel! God’s silence is prohibitive in every instance where God specifies what particular thing is to be done, or how that particular thing is to be done. (More to come…)

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Is the Law of Moses Our Spiritual Guide? (Part 3)

Is the Law of Moses Our Spiritual Guide? (3)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

Our last two articles have cited several reasons why we today are not under the Law of Moses. Let us continue our study:

6. Those who seek justification by the Law of Moses are obligated to “keep the whole law.” Paul said, “I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law” (Galatians 5:3). And, “For all who rely on works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them’” (Galatians 3:10). These passages plainly teach that the Law of Moses must be followed wholly if it is to be followed at all! First century deceivers tried to convince people that they had to be circumcised in order to be Christians. Paul made it clear that if one goes to the Old Testament for his authority for circumcision, then he is bound to keep the rest of that law. There is no “picking-and-choosing” when it comes to obedience to God.

In our day, we don’t see many people turning to the Old Law to justify or bind circumcision as a religious rite or requirement. However, we do see many people turn to the Old Testament in order to justify Sabbath keeping, tithing and the use of instrumental music in worship to God. But have such people considered the consequences of their actions? According to Paul’s argument, these same people must observe every other requirement of the Old Law. This would include not only circumcision, but also the burning of animal sacrifices, the observance of Mosaic civil laws, including death penalty laws for a number of sins, cleanliness laws, food restrictions and a host of other rules, regulations and restrictions. I have never witnessed any such attempt in my lifetime! Folks want to be able to appeal to the Law of Moses to justify their favorite and preferred practices, but they don’t want to be stuck with having to accept the others. Of course, according to the apostle Paul, they don’t have this choice.

7. The Hebrew writer said, “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). However, this is precisely the type of sacrifice that was offered under the Law of Moses (Hebrews 9:13-22; 10:1-4). The conclusion: Salvation is not through the Old Covenant, but through the New Covenant! This covenant was ratified by the very blood of Christ (Hebrews 8:9-13; 9:14-28). So, the lost cannot be saved by the Old Testament, but the saved can certainly lose their salvation by seeking justification by that Law (Galatians 5:4). Let us be careful to avoid any misuse of the Old Testament, and let us be grateful that Jesus was willing to undergo the cruelties and death of the cross, thus enabling him to inaugurate and ratify the New Covenant whereby we might be saved. (More to come…)

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Is the Law of Moses Our Spiritual Guide? (Part 2)

Is the Law of Moses Our Spiritual Guide? (Part 2)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

Last week’s article raised the question of whether or not the Law of Moses constitutes our moral and spiritual guide today. I pointed out that many people turn to the Old Testament for their authority for practices such as tithing, Sabbath observance, burning of incense in worship, instrumental music in worship, infant church membership and a separate priesthood.

Part one of the series explained the difference between inspiration and authority. The Old Testament is just as inspired as the New Testament (2 Timothy 3:16). However, this fact alone does not constitute the Law of Moses as our present religious authority. We further noted that the Law of Moses was given to the Jewish people, not to others (Deuteronomy 5:1-3). Let us consider some other reasons why we are not under the Law of Moses.

3. Jesus fulfilled the Law of Moses. He said, “Think not that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away, till all things be accomplished” (Matthew 5:17, 18). The sinless life of the savior “fully filled” the law, thus satisfying its legal requirements. We should remember that while on the cross, Jesus uttered the words “it is finished” (John 19:30). The death of Jesus marked the end of the Old Testament era, and the inauguration of the New Testament (see Hebrews 9:15-17).

4. Paul told his Jewish brethren that it would constitute spiritual adultery for them to be under both Old and New Testament laws at the same time (Romans 7:1-4). The same consequence would apply to us. Paul here cites the physical marriage relationship to illustrate his deeper spiritual point. The woman, who marries another man while her husband yet lives, is an adulteress. Similarly, people commit [spiritual] adultery when they join themselves to both the Law of Moses and to the Law of Christ. “Through the body of Christ” [his death] people “died to the law” [of Moses.] The death of Christ released the Jews from the Law of Moses (Romans 7:6), and allowed them to be joined to Christ.

5. One cannot be saved by Christ while seeking justification by the Law of Moses. Paul told the saints of Galatia, “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace” (Galatians 5:4). This verse alone should be enough to convince folks that we are not under the Law of Moses. Paul later told these same saints to “fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). All today are “under the law to Christ” (1 Corinthians 9:21). (more to come…)

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Is the Law of Moses Our Spiritual Guide? (Part 1)

Is the Law of Moses Our Spiritual Guide? (Part 1)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

Many people turn to the Old Testament for their authority for modern religious practices. The most commonly defended practices are those of tithing, Sabbath observance, burning of incense in worship, instrumental music in worship, infant church membership and a separate priesthood. This raises an important question: Are we under the Law of Moses today? Should we seek to justify today’s religious practices by appealing to the Law of Moses? Let us consider some important reasons why we should not.

1. People are often accused of “not believing in the Old Testament” when they teach that the Old Testament is not our standard of authority. However, there is a difference between inspiration and authority. “All Scripture is inspired of God…” (2 Timothy 3:16), and the apostle Paul made it clear that this includes both Old and New Testament “Scriptures.” He wrote, “For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle the ox when he treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer is worthy of his wages’” (1 Timothy 5:18). The first quote is from Moses (Deut. 25:4). The second quote is from Jesus (Luke 10:7). Paul classified both as “Scripture.” It should also be noted that Jesus broke the Old Testament “Scriptures” down into three parts: the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms (Luke 24:44, 45). No true Bible believer denies the inspiration and legitimacy of the Old Testament. All “Scripture” must be believed, accepted, and considered as “profitable for salvation” (2 Tim. 3:16, 17). The question is not whether or not one should “believe in” the Old Testament, for he must! The question concerns the present purpose and place of those Scriptures. That is, do they constitute an authoritative religious guide for people today?

2. The Law of Moses was given to the Jewish people under a theocratic form of government. This is often overlooked by religious people of today. They fail to consider that many of the Mosaic laws had to do with maintaining the purity of the Abrahamic lineage and the peculiarity of the Jewish people. After summoning the Israelite people, Moses said to them, “The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. Not with our fathers did the Lord make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us alive here today” (Deuteronomy 5:2, 3). This was the nation that God had earlier delivered from Egyptian slavery (Deut. 5:6). Non-Jews before the cross were “alienated from the commonwealth of Israel,” and “strangers to the covenant” (Eph. 2:12). Their acceptance required a change of laws (Eph. 2:14), hence the inauguration of the New Covenant. (more to come…)

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Barack Obama’s “Pay-Grade” and the Sanctity of Human Life

Barack Obama’s “Pay-Grade” and the Sanctity of Human Life
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

In a forum hosted by the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, August 16, 2008, Rick Warren asked Barack Obama, “At what point does a baby get human rights?” Obama replied, "Whether you're looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity is above my pay grade."

Though many of us do prefer that our presidents have at least some knowledge of the Bible, being president does not require one to be a theologian or a Bible scholar. One can serve as president of the United States without being proficient in biblical hermeneutics or skilled in biblical interpretation. However, I propose that one can have a pretty small “pay grade,” and still be able to answer Warren’s baby question!

Obviously, Bible believers have no difficulty answering Warren’s question. The angel told Joseph to not be afraid to take Mary for his wife: “for that which is CONCEIVED in her is of the Holy Ghost” (Matt. 1:20). Mary herself was told, “You shall CONCEIVE in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus” (Luke 1:31). Jesus was “Jesus” at the point of conception. Luke 1:36 discusses Mary’s cousin Elisabeth, saying that she had also CONCEIVED a son. That son [John, the Baptist] would later “leap in her womb” upon Elisabeth hearing the salutation of Mary (Luke 1:41). We are told that Rebekah’s children struggled together within her. The Lord told her that, “Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples shall be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:22, 23). While yet in their mother’s womb, these two boys [Jacob and Esau] were identified as the progenitors of two great nations. Specific details were given about their personalities, which would affect their future relationships with one another. Jeremiah was still in his mother’s womb when God ordained him to be a prophet (Jer. 1:5). David spoke of God’s knowledge of his development while he was still in his mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-16). How much money, if any, does a person have to make in order to understand these plain Bible statements and principles?

There is also the matter of modern medical technology. High-tech ultrasound equipment allows us to observe the behavior of unborn babies, and study their reactions to various stimuli. More and more, medical science is buttressing the Bible in proving that life begins at conception. Barack Obama really needs to reconsider his answer.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Days of Creation 2

The Days of Creation (2)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

As we began to discuss in last week’s article, some have attempted to harmonize the Genesis creation account with evolutionary uniformitarianism. This has led some to claim that the “days” of Genesis chapter one are not literal, 24-hour days, or to claim that the days are literal, but that they have long ages between them. There are irrefutable reasons for concluding that the Genesis creation days are literal, consecutive, 24-hour days. Let us consider some of these reasons:

1. A basic rule of interpretation says that text should be interpreted and understood literally unless there are good reasons for it to be interpreted figuratively. A natural reading of Genesis 1:1-31 leads one to think that God created all things in 6, literal, consecutive 24-hour days.

2. The “days” of Genesis one are mentioned in connection with the phrase “evening and morning” (1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31). As a rule, whenever the Bible describes the “evening” or “morning” of a particular day, those “days” are literal, 24-hour days.

3. The Jewish workweek was fashioned upon the creation week. Moses wrote, “It [the Sabbath] is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed” (Ex. 31:17). Moses was clearly describing a normal 7-day week, and he drew a parallel between that week and God’s creation week. Six days were to be devoted to work, and the seventh day was to be devoted to God. The point and parallel are lost if the creation week was not a normal calendar week.

4. Jesus placed the creation of mankind at “the beginning of the creation of God” (Mark 10:6). If the creation days were literal, 24-hour days, then the Lord’s description works. Very little time would have passed from the first day to the sixth. However, how could Jesus’ description be accurate if each day of creation spanned 700 million years? With such an interpretation there is no sense in which it would be accurate to identify human creation with “the beginning of creation!” We shall examine this further in our next article.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Days of Creation 1

The Days of Creation (1)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

In spite of its many infallible proofs, including its hundreds of fulfilled prophecies, the Bible is always under assault. These attacks come primarily from people who wish to live their lives as they please, absent of any moral standards or restraints. These people certainly do not want to be told that they are wrong, nor do they even want people thinking that they are wrong! They hope to banish all inhibitions and the stigma that is attached to certain behavior and conduct. The first and greatest hindrance to them is obviously the Bible. They need for the Bible to be destroyed or at least discredited. History records many attempts at both.

Infidels of the past have attempted to prevent the very publishing of the Bible. Henry VIII outlawed the translation of the Scriptures into the English language (1530). In 1535, the famous commentator, William Tyndale was strangled and burned at the stake for smuggling 18,000 copies of the English Bible into England. Incidentally, only 2 of those copies survived! Others have tried similar things and have failed.

Having lost the battle to rid the earth of Bibles, infidels and others now use a more “civil” method in their attempt to destroy the Bible. They seek to discredit the Bible by alleging that it contains errors and discrepancies. One of the most common allegations is that the Bible contradicts “science.” I placed “science” in quotation marks, for true science is knowledge: It has to do with what is factual, observable, provable and demonstrable. The Bible never contradicts true science. This claim that the Bible contradicts science has opened the door for an assault upon the very first chapter of the Bible: Genesis chapter one – the Creation account. The evolutionary THEORY denies creation, and requires a uniformitarian approach to origins. The Bible timeline for origins is entirely inconsistent with their time range. Evolutionists require billions of years for their theory to work. The Bible does not provide for such a long period of time. This has led some people to look for a way to harmonize the statements of Genesis one with certain evolutionary tenets. Consequently, some claim that the “days” of Genesis one are not literal, 24-hour days, but represent eons of time. Others claim that the days are literal, but that they are not contiguous. It is claimed that the days have long ages sandwiched in between them. We shall examine this matter in subsequent articles.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

So-Called "Religious Leaders" and Jesus

So-Called “Religious Leaders” and Jesus

Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

Last week’s article addressed the hypocrisy of so-called “religious leaders” in their stand on abortion. As I pointed out, many community leaders and social activists have their roots in religious organizations and churches. They use their religious background and connections when it helps them, but too many of them compromise biblical morality in order to appeal to a broader audience. This compromise sometimes occurs on a much larger scale than on just one or two issues: some go so far as to reject the very foundation of Christianity.

Peter preached, “Neither is there salvation in any other (than Jesus), for there is no other name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life: no one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Jesus here claims to be the exclusive Savior of mankind. He did not claim to be “a” savior (“one of many”): He claimed to be the Savior (the only one). This claim is quite contrary to the views of many people. For example, almost one fifth of the world’s population is Muslim (over one billion people). They believe that Mohammed is their savior. They view Jesus as being nothing more than a mere prophet in a long line of other prophets. Buddhists view Buddha as their savior. Members of the world’s third largest religion, Hinduism, claim no savior-figure, so they certainly reject the claim of Jesus Christ! Judaism also denies the claim of Christ, for it denies that the Jesus of the New Testament is the Christ of Old Testament prophecy. Of course, there are millions of others who also reject the John 14:6 claim of Jesus, including atheists and modernists.

With multiple millions of people rejecting the claim of Jesus, and with the rise of multiculturalism in our country, it is easy to see why some “religious leaders” would shy away from these words of Jesus. Any bold affirmation of Jesus’ claim will cost them precious followers! In the same way that some men compromise on abortion and gay marriage, some also compromise on the identity, work and role of Christ in an effort to win political favor. Such compromise proves that these men are using religion as nothing more than a political expedient. It is sacrilege for one to use spiritual things for a secular purpose.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

So-Called "Religious Leaders" and Abortion

So-Called “Religious Leaders” and Abortion

Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

Community leaders and social activists often have their roots in religious organizations and churches. Many have served as preachers in various churches, often calling themselves “reverend” or “pastor.” I have watched many of these men make the transition from preacher to politician. These men take the speaking and interpersonal skills that they acquired while working as “preachers” and apply those skills in the social and political realm. This is not wrong or sinful in itself, but the compromise that usually accompanies this transition is indeed sinful.

Of course, in order to be effective these “religious leaders” must keep their base of religious backers. They need these religious people for financial and logistical reasons. They need a lot of money (and religious people can be devoted contributors), and they need speaking venues (and huge church facilities are quite accommodative).

However, in order to be truly popular (“of the people”), these preachers must try to appeal also to non-Bible believers. The determination to be liked and accepted by all people leads inexorably to the compromise of certain biblical principles, particularly those relating to controversial issues like abortion, evolution and homosexuality. This has resulted in the development of a strange new breed of “reverends” who are pro-choice (pro-abortion), pro gay marriage, and very modernistic.

No “gospel” preacher accepts abortion, for from the gospel perspective, killing a baby that is in the womb is no different from killing a baby that is out of the womb. The Bible uses the same Greek word (“baby” – brephos) to describe the baby in the womb (Luke 1:41) that it does to describe the baby that was in the manger (Luke 2:12). King David described how God’s watchful eye observed his development while he was yet in his mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-16). The Bible specifies Jeremiah and others as being considered by God while they were yet in their mother’s wombs (Jer. 1:5). These so-called “religious leaders” are fakes and frauds. They need to be challenged on their anti-God positions.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Election Year Religion (2)

Election Year Religion (2)

Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

As I mentioned last week, many politicians attempt to quote or interpret Bible passages in an effort to impress Bible believers. Interestingly, some politicians do this while supporting practices such as abortion (even partial-birth abortion) and gay marriage!
Needless to say, there is a movement under way in this country to abandon what is known as the Judeo-Christian ethic. This is a Bible-based ethic – a biblical worldview. This approach accepts biblical principles as its standard of ethics. Political liberals and modernists despise Bible-based ethics, for the Bible condemns many of the practices that these politicians and their constituents support. Barach Obama has been critical of the notion that America should exclusively adhere to a biblical ethic.

Mr. Obama said, “Which passages of Scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests that slavery is okay and that eating shellfish is an abomination? Or we could go with Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the Sermon on the Mount, a passage that is so radical that it is doubtful that our own defense department would survive its application.” There are several problems with Barach Obama’s attempt at biblical exegesis:

1. As a U.S. citizen, Obama has the freedom to criticize the biblical worldview. However, when he perverts Scripture in his effort to make his point, he opens himself up to legitimate criticism. Those who wish to speak on subjects about which, God has spoken, are obligated to “speak as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11). They may not twist God’s Scriptures with impunity!

2. Obama pits Bible passage against Bible passage, thus suggesting contradiction in the Bible. The Bible contains no contradictions (John 10:35). It is infallible, being divinely inspired in all of its parts (2 Timothy 3:16). The Law of Moses was fulfilled (fully filled) by Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:17, 18). We are “under law to Christ” (the New Testament, 1 Cor. 9:21).

3. Obama cites Old Testament cleanliness laws in an effort to dismiss Bible legitimacy. Some of his audience laughed when he spoke about eating “shellfish.” The cleanliness and ceremonial laws under the Old Testament were given under a theocracy. God gave these laws, and He had His reasons for every one of them! Of course, we are not under those laws today (Colossians 2:14, 15). More to come…

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Election Year Religion (1)

Election Year Religion (1)

Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

In their effort to win the majority of election votes, politicians attempt to be all things to all people. This means that those who are not religious, or who are only slightly religious, make every effort to win the religious vote. Those who know little or nothing about the Bible attempt to quote and apply Bible passages in an effort to appease Bible believers. Of course, history records some very interesting and even funny mistakes that have been made by politicians who have tried to use the Bible to win votes. One politician said that his favorite Bible passage was John 16:3. Jesus had just told the disciples that the hour was coming when “whoever kills you will think that he is offering God a service.” Jesus then said in John 16:3: “And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.” The politician obviously meant to say that John 3:16 was his favorite passage, not John 16:3! However, I saw some irony in his mistake, for John 16:3 speaks of some people not knowing God. I suspect that this describes a great many modern politicians.

What is more dangerous is for agenda-driven, politically motivated politicians to attempt to use the Bible to advance their own political agenda. Very few politicians are qualified to accurately interpret and apply Bible passages. Politicians are about compromise. Conversely, faith, by its very nature, does not compromise. Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17), and whatever God’s word defines as sin, is sin. Whatever God defines as error, is error. Right is right, and wrong is wrong. Jesus taught that there is no compromise with sin (Matthew 10:34-39).

A video has recently emerged of a speech that was given by Barach Obama in 2006. In this speech Obama said, “Which passages of Scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests that slavery is okay and that eating shellfish is an abomination? Or we could go with Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the Sermon on the Mount, a passage that is so radical that it is doubtful that our own defense department would survive its application.” This is another example of what happens when a politician attempts to use the Bible to advance his own worldview agenda. Scripture is denigrated and misapplied. We shall examine this more fully in next week’s article.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Which Church Should I Join

Which Church Should I Join?
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

Membership in the universal church is a simple matter. Acts 2:47 tells us that God adds all penitent, baptized believers to the body of the saved, which is the church; "the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Eph. 1:22-23). Colossians 1:13 puts it a little differently, but the same thought is contained in that verse. It tells us that after "rescuing us from the power of darkness," God "transfers" us into the Kingdom of His beloved Son. Notice that this transferal is God's doing, and is predicated merely upon our obedient faith. Local church membership is somewhat different. It involves human agreement. People of like precious faith (2 Peter 1:1) enter an agreement with one another to work and worship together. One simple, approved, apostolic example will suffice in making this point.

Immediately following his conversion to Christ in Damascus, Paul "stayed with the disciples some days" (Acts 9:18-19). Upon hearing the news that the Jews were plotting to kill him, Paul left Damascus and moved to Jerusalem. What was the first thing Paul did upon his arrival? Acts 9:26 tells us that Paul "tried to join himself to the disciples." The word "join" or "unite" as some versions have it, means "to join firmly; to glue or cement together." Paul’s actions prove that local church fellowship is a responsibility. But which local church do I join? There are some Bible guidelines:

1. Look for a church that holds forth the New Testament as its exclusive guide of faith and practice. It should be obvious to all that fewer and fewer churches are placing their faith and confidence in the Bible as their exclusive standard for determining right from wrong, and truth from error. Even though Paul said to "beware of human philosophies" (Col. 2:8), yet these philosophies are steadily replacing divine precepts in many pulpits. The members of many churches are so drunk on the charm of their charismatic speakers that they fail to notice the absence of Scripture in the sermons.

We are commanded to preach the perfect, simple, understandable, instructive, God-breathed, and powerful word of God (2 Tim. 4:2; Jas. 1:25; 2 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 3:4; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Rom. 1:16). We are to do this respecting the actual language of God. We are to "speak as the oracles of God"(1 Peter 4:11). Either the failure or refusal to "speak according to this word" means that the speaker "has no light in him" (Isaiah 8:20). This means that God will not favorably countenance those who disregard His holy word, substituting their own thoughts and musings for God’s wisdom. Christians must remember that their faith is built and based upon God's infallible word. Be sure and look for a church that demands book, chapter, and verse preaching, and will settle for nothing less! More to come…

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Deity of Christ 4

The Deity of Christ (4)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

John’s gospel opens with the words, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God” (John 1:1). “Word” is capitalized for a very good reason – John tells us that the “Word” is a person of “God.” The “Word” is not the only person of God, for along with being God, this person of “the Word” is also “with God.” John 1:1 thus references two distinct persons of God. Interestingly, by factoring in Peter’s description of the Holy Spirit as God (Acts 5:3, 4), we see that the Bible identifies three distinct persons as “God.” Though the words “trinity” and “triune” are not found in the Scriptures, yet the concept of the triune God (God in three persons) is fully biblical. Three distinct persons share in the state or condition of being God. They occupy the God-class, or as the Bible calls it: Godhood or Godhead (Acts 17:29; Rom. 1:20; Col. 2:9). That is, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all persons of God. Each possesses the attributes and characteristics of deity. They have different roles and functions, but they are nonetheless God.

John’s gospel went on to describe a change that took place in the life of God the Son that allowed him to “dwell among” humans. We call this “incarnation,” or the embodiment of the spirit-person of Jesus Christ in human flesh. Still talking about this person of “the Word” – the Logos, John said, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). The word “dwelt” is from a word that means to “tent” or “tabernacle,” suggesting that the Son of God clothed himself with a fleshly body when he came to the earth. Speaking of the redemptive mission of Christ, quoting from Psalm 40, the writer of Hebrews says, “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me.” The “me” of the passage is Jesus Christ. The “body” is the body of “flesh” that John mentioned in John 1:14. According to Matthew 1:18-23, the Holy Spirit worked a miracle upon the virgin Mary that resulted in the spirit-person of God the Son entering a fleshly state of existence. The self-existent and eternal spirit of Jesus took the place of the human spirit in the person of Christ. This resulted in the condition of “Immanuel, which means, ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1:23). Jesus is God.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Deity of Christ 3

The Deity of Christ (3)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

In last week’s article I pointed out that before he came in the flesh, Jesus was identified as God "the Word." And during his time in the flesh, he was also known as God "the Word." He was exactly the same person of "the Logos" during his days in the flesh that He was before the flesh (Jn. 1:1; 1 Jn. 1:1).

Other plain passages agree with this comparison. Colossians 2:9 says, "For in Him (the person of "Christ") dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." 1 Timothy 3:16 tells us that it was the person of "God" who was "manifest in the flesh." During his days in the flesh Jesus was given the additional name "Immanuel, which being translated is God with us" (Matt. 1:23). He is "God our Savior," and "God blessed forever" (Tit. 2:13; Rom. 9:5). He so perfectly and completely shared the attributes of the Father that he is identified as the "exact representation" of the Father's "image" (Heb. 1:3). While in the flesh, Jesus retained possession of every divine attribute. We know this because he was called "God." God cannot exist apart from His attributes. To see Jesus was to see the Father (Jn. 14:9; 12:45). While in the flesh, Jesus was so completely God that his actions were a constant "declaration" and exegesis of the Father (John 1:18).

“Alpha and Omega”

The book of Revelation often describes the divine character of Jesus, and it discusses many of his divine activities. The saints that are addressed in the book of Revelation were facing intense and relentless persecution from their government and others in society. Physical life was quite precarious and uncertain. These saints needed reassurance that the faith was worth the fight. John’s Revelation (a letter of letters) provided this comforting reassurance. One of the ways that this was done was to show Christians that their Savior-King possessed far more power and exerted far more control than any human king could even imagine. Their king was more than just a man: he was God!

Revelation 1:8 and 21:6 speak of God, the Father as being “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end…” These phrases emphasize the eternality of God. Interestingly, these same phrases are used of Christ (Revelation 1:17; 22:13). Things equal to the same thing are equal to each other. We must conclude that Jesus is God, and that his intrinsic nature is just as eternal as that of the Father. (More to come…)

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Deity of Christ 2

The Deity of Christ (2)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

As noted in last week’s article, Jesus preexisted Abraham (John 8:56-58). It should also be pointed out that though John the baptist was older than Jesus in his physical existence, he affirmed that Jesus existed “before” him (John 1:30). We are reminded of Micah’s prophecy of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem: “His goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2).

Some people refuse to even consider the question of the nature of Christ, but Jesus invited thought on this question. He asked the Pharisees, “But what do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” When the Pharisees answered that He was “the son of David,” Jesus responded, “How then did David call Him Lord?” These Pharisees were unable to answer this question (Matthew 22:42-46). However, honest Bible students can confidently do what these biased, tradition-oriented Pharisees refused to do if we will consider the evidence. As with all Bible subjects we must limit our answer to what is authorized and demanded by God’s Holy word. We must speak as the oracles of God (1 Peter 4:11).

The writer of the book of Hebrews described Jesus as being “the same yesterday, today and forever” (Heb. 13:8). One is reminded of Malachi 3:6: “I am the Lord, I change not.” Jesus Christ was, is, and forever shall be, God. He possesses uninterrupted deity. He was the same person during His days in the flesh that he was before coming in the flesh, and he is presently that same person in heaven. This fact is demonstrated by John’s use of the term “logos” to describe Jesus at all of these phases of his existence.

1. John’s gospel describes Jesus as “the Word” who was with God “in the beginning” (John 1:1). This described Christ’s pre-incarnate state.

2. John’s first epistle says that John and others had “seen, looked upon, and touched the Word of life” (1 John 1:1). He later describes the “word of life” as being the person of Jesus. This described Christ’s incarnate state.

3. John’s Revelation describes Jesus as the conquering commander “whose name is the Word of God” (Revelation 19:13). This describes Christ’s post-incarnate state.

It is significant that the apostle John described Jesus as the person of “the Word” in all of these circumstances. It emphasizes the continuity of his nature from everlasting to everlasting. Truly, “From everlasting to everlasting, you are God” (Psalm 90:2). (More to come…)

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Deity of Christ 1

The Deity of Christ (1)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

For 2000 years controversy has surrounded the nature of the person of Christ. John, writing about Jesus in the first century, said that, “the people were divided because of Him” (John 7:43). This condition remains today. Even those who call themselves “Christians” are divided over this subject. Some deny that Jesus even existed. And though this objection must be addressed, such a study is a matter of evidences, and does not lie within the scope of this article. Some people believe that Jesus was a real historical figure, but they deny that He was God. Among these people, some even admit that Jesus was a great man and a great teacher, but deny His divinity. Some believe that Jesus was a great prophet of God (in succession with other great prophets) but they deny that He was God (Islam). Some believe that Jesus was a man who became God (Mormonism). Some believe that Jesus was a created being (a demi-god), but not equal with the Father as to His divine properties (Jehovah’s Witnesses). Some believe that Jesus was, and is God, but that His deity was “emptied” during His days in the flesh (Kenoticism). Others believe that Jesus retained His divine nature while in the flesh, but that He surrendered all use of those powers and conducted Himself as a mere man. Others see Jesus as possessing uninterrupted deity, even during His days in the flesh, and that He exercised His divine powers insofar as such exercise did not conflict with His role as savior and servant. This is the Bible position about Jesus. We shall examine it more.

Does It Matter What We Believe About Jesus?

Yes it does! Jesus said, “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). Jesus’ use of the present tense verb, “I am,” is significant. He would later say, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). This is the same kind of verb that God used to describe Himself to Moses from the burning bush (“I Am that I Am”). Moses was to tell his brethren that “I Am” had sent Him to deliver them from Egyptian bondage. That is, he was being sent by the eternal, self-existent one. By describing Himself as “I am,” Jesus identifies Himself with the God that spoke from the burning bush. (More to come…)

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Predestination (4)

Predestination (4)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

Last weeks article addressed Ephesians chapter one, and I pointed out that one of the consequences of “predestination” is a denial of free moral agency. This article will address two other consequences:

The concept of individual pre-election makes God a respecter of persons. The Bible depicts God as being fair and faithful. It would be unfair for God to arbitrarily select some individuals to eternal life and others to eternal damnation. Proponents of individual pre-election will say that we should not question these so-called “methods” of God. I agree that God’s methods must never be questioned by his creatures (Rom. 9:20, 21). But what is really being questioned? Is this really God’s method, or has it actually been assigned to God by misguided men? I affirm that it is the latter. The Bible repeatedly affirms that “God shows no partiality” (Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25). What should not be questioned is God’s own impartial nature. False versions of “predestination” misrepresent God’s very nature.

The concept of individual pre-election violates the conditional nature of salvation. If God arbitrarily pre-selects some people to eternal life and some to eternal damnation, then he does so on some other basis than the choices and actions of these people. This is an unbiblical view of salvation. The Bible teaches that salvation is available to people who meet God-given conditions. The Hebrew writer said, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). One must believe in, and seek God if he wants to be saved. To go to heaven one must “do the will” of the Father who “is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). One must be “born again” (John 3:3-5, 1 Peter 1:22, 23). To be forgiven of sin one must believe (John 8:24; Acts 2:41), repent (Luke 13:3,5; Acts 2:38; 17:30), confess (Romans 10:9,10) and be baptized (Mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21; Acts 2:38). To continue in salvation one must continue in Christ’s word (John 8:31, 32; 2 John 9).

Please write us if you are interested in a free tract on this subject.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.