Hill Crest church of Christ P.O. Box 130 307 Oak Street Tunnel Hill GA

Hill Crest church of Christ P.O. Box 130 307 Oak Street Tunnel Hill GA A body of Christians following the teachings of the 1st Century Christians, Matthew 28:19. Hear, Believe, Confess, be Baptized. Live faithfully unto death.

A body of Christians following the teachings of the 1st Century Christians, Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. What Must I Do to be Saved? To be saved eternally, a person must:
HEAR TH

E WORD OF GOD (Romans 10:17)
BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST (Heb.11:6)
REPENT OF HIS SINS (Luke 13:3; Acts
2:38; Acts 3:19)
CONFESS THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD
(Matt. 10:32; Acts 8:37); Romans 10:9&10)
BE BAPTIZED (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16)
LIVE FAITHFULLY UNTO DEATH (Rom.12:1)

05/24/2023

Borrowed from my friend, HUGH'S NEWS & VIEWS
ONE FRUIT, NINE FLAVORS
In Galatians 5:19-23 the apostle Paul draws a striking contrast between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. While “works” is plural, “fruit” is singular (though I often hear it and see it in writing as if it too were plural). In the light of its multiple manifestations, I may not fully grasp why Paul used the singular for the fruit of the Spirit. I do know that earlier in Galatians Paul had used and emphasized the singular (in contradistinction to the plural) to make an extremely important point concerning the Seed of Abraham (3:16). While elsewhere Paul spoke of the “fruits (plural) of righteousness” (II Corinthians 9:10; Philippians 1:11), here in Galatians 5:22 it is “the fruit [singular] of the Spirit.” I am content to let the inspired apostle speak as he did, content to speak as the apostle himself spoke, and content to know that if I “walk in the Spirit” I will not fulfill the lust of the flesh nor allow the works of the flesh to dominate my life (Galatians 5:16). I rejoice to know that God's indwelling Holy Spirit results in one singular, beautiful, bountiful, multi-faceted fruit being manifested in my life, or, as we have worded it in the title of this essay, God's Spirit produces “One Fruit, Nine Flavors.” A study of this one fruit and its nine flavors can be profitable, leading to a richer, fuller, and deeper spiritual life. “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). Let us briefly examine each “flavor” of this amazing fruit.
1. Love. This is agape/divine love. It is the proper response to God's love for us (I John 4:19). It encompasses love for God, our neighbor, our families, our brethren in the Lord, and even our enemies (Matthew 22:37-39; James 2:8; Ephesians 5:22-6:4; John 13:35; I John 4:7-8; Matthew 5:43-48). Without this love we are nothing (I Corinthians 13:1-3.
2. Joy. Joy is a spirit of gladness and rejoicing (cf. Acts 2:46-47; 8:39). The Bible says much about joy (Philippians 4:4). Paul's letter to the Philippians is a handbook on the joy-filled life. We need to read it often and absorb its message. When a person lives in a sphere of love, he experiences great joy – that inward serenity that is not affected by outward circumstances. This joy keeps the Christian going in spite of difficulties and hardships.
3. Peace. Peace is the natural result of love and joy. This is the peace of God which surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:4-7). Christ is our peace, and without Him there is no peace (Ephesians 2:14-18). He promises peace to His followers (John 14:27), and when we are justified by an obedient faith, we have peace with God (Romans 5:1). An ongoing, trusting, and obedient faith results in lasting peace.
4. Longsuffering. This is patientand courageous endurance, a willingness to suffer long, as did the patriarch Job. (For a course on patience and longsuffering, read and absorb the Book of Job). Longsuffering is a chief characteristic of love (I Corinthians 13:4). A person of real love is willing to put up with a lot!
5. Kindness. Kindness may be defined as sweetness of spirit. It, too, is a mark of genuine love (I Corinthians 13:4). A person of kindness does not take vengeance on others or wish difficulties on those who oppose him (cf. Romans 12:20). We are commanded to be kind (Ephesians 4:32).
6. Goodness. This refers to uprightness of heart and life (cf. Romans 12:9, 21). Barnabas is described as “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (Acts 11:24). Those manifesting the fruit of the Spirit “do good to all men, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). Peter, quoting the Psalmist, gave a divine formula for living a good life and seeing good days (I Peter 3:10-12). May we have the wisdom to follow that formula!
7. Faithfulness. This refers to being trustworthy and dependable. Our word should be our bond. We should be faithful to God, to our family, to our friends, and to our selves. He who is faithful in little things will be faithful in big things, and he who is unjust in little things will be unjust in big things! (Luke 16:10).
8. Gentleness. This word was used regularly by the Greeks to describe animals that had been tamed and had learned to accept discipline. We do the same today when we speak of a gentle horse. Though a large and powerful and potentially dangerous animal, a horse can be trained, tamed, and controlled, and therefore made gentle. A gentle person is one who understands and exercises the correct use of power and authority. A gentle person does not throw his or her weight around or try to intimidate others. Christian women married to non-Christian husbands are to adorn themselves in "a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God" (I Peter 3:4). Meekness is the spirit in which we learn (James 1:21). Jesus was “meek (gentle) and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:28-30).
9. Self-Control. This is the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, especially those of a sensual and sexual nature. Self-control is a part of the path to the abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (II Peter 2:5-11). Do we pray for self-control of our thoughts, words, attitudes, actions, and of what (and how much) we eat and drink? A lack of self-control should cause us to tremble! (Acts 24:25).
Of these nine flavors of the one fruit of the Spirit Paul says, “Against such there is no law.” Ellicott notes: "There is no condemnatory law against such things." No society or culture anywhere has ever legislated against these qualities because it is actually impossible to do so. These are the very qualities so desperately needed in our world today and there is no law against them!
Having been baptized into Christ, the child of God must now walk "according to the Spirit" and set his mind on "the things of the Spirit" (Romans 6:1-6; 8:1-9) [I urge you to thoughtfully and reflectively read these two passages]. In this climate, the multi-faceted fruit of Spirit can be produced in beautiful and bountiful abundance.

05/16/2023

Borrowed from HUGH'S NEWS & VIEWS
THE HOLY SPIRIT
Quite possibly more confusion exists with reference to the Holy Spirit than any other Bible subject. The divine personality of the Holy Spirit is not recognized by many people; how He works in the conviction and conversion of sinners and in the life of a Christian is often misunderstood. A single essay on the subject cannot answer all questions, but some basic truths may help clear the path to a greater understanding of the Holy Spirit and His work.
The Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost, King James Version) is known by various names in scripture. He is referred to simply as the Spirit (Romans 8:26), the Spirit of God (Matthew 3:16), the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9b), the Spirit of truth (John 16:13), the eternal Spirit (Hebrews 9:13-14), and the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:29).
Like the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is a divine person. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit constitute the Godhead (Matthew 28:18-20; II Corinthians 13:14). The Spirit's nature comports with the Father's and the Son's. If we have no problem conceiving of the Father and the Son as divine persons, we ought not to have any problem conceiving of the Holy Spirit as a divine person.
Eight times in the space of two verses (John 16:13-14), Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as "He"—a personal pronoun in the masculine gender and the singular number. This being the case, the Holy Spirit is not some mysterious "It" that people in their wild imaginations and frenzied, irrational behavior "get." (Example: "I 'got the Holy Spirit/Ghost!’ Have you ever 'got It’?") The Holy Spirit is not the mind or power of God the Father. And, while the word of God is "the sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17), the Holy Spirit is not to be equated with the word of God—no more so than a soldier is to be equated with his sword, though the soldier uses his sword to accomplish his mission.
The Holy Spirit has a mind (Romans 8:27) and possesses knowledge (I Corinthians 2:11). He taught the apostles of Christ and reminded them of all that Jesus had taught them (John 14:26). He guided the apostles into all truth (John 16:13). Note: The context of the preceding verses needs to be understood, those to whom the words were spoken need to be recognized, and no one today is to assume that the Holy Spirit is leading or guiding them or anyone else into additional truth. "All truth" has been revealed by the Holy Spirit to the apostles and prophets of Christ (Ephesians 3:1-7, note especially verse 5, and compare it with I Corinthians 2:12-13). "The faith" (the complete gospel system) has been "once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3), and no additional revelations or "special leading" of the Holy Spirit are taking place today, nor have they since the completion of the writing of the New Testament documents.
The Holy Spirit dwells in Christians (I Corinthians 6:19) and in the church collectively (I Corinthians 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:19-21). The Holy Spirit is given to Christians because they are sons/children of God, not to make them sons/children of God (Galatians 4:6, emphasis mine, hf). The indwelling Spirit serves as a seal (a mark) that one is a child of God (Ephesians 1:13), and is the earnest (as in earnest money, i.e, the deposit, the guarantee) of the Christian's eternal inheritance (Ephesians 1:14; II Corinthians 5:5). The Spirit "bears witness with (not to) our spirit that we are children of God" (Romans 8:16, emphasis mine, hf), and "makes intercessions for us...according to the will of God" (Romans 8:26-27).
The child of God is to demonstrate "the fruit of the Spirit" and "walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22-26). This involves walking worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4:1), walking in love (Ephesians 5:1-2), walking as children of light (Ephesians 5:8), walking circumspectly (literally, looking around, keeping oneself morally upright, being aware of spiritual threats, dangers, needs, challenges, and opportunities) (Ephesians 5:15), walking in the light (of God's word) (I John 1:5-7), and walking in truth (II John 4).
One must be careful not to blaspheme the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:22-32; Mark 3:28-30), lie to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3), resist the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51), grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), or do despite to or insult the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 10:28-29). Rather, we are to be "filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18-19) as we "let the word of Christ dwell in [us] richly" (Colossians 3:16). (Note: These last two passages are exact parallels, and while they do not make the Holy Spirit and the word of Christ synonymous [see earlier comment on Ephesians 6:17], they are instructive as to the medium through which the Holy Spirit does His work in the conviction and conversion of sinners and in the instruction of Christians, namely, the word of God).
Much more could be said about the Holy Spirit. Perhaps this brief overview will serve as a springboard to deeper and more extensive study on the part of some.
Hugh Fulford

05/12/2023

Borrowed from Hugh Fulford.
A THURSDAY MORNING OBSERVATION: WILL ONLY THE CHURCH OF CHRIST BE SAVED?
There was a time when our religious friends and neighbors would often ask us this question and we would be able to give a Bible answer to it (cf. I Peter 3:15). It was frequently the subject of sermons preached in gospel meetings as well as in the Lord’s Day assemblies. How often is the question asked today? And if it is not being asked, why is it not being asked? How often is the question being addressed in sermons? Why not? Is it being asked by denominational people in Nashville, Memphis, Huntsville, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Abilene, New York City, and other places? Is it ever discussed by students in their dorm rooms or in Bible classes at Lipscomb, Abilene Christian, Harding, Pepperdine, Oklahoma Christian, Freed-Hardeman, Faulkner, or Florida College? Is it a topic for serious consideration at youth gatherings such as Challenge Youth Conference and Winterfest? If not, why not?
Has the distinction between the church of Christ and the denominations of men been lost on many members of the church, so that the question is no longer asked and is no longer considered relevant? Far too many members of the church now see it as just another denomination on the religious landscape and are totally “lost” when it comes to being able to give a Bible answer to the question. I fear that many elders and preachers are ill-equipped to deal with this question. Is the current attitude toward this question at least one reason why the church has lost interest in mission work and establishing the church in places where it does not exist? Why establish “another denomination” in a place that already has a number of denominations? Let the Catholics, Baptists, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Methodists, Nazarenes, all flavors of so-called Community churches, et al serve the religious needs of a community. Why add what to many is the “Church of Christ denomination” to a landscape already populated with a number of denominations?
This question gets to the heart of the difference between the church of which we read in the New Testament and the denominations that men have formed down through the centuries since the close of the New Testament. It is a question that I have resolved to address more often in my preaching because of the profound ignorance (I use that word in kindness) that exists with reference to the question. I am most pleased that my good friend Jeff Archey preached on this question last Sunday on the International Gospel Hour, using my “Hugh’s News & Views” of October 25, 2022 for the sermon’s content. I hope that thousands heard it and had their thinking challenged.
We have a challenge before us and it is a great one! It is the challenge to set forth the church of our Lord in its apostolic purity of identity, doctrine, and practice. Let us not become slack in meeting this challenge. Let us not grow weary in well doing. I urge my fellow preachers of the gospel to join me in addressing from the biblical viewpoint the urgent question, “Will only the church of Christ be saved?” We might just “shake things up” and get some folks to thinking and searching the scriptures (cf. Acts 17:11)!

05/05/2023

Borrowed from a friend.
A THURSDAY MORNING OBSERVATION: GETTING BACK TO BASICS
(by Earl West, via an email from Morris Bowers on April 30, 2023).
Whatever happened to the old-fashioned idea that the church exists to preach the Gospel and that the purpose of the Gospel is to save souls?
Judging from some of the bulletins we see and some announcements we are asked to make, some churches of Christ today appear to have gone over to the YMCA.
We are all for families knowing how to make money, and we are equally happy to see people make a success out of their lives, but churches of Christ should be concerned to preach in today’s world the same Gospel that was delivered in primitive times—to save souls from sin. Using that Gospel as a guideline, they ought to teach people how to grow spiritually and be prepared for heaven.
The church today is in serious danger of falling victim to a materialistic gospel—how to make money, how to get rich, how to be successful in business, in social life, in school, etc. (or how to feel valued and loved, but not how to be saved from sin and hell, hf). One of the surest signs that we are more interested in material values than in spiritual is when these types of lectures, because of their novelty, are more attractive than the message of a redeeming Savior.
One of the denominational journals we get had a lead article recently titled, “The Disease of the Health and Wealth Gospel,” and the editors were deploring the popularity of a so-called gospel that tells us how to be either “healthy or wealthy.”
If the denominations, who make no attempt to practice New Testament Christianity, have come to denounce this type of emphasis for its complete lack of spiritual content, it is indeed strange how churches of Christ, who are supposed to be set for the defense of the Gospel, can justify such spiritually empty messages.
The preachers who go around with this type of message betray a total lack of conception of what New Testament Christianity is all about. Elders who allow this sort of thing are either ignorant of the Bible or unable to withstand the pressure of a generation of super salesmen preachers. In both cases, it is a disgrace to the cause of New Testament Christianity.
If the central theme of the Gospel is not Christ and Him crucified, as Paul delivered it in Corinth, then, in the words of the lamented Foy E. Wallace, Sr., “We have been reading the wrong book.

04/11/2023

Shared Post from a friend: Hugh Fulford

THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS ON THE RESTORATION PLEA
The April 2023 edition of The Spiritual Sword (now in the readers' hands) has as its theme “Understanding The Restoration Plea.” This is an extremely relevant theme and one that we must continue to emphasize. This week's “News & Views” will quote heavily from this particular edition of The Spiritual Sword, as well as consist of some salient thoughts and observations concerning the plea to go back to the New Testament and be today what people were then—Christians only without denominational affiliation. The sad thing about our times is that people lay the template of modern denominationalism over the New Testament and see the church by that denominational template. What we need to do is to lay the template of the New Testament over the modern denominational world and see how far the world has drifted from original Christianity and the simplicity of the original church as the Lord Himself established it.
For the April issue of The Spiritual Sword I was asked to write on “What Is the Restoration Plea?” I opened my article with these words: “The straightforward answer to the question that serves as the topic of this article simply is this: Wherein there has been a departure from God's plan for mankind's salvation there must be a return to that divine plan. The restoration plea is to go back to the Bible for all that we teach, preach, believe, and practice in religious and spiritual matters.” Lamentably, most of the religious world is not concerned with being the church as Jesus established it. Even some who profess to be members of the church say that it is not necessary for the church today to be like the church of the first century.
In his insightful editorial on “Why Is Restoration Needed?,” Alan Highers pointed out, “To restore an item is to reestablish, renew, or rehabilitate something that has fallen into disrepair or decay and bring it back to its original condition. / In religious studies we speak about the 'restoration movement' and the 'restoration plea.' How are these terms used and what do they mean? They simply mean that we are endeavoring to 'restore' the New Testament faith and order. There would be no need for restoration if men had continued to be faithful and loyal to the truth as originally given by God.”
Following brother Highers' editorial was a series of articles tracing the “Characteristics of the Falling Away” (Glenn Colley); “The Development of the Papacy (there was no Pope or Roman Catholic Church in New Testament times or for several centuries thereafter) (David Pharr); “The Protestant Reformation” (Hiram Kemp); and “The Origin of Denominations” (Gary Hampton). Regrettably, the religious world in general has little if any knowledge of these matters and does not realize what has happened in “Christianity” since the first century. The average person on the street today thinks that all of the many churches are from God and that it is a blessing to be able to be a member of and to attend “the church of your choice.” The template of denominationalism imposed on the New Testament has distorted what God has said about the one church He planned from eternity and that Christ purchased with His blood (Ephesians 3:8-12; Acts 20:28).
Steve Higginbotham, with great understanding, wrote about “The Church Jesus Built” and noted: “Very few people today have any understanding of the church that Jesus built in the 1st century. All they have ever known is 21st century religion. What they know of the church is denominationalism, division, doctrinal discord, and shopping for a church that best meets their desires. For some, the church is merely a one-stop fitness center, coffee shop, day-care, weekly concert venue, and a place where they can hear brief, politically-correct motivational speeches. / However, this bears little resemblance to the church that Jesus built. While we have made great advancements in science and technology since the 1st century, it is time to go back to the 1st century and learn about the church that Jesus built. The good news is that this can be done without a 'time-machine.' We can simply open our Bibles for the answers we seek.”
The last several articles in this badly needed issue of The Spiritual Sword focused on “The Seed Principle” (Bill Boyd) and the fact that the word of God (the seed of the kingdom, Luke 8:11) will produce today what it produced in the first century, the undenominational church of our Lord; “What the Campbells Did and Did Not Do” (Phil Sanders); the fact that “Restoration Duplicates the Original” (Allen Webster); the urgency of affirmatively answering the question “Should We Preach the Plea Today?” (Wayne Lankford); significant “Slogans of the Restoration Movement” (Alan Highers); and “The Essence of the Restoration Plea” (Alan Highers).
In his editorial (previously referred to), brother Highers wrote: “Churches of Christ advocate the Restoration Plea: 'Let us go back to the Bible and restore the New Testament faith and order.' We are not trying to reform the corruptions of Roman Catholicism; we are not a part of protestant denominationalism, we are striving to be the New Testament church that existed in the first century. That is why we are ruled by elders in each congregation where qualified men are available. That is why we do not have instrumental music in worship; it was an innovation of the Catholic Church, not a New Testament practice. That is why we teach faith, repentance, confession of Christ, and baptism for the remission of sins. These distinctive positions represent a restoration of New Testament practice.”
In the closing paragraph of this vital issue of The Spritual Sword brother Highers stressed: “Churches of Christ are pleading for a return to New Testament Christianity, without human names, human creeds, or man-made denominations. Every person should investigate his or her religion and determine whether it can be justified by the Bible (1 Pet. 3:15; Acts 17:11). Churches of Christ believe in the restoration plea!”
This issue needs to be read in its entirety by every member of the Lord's church, especially elders, deacons, preachers, and teachers. It then needs to be passed along to friends and family members who have no concept of the restoration plea and its relevance to today's religious climate. Members of the Lord's church need to be informed on these matters and they need to help friends and family members to become informed on these matters. Ignorance of God's will is no virtue, especially when we have ways to learn, to know, and to grow!
One may subscribe to this outstanding journal by contacting the Getwell Church of Christ / P. O. Box 241925 / Memphis, TN 38124-1925. The annual subscription rate is $10.00 per person. Churches can order bundles of the publication at the following rate: 25 copies: $43.75 per quarter; 50 copies: $75.00 per quarter; 100 copies: $137.00 per quarter. I encourage elders and churches to provide a bundle for their members.
Hugh Fulford

04/06/2023

Another post from a Friend: Hugh Fulford.

THE APOSTATE LINE
Apostasy refers to falling away from a right relationship with God. An apostate is one who has departed from the Lord and His way. As surely as there is a salvation line between the lost state and the saved state (about which we wrote last week), so there is an apostate line between the saved state and those who have departed from the Lord and gone into a state of complete apostasy, from which the word of God holds out no hope of reclamation! The writer of Hebrews said, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, seeing they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame” (Hebrews 6:4-6). John wrote: “If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he shall ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that” (I John 5:16). No child of God wants to cross the apostate line!
All Christians sin. John wrote to Christians: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:8-9). Committing isolated acts of sin is a part of our struggles in this world and John says, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (I John 1:10). But, committing individual and isolated acts of sin is not the same as entering a state of complete apostasy. John assures the people of God, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (I John 1:7).
Earlier, I called attention to I John 5:16. In that text John tells us that we can and should pray for our brothers (and sisters) “sinning a sin which does not lead to death” and God will give them life. What is a sin which does not lead to spiritual death and irreversible separation from God? Obviously, in the light of I John 1:9, it is a sin which a person recognizes, confesses, and repents of. But then John said, “There is sin leading to death.” What sin is that? Any sin that a person will not confess and repent of! John says, “I do not say that he should pray about that.” When a person reaches such a state of hardness of heart and impenitence, he/she has crossed the apostate line! The people of Noah's generation had reached that state and crossed that line. “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). The sexually perverted people of S***m and Gomorrah had reached that state and crossed that line. In spite of all of Abraham's pleading and praying and trying to bargain with God and “jew Him down” (pardon the pun), there were not enough righteous souls (not even ten!) in those depraved cities to prevent their destruction. “Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on S***m and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground” (Genesis 19:24-25). In the New Testament both Peter and Jude refer to these Old Testament incidents of depravity, using them as examples of what will happen to those who cross the apostate line and depart from the way of Christ (cf. II Peter 2:5-6; Jude 7).
Both individual Christians and congregations of the Lord need to heed the above warnings (and many others). It is foolish to see how close to sin and error one can get and still not cross the apostate line. Churches infested with sin and error need teaching and correction. They need to repent lest they cross the line. Christ told the church at Ephesus who had left its first love that if they did not repent He would come and remove their lampstand from its place (figurative language indicating that He would no longer recognize it as His church) (Revelation 2:5). To the “broadminded” church at Thyatira who permitted a first century Jezebel to teach and beguile His servants, the Lord said, “I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent” (Revelation 2:21). God still gives people time to repent, but eventually that time runs out and the line beyond which reclamation is impossible has been passed! Christ addressed all five of the seven churches of Asia who were in danger of crossing the apostate line and commanded them to repent. (Revelation 2:5; 16; 21; 3:3; 19).
Other New Testament congregations had serious problems that needed correcting and that required repentance, e.g. Corinth (I & II Corinthians), the churches of Galatia (Galatians). Paul left Timothy in Ephesus that he “may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables...” (I Timothy 1:3-4). (There are many non-biblical doctrines and religious fables being advanced in the world today, and ignorance of God's word is allowing these to get strangle- holds on some of God's people). Paul dispatched Titus to the island of Crete to “set in order the things that are lacking” and to stop the mouths of those who were subverting whole households, “teaching things which they should not, for the sake of dishonest gain” (Titus 1:5, 11). Paul recognized in all of these instances (and many others) that there was an apostate line that must not be crossed! Teaching, instruction, indoctrination, and encouragement in the truth of the gospel are necessities to not crossing that line. Today, we must be firm in standing for the truth and “earnestly contend for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).
In the Old West a stagecoach line was in need of a driver. Several men applied for the job. Two were chosen to be interviewed and “try out” for the job. Each man was to drive a team of horses and a stagecoach along a road that ran around a high mountain with a deep precipice on the outer edge. One candidate drove the horses at a high rate of speed and as near the dangerous edge of the road as possible, seeking to impress the owners of the stagecoach line with his skills and prowess. The other candidate drove the horses at a slow pace, hugging the mountain as closely as possible, and avoiding the dangerous precipice. Guess who got the job?
The moral of the story is that it is never safe for a child of God or a congregation of the Lord's people to see how much sin and error they can engage in and how close they can come to eternal destruction and still be counted among the faithful. The safe course is to always stay “close to the mountain” of God and His divine word, our pattern for “all things pertaining to life and godliness” (II Peter 1:3).
Hugh Fulford
April 4, 2023

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Tunnel Hill, GA
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