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It is impossible to call God our Father and Jesus our Lord and Savior without having the right kind of faith. There are many religious faiths in the world, but there is only one true faith, and that is, being in the church that Christ built (Matthew 16:18) and established on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. Let us study briefly several important concepts about the children of God.
The Bible says,
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6).When a person is outside the body of Christ, he is destined to be lost for eternity. Until a person obeys the plan which God has commanded all men to follow in order to be saved from sin, his iniquity will continue to separate him from God (Isaiah 59:2). The Lord requires that a person must hear the word (Rom. 10:14); believe the word unto righteousness (Rom. 10:10,17); repent of his sins (Acts 3:19); confess the name of Jesus Christ who was raised from the dead by His Father (Rom.10:9-10); and be baptized (GK: baptizo, which means immersed) in water in the name of Christ (Rom. 6:4).
Being in a relationship with God also requires that we obey His commandments. Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments," (John 14:15). We are no longer under the Mosaical Covenant, and therefore it would be sinful to follow this Law after it was nailed to the cross of Christ. Today, we are subject to the doctrine of Christ. This includes not just the teachings about Christ, but also His doctrine which covers the entire New Testament (1 John 1:9-10).
The children of God worship Him in "spirit and in truth," (John 4:23- 24). In other words, the worship of the church is done with sincerity and in accordance with the word. Paul says,
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him (Colossians 3:17).Each local church assembles together on the first day of the week to memorialize the resurrection of Christ. During that time we hear the word of God preached (Acts 2:42), sing "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs," (Eph. 5:19), pray (Acts 2:42), partake of the Lord's Supper (Acts 20:7), and give to the Lord as we have been prospered (1 Cor. 16:1-2). It is also a time for teaching and admonishing one another, not to be entertained by such things as dramas, dance teams, praise teams, choirs, special singing groups, and instrumental music. (To learn more about the worship of the church please read The Worship Of The Church).
The act of fellowship is based upon unity as one mind. This means that the church must be united in the same faith, doctrine, and authority. Paul, in Ephesians 4:4-6, said,
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.There are times, however, when opinions should be respected, but differences in doctrine are not (Romans 14).
We have just concluded this series of articles on the subject of God.
Ira Mikell
ira@thechristianexaminer.com
We have examined in the last four weeks the history of Bible versions in English and their respective strengths and weaknesses. Now let us determine exactly which Bible is best for you!
First of all, the best Bible for everyone is one which has been translated literally-- not those who have been translated dynamically (the "interpretive" versions). No matter how much difficulty an individual has in understanding the Scriptures, the use of interpretive versions is not justified in assisting him. The Bible should be available in its pure form to everyone.
It is a good idea to use the same version of the Bible as the preacher during worship. It is not a requirement, but a suggestion to facilitate understanding of a lesson: it is hard to follow a preacher when you are attempting to read different words and receive the understanding of the lesson provided. Having the same Bible version will allow you to follow the preacher as he reads more easily, and thus get more out of his lesson.
The serious Bible student should have at least the KJV and the ASV at his disposal in his studies. The combination of these two, with the literalness of translation of the KJV along with the better foundation of the ASV will equip the student with all the information that he needs. The NKJV and the NASB/NASU, RSV/NRSV are decent substitutes for the above.
If you have difficulty understanding the wording of Scripture, it can be good to have an Amplified Bible to study with. The Amplified Bible is like a regular version, but it will give definitions or synonyms of difficult words, phrases, or passages to facilitate greater understanding. The Amplified Bible, however, should never replace any of the literal versions as the main Bible that one would use: it should only be a reference tool or a study guide.
So which is the best Bible for you? Only you can make that decision. If you like the sound of older English, use the KJV. If you wish a good and reliable text to make strong semantical arguments, the ASV or the NASB/NASU are in order. If you want the strongest literal text but yet not the antiquated language, the NKJV is for you. In reality, the best Bible for you is the one which you are comfortable with and that you will use to guide you to Heaven. One thing is certain: every Bible version is worthless if you have them but do not use the message contained therein to make your life right with God.
This concludes our discussion of modern Bible versions. Next week we will begin to examine the history of the Bible text, and how we can be certain that the text we have is accurate and reliable.
Ethan R. Longhenry
ethan@thechristianexaminer.com
www.deusvitae.com
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