Afokpella - Villa Church of Christ

08/12/2022

WHY ARE THERE SO MANY CHURCHES
Why Are There So Many Churches?

Rod Rutherford

The following statement is typical of many that we hear: "There is one God and one Lord Jesus Christ. There is only one Bible. Why are there so many different churches?" There are literally thousands of different religious organizations in the world today which claim to believe in Jesus Christ. The number of these organizations increases daily. It is not surprising that sincere seekers after truth are confused. Our Lord prayed for the unity of all who would believe in Him. In John, chapter 17, verses 20 and 21, Jesus spoke to the Father these words: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." Many turn away from Christ in confusion because of the many different churches which claim to be following Him today.

There are thousands of different churches in the world, but the Bible knows only one. Hear the inspired Apostle Paul: "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" (Ephesians 4:4-6).

Please notice that "there is one body." That one body is the church. Please note that God "gave Him (Christ) to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all" (Ephesians 1:22,23). If the church is the body and there is one body, that means there is only one church which is approved by God. If there is but one church, then no man has any right to start another one. In fact, none of the churches founded by men have the approval of God. Our Lord Jesus Christ said: "Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up" (Matthew 15:14).

While our Lord Jesus Christ lived on

27/11/2022

It's the Lord's Day and we're happy here! Hello family!

21/11/2022

Did Jesus Turn Water Into Alcoholic Wine?
Ryan Hasty

Did Jesus really turn water into wine? The answer is unequivocally “yes”. But that is not what we generally want to know about this text. We want to know whether Jesus turned water into fermented, alcoholic wine. There are several problems with taking this interpretation:
First, many Christians who justify from John 2 the consumption of alcoholic beverages of today are unprepared to take this argument to its logical conclusion. If Jesus did indeed produce alcoholic wine, not only would it be morally right to drink it, it would also be morally right to produce it, sell it, serve it, and even bank a living from it. But this is further than many are prepared to go because that would absolutely and undeniably cause others to stumble.
Secondly, John 2:6 tells us that Jesus filled 6 stone water pots 20 to 30 gallons each to the brim. That is 120 to 180 gallons of wine. If He truly made alcoholic wine, we’re no longer in the realm of “temperate” consumption and social drinking – it’s a binge.
Third, John 2:10 tells us that Jesus made this wine after they were “well drunk” or had “drunk freely” where they would not have been able to detect poorer wine had it been served afterwards. If we’re to assume, as many do, that this means they were well on their way to being inebriated, than the fact that Jesus prepared 120 – 180 gallons means that He used His first miracle to contribute further to their intoxication (Hab 2:15). Is this consistent with the sinless nature of our Lord?
Fortunately, there is a more reasonable view to consider as it pertains to our Lord’s first miracle that does not propose as many problems. The evidence is considerable that Jesus actually produced nonalcoholic, unfermented wine of the highest quality.
First, the term “wine” in biblical times could refer to fermented or unfermented drink. Part of the problem with interpreting John 2 correctly is that we assume it was alcoholic wine merely because wine

18/11/2022

**HOW THE APOSTLES DIED.**

1. Matthew

Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, Killed by a sword wound.

2. Mark

Died in Alexandria, Egypt, after being dragged by Horses through the streets until he was dead.

3. Luke

Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous Preaching to the lost.

4. John

Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge Basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution In Rome. However, he was miraculously delivered from death.

John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison Island of Patmos. He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos. The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve As Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey. He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully

5. Peter

He was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross.

According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die in the same way that Jesus Christ had died.

6. James

The leader of the church in Jerusalem, was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his

enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club.

* This was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation.

7. James the Son of Zebedee,

was a fisherman by trade when Jesus Called him to a lifetime of ministry. As a strong leader of the church, James was beheaded at Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial. Later, the officer Walked beside James to the place of ex*****on. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and knelt beside James to accept his beheading as a Christian.

8. Bartholomew

Also known as Nathaniel Was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.

9. Andrew

Was crucified on an x-shaped cross i

13/11/2022