Tag Archives: Christianity

Christian Love, Part 2

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When asked what is the greatest commandment in the law of God, Jesus said, “`You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: `You shall love your neighbor as yourself’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:36-40).

How many who claim the be Christians, however, take this statement to heart? How many even have a valid concept of what “love” is, from the standpoint of Scripture? Common ideas of “love” to the world, even to many who claim to be Christians, are deeply flawed, and often they are diametrically opposite to what the Bible itself defines as love. Yet, there is nothing more important to real Christianity than both the understanding of the concept of love from a Biblical perspective, and its application as one lives his life in fulfilling these two greatest of the commandments.

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Worship of the Dead

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Heathen cultures and religions in many parts of the world involve some form of worship directed toward dead heroes or ancestors.

Religious observances such as Hallowmas, which begins on the evening of October 31, or Halloween (All Hallows’ Eve), preserve to one extent or another, depending on the region, widespread ancient customs and superstitions directly associated with the worship of the dead. As does the “secular” observance of Halloween itself.

Does God’s Word have anything to say about customs involving worship of the dead? Should Christians participate in the Halloween custom, or similar customs? It’s important to consider the Bible’s answers to these questions.

Copyright © 2024 by Messenger Church of God

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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Messenger Church of God
PO Box 619
Wentzville, MO 63385
USA

Who Are the Nicolaitans?

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Jesus said he hates the “the deeds of the Nicolaitans” (Revelation 2:6). He also said to the church in Pergamos, “you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate” (Revelation 2:15).

Who are the Nicolaitans? What are their deeds that Jesus Christ hates? What is their doctrine, that Jesus Christ also hates? How might these questions affect us? The answers to these questions should be of vital interest to us, as we are specifically warned about them, and they are spiritual cancers which not only exist outside the Church, but which according to Jesus Christ at times insidiously infects the Church of God itself.

Copyright © 2024 by Messenger Church of God

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

cogmessenger.org

Messenger Church of God
PO Box 619
Wentzville, MO 63385
USA

Is It a Sin to Eat Unclean Meats?

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Is it a sin to eat unclean meats, as designated in Scripture? Many who think of themselves as Christians think not, while presumably those practicing Judaism would disagree.

Consider God’s laws, his commands, for a moment. Why were they given? Was it to deprive humans of things that are good for them, that contribute to joy, peace, happiness, good health? No, quite the contrary. God said to the people of Israel through Moses: “You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess” (Deuteronomy 5:33).

In paraphrasing portions of the above verse, Adam Clarke’s Commentary puts the wording as follows: “that you may enjoy life”; “good shall be to you—God will prosper you in all things essential to the welfare of your bodies, and the salvation of your souls” (cf. Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 4:40; 6:17-18; 12:25, 28; 30:15-16; Psalms 16:11; 19:7-11; John 15:11).

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Binding and Loosing Part 1

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Various churches and ministries have misapplied and misused what the Bible says about “Binding and Loosing” and the “keys of the kingdom of heaven,” associated with the former as in Jesus’ statement to Peter in Matthew 16:19. The result has been that many Christians have been confused about what the Bible really teaches about the aforementioned “keys” and the concept of binding and loosing, and much mischief within professing Christianity has resulted.

In this message, learn what the Bible tells us about what it means to have the “keys to the kingdom of heaven.”

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Messenger Church of God
PO Box 619
Wentzville, MO 63385
USA