Tag: New Life

THE DRAWING POWER OF THE CROSS

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Shelby G. Floyd

“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” by Issac Watts was one of the most beautiful hymns ever written. He is one of the best-known and best loved of the British hymn writers. He wrote about 600 hymns in his lifetime. Charles Wesley, who also wrote many hymns, said that he would gladly have exchanged all of his hymns for that one hymn written by Isaac Watts. Watts hymn is based upon Galatians 6:14 where the apostle Paul said, “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

GLORYING IN THE CROSS

The cross of Christ is the center of the gospel story. Wherever the apostles and preachers went in the early days of the church, the central theme of their message was the death of Christ upon the cross of Calvary. For instance, Paul worked with the Corinthians a year and a half. Later he wrote a letter to them and said, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:1-2). This meant that “Christ crucified” was the burden of his message. He did not preach the Grecian philosophy or the Roman wisdom of the poets and philosophers. He said his message was Jesus Christ and him crucified.

In the first chapter of the same letter he said, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect” (1 Corinthians 1:17). He said the cross of Christ was a stumbling block to the Jews, and the Greeks looked upon it as foolishness. He added, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

CHRIST ANTICIPATED HIS DEATH

Jesus Christ anticipated his own death. There have been other men who have anticipated their deaths, but not each detail of how and when they would die. The Lord did. In John 3 Jesus had an interview with Nicodemus. When we talk about this interview, we usually talk about the new birth. Many probably do not realize the conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus about the new birth also included the statement, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up: that whosoever believe it in him should not periods, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believe it in him should not perish, but have everlasting life: for God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:14-17). This is a part of the interview with Nicodemus. Continue reading “THE DRAWING POWER OF THE CROSS” →

Growing the Church

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Shelby G. Floyd

If the church is to increase and grow, we must all get involved in the law of the seedtime and harvest. Solomon taught that to expect a har­vest we must get up early in the morning and sow the seed and not wait till the evening of life: Sow your seed in the morning and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well (Ecclesiastes 11:6).

In some parables that Jesus taught, God is pic­tured as the owner of a huge farm with an abundant har­vest. But the harvest may be lost be­cause of few workers. Jesus said, “The harvest is truly plenteous, but the laborers are few (Matthew 9:37).

God can do whatever pleases him (Psalms 115:3), but it does not please him to circumvent his own plan to save man. Paul outlined God’s plan in his letter to the Ro­mans:

For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “LORD, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Rom. 10:13-17, NKJV).

From this scripture we learn several facts about our task of proclaiming the gospel message:

  1. God saves those who call on the Lord.
  2. Men cannot call on someone they do not believe in.
  3. They cannot believe in one of whom they have not heard.
  4. They cannot hear unless someone preaches the word to them.

Someone must send and someone must go to sow the seed:

The lack of growth is and always has been a lack of workers. Unless we all get involved in making disciples, no one will go. Like the apostle Paul said, “the love of God compels me,” to carry our own load and go forth to do good works.

Copyright © 2024 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved

Shelby G. Floyd, Minister, Heartland Church of Christ, 1693 West Main Street, Greenwood, Indiana 46142

 

 

 

 

CRITIC, TALKER, OR DOER

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Are You a Critic, Talker, or Doer?



Critic— “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” —Matthew 7:1
Talker— “For the dream comes through much effort, and the voice of a fool through many words.” —Eccl. 5:3
Doer— “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” —James 1:22

Copyright © 2024 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved

Shelby G. Floyd, Minister, Heartland Church of Christ, 1693 West Main Street, Greenwood, Indiana 46142

 

 

THE CHILDREN OF GOD

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Shelby G. Floyd

Everyone is born into the kingdom of nature by a natural birth—of and from the womb. Those who become Christians are born into the kingdom of God by a spiritual birth—of and from water and the Spirit (John 3:5). At the last day, those who are faithful, having been born a spiritual birth will be born of and from the grave into the eternal glory of heaven.

BORN OF GOD

The expression “born of God” is used throughout the letter of 1 John:

• Those born of God will not continue to live a life of sin (1 John 2:29; 3:9; 5:18).

• Those who love as God loves will know God and are born of him—for God is love (1 John 4:7).

• Those who by faith and baptism are born of God will be saved (1 John 5:1; Gal. 3:26-27).

• Those who are born of God overcome the world by their faith (1 John 5:4). Continue reading “THE CHILDREN OF GOD” →

“NOT BY FAITH ALONE”

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Shelby G. Floyd

“The benefits of the gospel come to the person who has faith alone in Christ. The blood of Christ is applied to the sinner upon faith alone in Christ and not at baptism.” –Faith Alone Adherent and Critic

In previous essays we have amply demonstrated that the subject “faith alone” is not a biblical subject and therefore a subject not to be discussed. It has only been discussed so far because certain religious advocates vehemently insist that salvation is predicated on “faith alone!” It has been pointed out that the scriptures teach just the exact opposite. James explicitly states that salvation or justification from sin is “by works” and “not by faith alone.” James teaches the truth: “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (James 2:24 NKJV). Continue reading ““NOT BY FAITH ALONE”” →

THEWISDOM FROM ABOVE

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(James 1:5; 3:13-18)
By
Shelby G. Floyd

Credit: Google Images

Previously we have studied about the wisdom that “is not from above.” In James 3:13-18, two different kinds of wisdom were contrasted—the wisdom from above and the wisdom from below. James is fond of asking questions and making contrasts. In James 1: 5 he asked, “If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God?” If we need wisdom we are to go to God in prayer and the word of God. That is where it is to be found. Pray and then do everything you can through the means that God has given you to acquire wisdom.

In James 3: 13 he asked, “Is there any among you who has wisdom and understanding, let him show it by his good deeds done in humility and meekness of wisdom?” Continue reading “THEWISDOM FROM ABOVE” →

THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST

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Shelby G. Floyd

In Colossians 1:18, the apostle Paul expressed the preeminence that Christ should have over His church when he said, “And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead: that in all things He might have the preeminence.” We must give Christ preeminence in all things and especially we must give Him first place of importance in the church.

When Paul said He is the head of the church, the word “head” means originator, source, leader and ruler. Christ is the head of the church in the sense that He brought the church into being. He is the originator of the church. Christ is the head of the church in the sense that He is the source of the life of the church.

Christ is the head of the church in the sense that He is the ruler of the church. He has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). He has executive authority: He proposes. He has legislative authority: He disposes. He has judicial authority: He judges. So we must give preeminence to Christ as the head of the church, the originator of the church, and the source of all life in the church, the legislator, the executor and the judge of the church.

Concerning Christ Paul says, “Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.” The word “beginning” there does not mean that Christ had a beginning. Christ existed before the creation (John 1:1-4). Christ is the firstborn from the dead. He was not the first to rise from the dead, but the first and the highest rank to rise from the dead. This means he holds the preeminence or highest rank over the church.

Shelby G. Floyd
Heartland Church of Christ
1693 West Main Street
Greenwood, Indiana 46142
shelby@thefloyds.net

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS

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Shelby G. Floyd

Matthew 3:16-17
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
NKJV

As I come before you today I recognize that there is a spirit among us of support, loyalty and joy for the hometown team. And I also believe that it is the case that we have that same loyalty and support and joy for the hometown congregation—the Heartland church of Christ. And that is why you are present today.

A few years ago, I presented the lesson that I am presenting today. And I was surprised that afterward a young man came to me and said, “I need to be baptized—I want to be immersed for the forgiveness of sins.” And I thought that this person was a member of the church already. And I learned a great lesson from this, that in almost every service that we will have like this, there are probably one or more people who need to be baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins. And so we preach on a lot of different subjects, but sometimes we assume that everybody sitting in one of the chairs has been baptized and become Christians. But that is not always the case, and therefore today I want to talk to you about the baptism of Jesus Christ. And I hope that I can make this lesson so simple that even a little child can understand it. That is my goal and that is my purpose in delivering this message. Our comments will cover the entire third chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew. Therefore you are encouraged to open up your Bibles and follow along to make sure that we faithfully present the record of the baptism of Jesus Christ. Continue reading “THE BAPTISM OF JESUS” →

Conversion of a Roman Jailor

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Shelby G. Floyd

On the second evangelistic journey Paul and Silas were shamefully treated in Philippi. They were severely flogged and committed to the jailer who was commanded to keep them safely. This he did by putting them in the inner cell and fastening their feet in the stocks (Acts 16:19-24). Continue reading “Conversion of a Roman Jailor” →

THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP NO. 6

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Shelby G. Floyd

And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
-Galatians 2:9 KJV

THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP

PART THREE

FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRISTIANS Continue reading “THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP NO. 6” →