Church of Christ El Centro

06/10/2026

Verse of the Day
Psalm 27:14 Wait on the LORD: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

06/09/2026

Death and Then Judgment
Joe Norton

“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation” (Hebrews 9:27-28).

The mystery of death has puzzled saint and sinner alike since near the beginning of time, and here the inspired writer decidedly states it is a one-time occurrence in the life of every person—and he makes it permanent.

From death, there is no return because God has planned an important event that will follow—it is a time of judgment that will determine the eternal future of every individual. And it is compared to the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross—also, a one-time event.

When Jesus died, He bore the sins of every person who ever lived—when He comes again, He will not bring those sins with Him. Rather, He will appear in His perfected state, serving as the Savior for those who “wait” for him—that is, for all who have believed His message and have submitted their lives to His teaching. So, salvation is available for all but will be granted only to obedient believers.

Let us not allow the sobering message of this teaching to escape us—it behooves us to think seriously about our relationship with Jesus, recognizing His part in our salvation. But, we do have a part, and that part is submission—that is what He expects from us.

06/09/2026

Verse of the Day
Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for their's is the kingdom of heaven.

06/08/2026

Verse of the Day
Matthew 5:8-9 "8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."

06/08/2026

06/06/2026

Verse of the Day
Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

06/05/2026

Verse of the Day
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

06/04/2026

Verse of the Day
Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

06/03/2026

Righteousness Defined
Joe Norton

“And the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day. 25 Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us” (Deuteronomy 6:24-25).

In both Testaments, the word righteousness appears many times, leading us to conclude that it is extremely important to God. Moses, here, clearly explains what “righteousness” means.

Moses says it means observing the statutes, fearing the Lord, being good, and carefully observing “all” the commandments. As well, in the New Testament, when Paul writes to the Christians in Corinth, he uses a metaphor to tell them they are to awaken out of their moral intoxication and turn to God’s way: “Awake to righteousness” (1 Corinthians 15:34).

“Righteousness” literally means “right action” or acting “properly, as is right,” mirroring the nature of both God the Father and Jesus. This teaching has been exhortation to people of every Age, meaning they are to break from their sins and lead a holy and righteous life.

The message, then, has direct application to those of us living in the twenty-first century: to please God, we must not give ourselves over to the allurement of Satan nor must we involve ourselves in the practices and doctrines that are contrary to Holy Scripture.