Author: Stan Cox

The generation that provoked God to judge the world by water is described by Moses in the Genesis account. “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (6:5). It was because of this wickedness that God said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth” (6:7).

Verse six of the text contains a simple definition of wickedness. It is that which grieves the heart of Jehovah. Herein lies a problem with our societal views of right and wrong. They do not take into consideration what grieves God’s heart.

We live in a time where the moral compass is not working. Righteousness too often provokes moral outrage, while heinous things are often championed as good and wholesome. When men no longer “retain God in their knowledge” (cf. Romans 1:28), they exchange “the truth of God for the lie” (cf. Romans 1:25).

Only by reading God’s word can we know what grieves Him, and what pleases Him. Only then can we know what is righteousness, and what is wickedness.

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“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light” (Psalm 36:7-9).

The favor of God, described in such poetic language in the text above, is expressed to those who are “upright in heart” (10). The “workers of iniquity” strive against God, and are defeated by Him (12).

And so we, as the Psalmist, pray to Him, “Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, And Your righteousness to the upright in heart” (10).

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Luke 19:10 record the words of the Lord, “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” The lesson consists of an examination of these words.

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Based on Matthew 5:27-30, the lesson examines sin, its cause, and the means of escaping both it and eternal punishment.

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Many people in the world can be categorized as generally good. They may treat their families well, and behave in their interactions with their fellow man. They may exhibit kindness and generosity toward others. It is important for us to realize, however, that it is not kindness or generosity that saves our souls. Scripture clearly reveals to us that salvation is in Jesus Christ alone. Paul wrote, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:8-9).

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Invitation delivered by: Stan Cox

In Galatians 6:12-16 Paul reveals that our glorying must be solely in the cross of Christ. This is because our redemption is based solely upon whether we are His!

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In scripture there are a number of type/antitypes found that accurately show the superiority of Christ and His covenant with man. An example is found in Colossians 2:16-17, “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”

The law (vs. 14) and the things that surrounded it are referred to as a “shadow of things to come.” That is another way of describing “type.” Paul wrote, “but the substance is of Christ.” That is equivalent to “antitype.”

So, Paul’s comparison of shadow and substance rightly describes the type/antitype relationship. Type is to antitype as shadow is to substance.

With that in mind, we place our faith in Jesus Christ. It is in Him that the substantive fulfillment of God’s scheme of redemption for man can be found!

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There is an interesting passage in 2 Thessalonians 3 where Paul describes the unbeliever. “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith” (1-2).

He is unreasonable. Faith in God (cf. Romans 1:20-23) is the reasonable response to the testimony of nature. His “invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.” Too, faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God is firmly established by the eyewitness testimony of His resurrection.

He is wicked. The end of those who do not believe is wickedness. “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind…” (Romans 1:28). Without God there is no divine standard of right and wrong. Men are free to determine for themselves what they accept and reject, and most revert to their base instincts.

He oppresses the righteous. We are told that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:13). This at the hands of “evil men.”

The reasonable, righteous man believes in God and His Son Jesus Christ. From him the “word of the Lord” runs swiftly and is glorified. You aren’t reasonable and righteous unless you respect and obey God’s word!

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In the midst of a changing world, there is a need for us to hold on to some things which do not change.

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David asked, what can the righteous do? A question we should ask in our world today, where enemies of the cross abound. As we trust in our God, we know that a prayerful, righteous life will bring hope and victory.

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In 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, Paul wrote concerning his apostolic ministry, “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”

A steward is a manager or overseer. He is put in charge of a particular work or department. It might be a household, a project or a division. In all cases, he is held responsible by the management for the success or failure of the effort.

Paul was an overseer of the mysteries of God. It was his purpose to proclaim the gospel of Christ to God’s satisfaction, not man’s. So, it is not surprising that it was of little concern to Paul that others would judge him to be unsatisfactory (cf. vs. 3). As Paul wrote, “He who judges me is the Lord” (vs. 4).

The same is true of us. We shouldn’t worry what man thinks, but what God thinks. When we consider those things to which God has granted us stewardship, (our children, home, local church, etc.), our only worry must be whether we are faithful to His instructions!

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Yesterday the nation celebrated Memorial Day. The day has been celebrated by tradition since after the Civil War. However, in 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. The law established the last Monday in May to be the day that our nation remembers all veterans who died while serving the country in the armed forces.

Consider that the last Monday in May is Memorial Day by law. While we can, of course remember and appreciate the sacrifices made by those who gave their life in service to their country, there is only one Memorial Day each year.

As a parallel, we can remember the Lord’s death for us any day we desire. It can and should be on our minds often. However, by Christ’s law, there is one memorial feast (Luke 22:14-23) that He has ordained to be taken upon the first day of the week (Acts 20:7).

Anyone who establishes another memorial, or observes the one established by the Lord on any day other than the first day of the week, does so without Christ’s authorization.

Consider going to your employer some random Monday in October and saying you want that day off to celebrate Memorial Day. See what happens.

As Christians, we observe, remember and show our appreciation for the Lord’s death on every first day of the week. We do this in our Sunday assemblies when we partake of the fruit of the vine to remember His shed blood, and of the unleavened bread to remember His body. Our of respect for His Lordship, we will continue to do this until He comes again. That is the pattern He authorized for His people in His kingdom.

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Invitation delivered by: Bob Ward

In John 18, Pontius Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” While his question may have been an expression of sarcasm or flippancy, the question itself is valid and needed.

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In Romans 13:11-14, the apostle Paul informs Christians of the need to fulfill their reponsibilities of faith, as the day of salvation nears.

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Today it is typical for couples in a monogamous relationship to engage in sexual activity as a part of that relationship. This has been so for some time, and it has even led to a change in the meaning of words. For example, no longer is a person single until he is married. He is single until he is in a monogamous relationship. Commitment is not seen in the positive answer to the question, “Will you marry me?”, but in the question, “Do you want to live with me?” A person is considered to be a cheater, not if they have had an extramarital affair, but if they have committed fornication with a person other than their “partner.” The list goes on and on.

To illustrate, I recently did an internet search of the question, “When should I have sex?” Though many sites cautioned against quick “hookups”, the reality is that many, especially in their 20’s, have sexual relations within the first couple of dates. In the advice I found online, the idea of limiting sex to a marital relationship was completely absent.

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