Eagle Rock Road church of Christ - Branson

03/22/2026

02/18/2026

To understand God’s Word we use hermeneutics.

This means we read scripture to find direct commands, apostolic examples, or necessary inferences to determine what we can do to be pleasing to God.

02/05/2026

Come and be with us this Sunday!

01/20/2026

Whether looking at the macro or the micro we can see Him.

09/16/2025

Come and visit this Sunday

03/30/2025

You shall…

03/11/2025

What Calvinists call “the Finished Work of Christ”

The Calvinists are often heard making of “the finished work of Christ” something that was never intended. They say there is NOTHING we can do to be saved. They say all doing is “finished” by what Christ did on the cross. But that is a misuse of the verses.

Sure, Christ finished the necessary provisions for salvation, but He does not force it on us so that we are all saved. Since God “would have all men to be saved” (1 Tim.2:4) and “is not willing that ANY should perish” (2 Peter 3:9), would it be true that all men WILL be saved because Jesus “finished” the work? No! Jesus did not hear the gospel for us (Rom.10:17) and believe for us. We have to DO that in order to cash in to the finished payment of Jesus.

We can’t say that “no man needs to repent” (Acts 17:30-31) because Jesus “finished” all that needs to be done. Repentance is necessary on our end in order to benefit from Jesus’ payment for sin on the cross (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38).

A billionaire may stipulate conditions for his paying all our house notes. He does the work of paying the cost, while we may be required to sign some legal papers. His requirement that we sign a document does not mean we paid the note. It means he paid the note on condition of our doing the signing of the paper. Signing the paper does not EARN anything. It is simply a condition required to receive the benefits desired.

When the 3000 Jews asked Peter “What shall WE DO?” (Acts 2:37), Peter did not say, “Jesus finished everything so that there is NOTHING for you to do.” He told them what was expected of them in order to have “the remission of sins” Jesus paid for on the cross. Jesus “finished” the payment, but they had to sign up for the payment to be received. They believed, repented, and were baptized in Jesus’ name “for remission of sins.”(v.38-41)

They would not have received it if they did not sign up in this way. Jesus gave CONDITIONS. He pays our debts on condition of a faith that repents and is baptized in His name. If we don’t meet the conditions, we don’t get the remission of sins.

He finished HIS work on the cross to pay our debts, but we must meet His conditions. Meeting the conditions does not do the paying of the debt. Jesus did that. Meeting the conditions meets the requirements for reception of the payment. Grace provides the payment and offers the conditions, and we are required to meet the conditions through faith.

Do not allow someone to twist the meaning of “the finished work of Christ” so that you swallow the lie that there is NOTHING you must do to be saved. Peter was guided by the true Holy Spirit to speak the conditions that were necessary to receive the remission of sins. Those who teach the opposite of Peter are causing people to miss out on the free gift Jesus offers on HIS terms. Do not be deceived!
-Terry W. Benton

03/01/2025

Many churches/Christians today have made it their goal to make this world a better place. Their intent is noble, however, "the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" (I John 2:17).

It is not our calling to make this world a better place, but to foreshadow a better place to come and prepare the lost to receive it! Rather than lowering the mission of the church to a physical plane, we must be focused on our true calling. We are "being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices"(I Pe. 2:5). We must be a spiritual people with spiritual focus and a spiritual mission if we are to be recognized as "sojourners and pilgrims" whose "honorable conduct" will result in the salvation of Gentiles (I Pe. 2:9-12).

We cannot serve two masters (Mt. 6:24) and if we are "entangled with the affairs of this life" we can never please Him who enlisted us as a soldier (II Tim. 2:4).

Where is your focus/identity? Where is the focus of your church?
S. Bunyard
Rogers, Ar.

02/17/2025

If We Taught More About Grace

Are we teaching enough about grace?

If we taught more about grace we would teach people more to deny ungodliness and worldly lust. Paul told Titus that the grace of God had already made an appearance to all men.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
-Titus 2 : 11

Now what does grace teaching look like? Is it continually using that word and only telling how God loves us? Read further what grace teaches us.

teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
-Titus 2 : 12

Grace teaching is when we teach people to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. I’m afraid that we may not be teaching enough about the grace of God. Grace teaches not to fornicate and live in with your boyfriend/girlfriend before marriage. Grace teaches not play with the fire of passion, to flee fornication. Why is this such a problem among members of the church? It is because someone is not teaching or someone is not learning about the true grace of God that instructs us to deny worldly lusts. We need to take heed to what true grace teaches. Yes, we need to teach more about the grace of God, but people need to listen and learn from the grace that is already taught! - Terry W. Benton